From corporate podcasts to AI: Here are the next B2B content trends in 2023

Content and social media marketers are being put through their paces in 2023.

The explosion of interest in generative artificial intelligence (AI), paired with the constantly unfolding drama surrounding Twitter, has meant those working in content need a laser focus to keep track of the updates and changes.

The pace of transformation represents an inflection point for creators and marketers – especially as more and more companies are looking to push the envelope when it comes to creative digital campaigns. Over 80% of senior B2B marketers say that “creative confidence” is growing as B2B companies become more sure of themselves in producing these kinds of campaigns, according to a survey by LinkedIn and YouGov.

Here are some trends and developments that we’re keeping tabs on:

Generative AI

Artificial intelligence and copywriting have been linked for many years, but 2023 looks set to be a game-changer. AI is going to play a bigger role than ever in the content creation process this year because consumer demand for personalisation is increasing, the Digital Marketing Institute says.

Marketers will have to learn how to integrate new technologies such as ChatGPT, including ways to create prompts that generate the best content. But we will also need to be judicious with how we harness these tools.

There’s no denying that the advancement in AI capabilities will have a strong impact on aspects of digital marketing like programmatic advertising, and on content personalisation and optimisation – like using SEMRush, or Can I Rank? to check whether a content idea is backed up with keyword research, for instance.

It’s all in the data

AI is also reshaping the landscape when it comes to audience data analysis. Segmenting audiences manually can be an arduous task, but many marketers are now turning to AI-powered tools not only for this, but also to rank customer buying intent and build customer personas. This will no doubt have a strong impact on bottom-of-funnel content and direct marketing in particular.

The landscape will continue to evolve quickly, both in terms of the capabilities of AI tools and in terms of regulation. There is a huge opportunity to harness the power of AI to become more efficient and offer greater value to clients. But there are also great risks, especially when it comes to accuracy – and copyright is a complicated issue, too.

It’s not just what you get out of generative AI tools that’s a concern, but what you put in. Companies including Samsung have found themselves in a tricky spot after realising that engineers had entered confidential data into ChatGPT. 

We are tracking developments with great attention and continue to take a human-led approach to content creation, keeping the need for accuracy and quality front and centre. 

LinkedIn Newsletters

LinkedIn is doubling down on the visibility of its Newsletter tool, making it an enticing product for organisations to add to their marketing mix. 

The social networking firm has recently rolled out a feature that allows users to see which newsletters others LinkedIn users are subscribed to. LinkedIn says it made this change to help people discover new content and keep in the loop with industry trends.

Other new features include one-click-subscribe URLs and embeddable buttons to make it easier for users to find a newsletter. There’s also now a scheduler functionality and the option to add a newsletter to the “Featured” section of a LinkedIn profile.

Why is a LinkedIn Newsletter such a valuable B2B marketing tool? Because it allows your company to create a carefully curated digest of high-quality, priority content and messaging. Microsoft On the Issues’ Tech Issues Explained and EY’s Must Reads are great examples of how they can be done well.

Content and social audits

Why are social audits currently in vogue? The rise of generative AI tools may be creating uneasy feelings about content authenticity. There’s also a desire for bottom-of-the-funnel content to work harder amid a tough economic backdrop. At the same time, business leaders are increasing their understanding of the power of a well managed and optimised social media profile.

Content and social audits – especially those carried out when we start work with a new client – give us the opportunity to collaboratively assess their situation and devise a strategy that’s supported by deep and considered analysis.

Corporate podcasts

Companies, brands and publishers have podcasts in their marketing crosshairs. More than nine out of 10 companies plan to increase their podcasting budget in 2023, according to a survey of 8,000+ marketers. Most of the companies surveyed said they don’t have a podcast yet, but they are keen on creating one.

However, one of the first lessons in the content strategy handbook is that it’s not worth creating something just for the sake of it. Companies should think carefully about the “why” of their podcast and the audience they want to reach. One popular form of corporate podcast is the internal podcast which is used to share key messages and initiatives with employees.

A well produced internal podcast can be effective as part of a brand’s employee advocacy strategy, with Gartner predicting that 90% of B2B media marketing strategies this year will incorporate scaled employee advocacy programmes.

Our teams are constantly exploring the latest content trends. Get in touch with alex.gray@formativecontent.com to find out more. 

READ MORE:

• Why it pays to invest in innovative design for B2B content

• Here’s what our analysis is telling us about B2B audiences

James Fell is a Senior Content Strategist at Formative Content. Connect with James on LinkedIn here.