The

B2B Marketing
Benchmark
A global look at the state
of B2B marketing
June 2023
B2B continues its ascent
B2B is undergoing a renaissance as business models, innovation drivers
and buyers evolve dramatically from decades prior. Now some of the most
profitable companies across the globe are B2B companies.
Jim Habig
And while many in the business community cite serious concerns over Vice President, Marketing
economic turmoil and rising global uncertainty, B2B leaders are largely LinkedIn
optimistic about the fate of their organizations and the role of marketing
in helping them grow.
The B2B Marketing Benchmark uncovers the trends and practices fueling
this optimism: Marketing budgets on the rise worldwide; Excitement among Melissa Furze
B2B leaders about emerging technologies like Generative AI; Growth Senior Director, Customer Science
in adoption of creative and technical skills that will help marketers meet LinkedIn
the demands of these emerging technologies and trends.
What follows is a meticulously researched perspective on how B2B
organizations can lead (and succeed) through uncertainty. We reveal
key areas of opportunity, what B2B leaders need to do to thrive in a rapidly
changing environment and how they should plan for the long term.
To understand the
evolving landscape
and opportunity in B2B, U.K. Germany

we surveyed B2B leaders

3 5
U.S.
India
in eight countries. 1 4
6
France
These countries represent core Singapore
B2B growth markets with a Brazil
7
vibrant LinkedIn member base. 2 Australia
8
 Research Methodology
Ipsos recruited a sample of 1,954 B2B Leaders from various industries.
Participants took a 15-minute device agnostic survey on mobile or desktop.
Survey development drew from existing Ipsos expertise as well as findings from LinkedIn research. The focus of the survey was

Our perspective is challenges being faced by senior-level B2B marketers globally. The large sample size allows for confident projection of results and
analysis of subgroups of the target audience.
We also did an analysis of 1,000 B2B Brands to understand how B2B companies are faring in this environment. We used our B2B Index,

backed by data from a new LinkedIn metric that measures effective brand building, to identify the 1,000 B2B companies we could analyze in aggregate to
determine B2B trends on LinkedIn.

Ipsos and LinkedIn Data Collection Timeline

March 24 to May 5, 2023
Primary quantitative research was
conducted by Ipsos via a device-agnostic
online survey, designed with each market Qualifying Criteria
in mind. LinkedIn internal data provided B2B Marketing Leaders and CFOs at B2B organizations working in Advertising, Marketing & Communications, General Management,
Client Services/Account Management, Sales, Finance, Analytics/Data roles at small (10-49 employees) n=231, medium (50-499 employees)
critical context and understanding to n=806, and large (500+ employees) n=917 enterprises.

Ipsos’ quantitative findings.

Respondent Profile
• Regions: North America (n=350), LATAM (n=200), EMEA (n=904), APAC (n=500)
• Job title: C-suite, including CMOs and CFOs (n=751), Senior manager/Director/VP/President (n=1,203)
• Industries: Financial services (n=346), Tech (n=443), Agency (n=400), Health (n=226), Education (n=259), Professional services (n=283)
Analytical Groups and Total Sample Breakdown
Our results analyze the responses of three key groups: B2B leaders, B2B marketing leaders and C-suite executives.
Mentions of B2B leaders refer to the full sample of respondents (CMOs, CFOs and senior marketers).
Mentions of B2B marketing leaders refer to CMOs and senior marketers, which represent 81% of the total sample.
Mentions of C-suite refer to CMOs and CFOs, which represents 38% of the total sample.

Sr. Marketers B2B

Total % of (Sr. Manager, % of % of Total % of % of
Market CMOs CFOs Marketing C-suite
Surveyed Total Sample Director, Sr. Director, Total Sample Sample Total Sample Total Sample
VP, SVP, President) Leaders

Total 1,954 374 19% 1,203 62% 377 19% 1,577 81% 751 38%
U.S. 350 50 14% 250 71% 50 14% 300 86% 100 29%
UK 351 51 15% 250 71% 50 14% 301 86% 101 29%
France 277 46 17% 178 64% 53 19% 224 81% 99 36%
Germany 276 52 19% 174 63% 50 18% 226 82% 102 37%
Singapore 150 29 19% 88 59% 33 22% 117 78% 62 41%
Australia 150 46 31% 62 41% 42 28% 108 72% 88 59%
India 200 50 25% 100 50% 50 25% 150 75% 100 50%
Brazil 200 50 25% 101 51% 49 25% 151 76% 99 50%
 1 B2B Budgets & Outlook

Overview
We look at several factors driving 2 The B2B Marketing Organization
• Evolution of the CMO
B2B organizations today – the
budgets they’re working with, • Key B2B Marketing Skills
the outlook they have for the future, • Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
the organizational structures
they’re building and the strategies
they’re using to drive growth.
3 B2B Marketing Strategies
• Building & Measuring Brand
• Marketing Channels & Tools
• Generative AI
Key Findings 1 Global B2B leaders are hopeful about the future.
Around half of B2B leaders say they are optimistic they will be able to drive revenue in the coming
In helping their companies flourish year. This optimism may be fueled by increasing budgets.
in such a difficult environment, B2B
marketing leaders face a tough road
2 B2B marketing budgets are up, a finding that's largely
ahead. But they are resilient and up to
the challenge. During the past few years,
consistent worldwide.
While some minimal differences exist, B2B leaders across regions expect budgets and spending to
B2B marketing leaders have found new increase in the coming years.
ways to drive influence, impact and
growth across their organizations.
3 B2B leaders are using creative skills to succeed.
Creative strategy and problem solving are among the top skills B2B marketing leaders identify
as important for their current role and are skills they identified as strengths. Marketing leaders
1. Base size: n=1954
report these skills will continue to be needed in the future to succeed.
OUTLOOK: Which of the following best describes how you feel about the likelihood of
whether your marketing team’s efforts will drive business revenue in the next year?
BUDGETCHANGEFUTURE: How do you predict your (top client’s) company’s B2B

The role of the CMO is evolving and expanding.

marketing budget will change one year from now?

2. Base size: n=1954

4
BUDGETCHANGEFUTURE: How do you predict your (top client’s) company’s B2B
marketing budget will change one year from now? Roughly 2 in 3 C-suite members say the role of the CMO has increased in importance over
SELFSKILLIMPORT: In your opinion, which of the following skills are most important for you
in your current role? the past two years, while around half say CMOs have a more direct role in driving revenue
TOPCHANNELS: In your opinion, which channel is most effective at meeting your (top
client’s) marketing needs? and growth now.
3. Base size: n=1577
SELFSKILLIMPORT: In your opinion, which of the following skills are most important for you
in your current role?

4. Base size: CMO (n=374)

5 CMOs are building relationships across the C-suite.
CMOROLECHANGE: In which of the following ways has (your/the CMO’s) role changed in
the last two years? If you were not in your current role two years ago, please provide your 8 in 10 CMOs say they try to involve other members of the C-suite in B2B marketing decisions.
best estimate based on your knowledge of the company's history.
CMOATTITUDES: Please indicate how much you agree or disagree with each of the
following statements about your role.

5. Base size: n=751

CMOIMPORTSELF: In your opinion, how, if at all, has the importance of (your/the CMO’s)
role changed compared to two years ago? If you were not in your current role two years
ago, please provide your best estimate based on your knowledge of the company's history.
 Increasingly, B2B organizations are recognizing the importance
Key Findings 6
of brand.
Globally, roughly 6 in 10 B2B marketing leaders say their C-suite has increased the
In helping their companies flourish importance of brand building given economic conditions. Additionally, B2B marketing leaders
in such a difficult environment, B2B are reporting increased spending on growing brand awareness.
marketing leaders face a tough road
ahead. But they are resilient and up to 7 B2B leaders are focused on a full funnel approach.
the challenge. During the past few years, While B2B leaders cite lead generation and generating new business as top areas of budget
B2B marketing leaders have found new allocation and spending, they also plan to prioritize branding and demand generation.
ways to drive influence, impact and
growth across their organizations. B2B marketing leaders are focused on making connections.
8
6 in 10 B2B marketing leaders say they plan to use in-person events, and a majority say their use
of in-person events is going to increase in the next year. In-person events were also cited as the
6. Base size: n=1954
BRANDIMPORT: When thinking about your brand-building efforts, please indicate how
most effective B2B marketing channel.
much you agree/disagree with the following statements.

7. Base size: n=1954

BUDGETALLOCATION: Please rank the following objectives in order of how much of
your (top client’s) B2B marketing budget is allocated to each, with 1 being the largest
portion of the budget and 4 being the smallest.
BUDGETALLOCATIONCU.S.TOMER: Now, please rank the following types of business
9 Eagerness outruns know how about generative AI.
in order of how much of your (top client’s) B2B marketing budget is allocated to each,
with 1 being the largest portion of the budget and 2 being the smallest. 3 in 4 B2B marketing leaders say they plan to start or continue using generative AI. However,
CSUITECHALLENGES: Which of the following B2B marketing challenges are you
personally most concerned about in the next one to two years?
less than 2 in 10 report they have an extremely good understanding of how to use AI.
8. Base size: n=1577
CHANNELS: What B2B marketing techniques (does your top client/do you) plan to use in
the next year?

9. Base size: n=1678 10 B2B leaders recognize the importance of equity,

but sometimes struggle to action it.
AICONSIDER: How likely are you to (continue/consider) using generative AI to promote
your (top client’s) business when advertising opportunities become available that utilize
the technology?
Base size: n=1954
AIUNDERSTAND: How would you describe your level of understanding of how to Over 8 in 10 B2B leaders say DEI is important to their company. However, just 6 in 10 report
promote your (top client’s) business using generative AI in marketing campaigns?
that their company has an official capacity that focuses on DEI.
10. Base size: n=1954
DEIIMPORT: How important is diversity, equity, and inclusion to each of the following?
DEICAPACITY: Does your company have an official capacity that focuses on diversity,
equity, and inclusion? This could include a DEI team, official DEI policies, special
committees, or dedicated events.
B2B Budgets
& Outlook
See how B2B organizations are spending
their marketing budgets. How optimistic
are they are about the year ahead?
Amid uncertainty, optimism

Budgets are up
worldwide and B2B
leaders are feeling
optimistic about their
ability to drive
revenue for their
companies.
Despite the uncertain economic The Top Trends Shaping Global B2B Budgets

environment, current and future • Overall, 6 in 10 say budgets have increased in the past year.2

B2B budgets are increasing. • Over 2 in 3 say budgets will increase in the next year.3

• The tech sector is a notable outlier, with respondents from

this industry saying budgets have decreased (26%), the
As perceptions of the U.S. economy decline, most compared to all other sectors.
concerns over inflation persist. More than half
of small business owners continue to cite it as • The APAC region was more likely to say budgets have
increased somewhat or substantially in the past year compared
their top concern.1 to all other regions (71% APAC, 60% N. AMER, 57% LATAM,
53% EMEA)2, and was more likely to say budgets will increase
However, B2B leaders are hopeful about the somewhat or substantially in the next year compared to
future, even in these uncertain times. all other regions (74% APAC, 66% N. AMER, 65% LATAM,
64% EMEA).3

1. https://www.ipsos.com/en-us/three-five-small-businesses-say-rising-prices-have-forced-them-seek-out-more-capital

2. Base size: Total (n=1954); APAC (n=500); N. AMER (n=350); LATAM (n=200); EMEA (n=904)
BUDGETCHANGEPAST: How would you describe the change in your company’s / your top client’s B2B marketing budget compared to one year ago?

3. Base size: n=1954

BUDGETCHANGEFUTURE: How do you predict your company’s / your top client’s B2B marketing budget will change one year from now?

Research conducted by Ipsos, March 2023 to May 2023.

 Global B2B Budget Changes

52%

45%

24%
21%

14% 15% 15%

8%
4%
1%

Increase 25+% Increase 1-24% Stay the same Decrease 1-24% Decrease 25+%

Last Year 1 Next Year 2

1. Base size: n=1954

BUDGETCHANGEPAST: How would you describe the change in your company’s / your top client’s B2B marketing budget compared to one year ago?

2. Base size: n=1954

BUDGETCHANGEFUTURE: How do you predict your company’s / your top client’s B2B marketing budget will change one year from now?

Research conducted by Ipsos, March 2023 to May 2023.

B2B leaders also
feel good about their 2%
11%
ability to drive revenue
in the coming year.
Sentiments on
CFOs (60%) are more optimistic than Marketing Team’s
CMOs (49%) or Senior Managers Ability to Drive Revenue 50%
to Presidents (48%) in the marketing
team’s ability to drive revenue. 36%
Optimistic
Confident
Pessimistic
Uncertain

Base size: Total (n=1954); CFO (n=377); CMO (n=374); Senior Manager – President (n=1203)
OUTLOOK: Which of the following best describes how you feel about the likelihood of whether your marketing team’s efforts will drive business revenue in the next year?

Research conducted by Ipsos, March 2023 to May 2023.

 “The demand and lead generation methods
using B2B insights and data analytics that
we implement are producing significantly
better results today, even in an uncertain
economic environment.”

VP, Tech, India

Base size: n=1735

CSUITEOE: What is the one thing you would like your (top client’s) C-suite to know about
what your team brings to the table?

Research conducted by Ipsos, March 2023 to May 2023.

B2B leaders are allocating “ It is well documented that keeping
their increasing budgets brand and demand spends high
across the funnel. during a slowdown helps brands
How to allocate budget and spending across bounce quicker when the market
branding, lead generation and demand generation,
especially during times of economic uncertainty, comes back. However, what is
is a core issue for most B2B marketing leaders. not clear is the delineation of
In the absence of a silver bullet strategy, marketing budgets towards
data suggests B2B marketing leaders are allocating
budget with a focus on the full prospect funnel. customers vs. net new leads.”

Ricky Abbott
President, Transmission

Research conducted by Ipsos, March 2023 to May 2023.

“ Most of your growth
potential lies in reaching
people who won’t buy from
you today, but who will buy
from you in the future.”
Ty Heath
Director of Market Engagement, The B2B Institute, LinkedIn
 “There is no [failsafe] The Top Trends Shaping Global
B2B Budget Allocation and Spend
for weathering an economic
downturn in demand B2B leaders are looking at the full funnel in their prospecting
efforts to ensure success.
generation. Rather, teams • Although Lead Generation (36%) receives the highest share
need to work to optimize of B2B budget allocation, B2B leaders are also allocating
budget to Brand Building (30%) and Demand Generation
everything – often in (20%).2

small ways.” 1 • Overall, 7 in 10 B2B leaders say their budget is focused on

generating new business.3
Senior Manager, Tech, U.S.
• Tech sector (85%) more likely than Agencies (72%),
Financial Services (70%), Professional Services (68%),
Health (67%) or Education (59%) to allocate budget to
generating new business.
1. Base size: n=1735
CSUITEOE: What is the one thing you would like your (top client’s) C-suite to know about what your team brings to the table?

2. Base size: n=1954

BUDGETALLOCATION: Please rank the following objectives in order of how much of your (top client’s) B2B marketing budget is allocated to each, with 1 being the largest portion of the budget and 4 being the smallest.

3. Base size: Total (n=1954); Tech (n=443); Education (n=259); Financial Services (n=346); Health (n=226); Professional Services (n=283) Agency (n=400)
BUDGETALLOCATIONCU.S.TOMER: Now, please rank the following types of business in order of how much of your (top client’s) B2B marketing budget is allocated to each, with 1 being the largest portion of the budget and 2 being the smallest.

Research conducted by Ipsos, March 2023 to May 2023.

B2B leaders plan to invest higher proportions of their marketing
budgets in lead generation and brand building.
What are B2B marketing leaders planning to spend on? (#1 Ranking Scores)

36% 30% 20% 15%

Lead Brand Building Demand Account-based
Generation & Awareness Generation Marketing

Base size: n= 1954

BUDGETALLOCATION: Please rank the following objectives in order of how much of your / your top client’s B2B marketing budget is allocated to each, with 1 being the largest portion of the budget and 4 being the smallest.

Research conducted by Ipsos, March 2023 to May 2023.

 “Although focus is on
lead generation, brand building
will be an important next step
for us as a group.”

CMO, Financial Services, AU

Base size: n=1735

CSUITEOE: What is the one thing you would like your (top client’s) C-suite to know about
what your team brings to the table?

Research conducted by Ipsos, March 2023 to May 2023.

B2B budget allocation is largely consistent across regions.
% of B2B Marketing Budget Allocated to Marketing Efforts

APAC NA EMEA LATAM Global

Lead Generation 32% 37% 38% 31% 36%

Brand Building & Awareness 29% 32% 26% 39% 30%

Demand Generation 21% 21% 20% 18% 20%

Account Based Marketing 18% 11% 16% 13% 15%

Base size: Global (n=1954); APAC (n=500); NA (n=350); EMEA (n=904); LATAM (n=200)
BUDGETALLOCATION: Please rank the following objectives in order of how much of your / your top client’s B2B marketing budget is allocated to each, with 1 being the largest portion of the budget and 4 being the smallest.

Research conducted by Ipsos, March 2023 to May 2023.

And B2B marketing organizations spend more on finding
new customers than retaining existing customers.
% of B2B Marketing Budget Allocated by Industry % of B2B Marketing Budget Allocated by Region

The Tech sector is more likely than all other sectors to

say budget is allocated to generating new business.
85%

72% 74%
71% 70% 71% 71% 71%
67% 68% 67%
59%

41%
33% 32% 33%
29% 30% 28% 29% 29% 29%
26%

15%

Overall Tech Financial Agency Health Education Professional Overall N.AMER LATAM EMEA APAC
Services Services

Generating New Business Retaining Existing Customers Generating New Business Retaining Existing Customers

Base size: Overall n=1954; Tech n=443; Financial Services n=346; Agency n=400; Health n=226; Education n=259; Professional Services n=283; NAMER n=350, LATAM n=200; EMEA n=904; APAC n=500
BUDGETALLOCATIONCU.S.TOMER: Now, please rank the following types of business in order of how much of your / your top client’s B2B marketing budget is allocated to each, with 1 being the largest portion of the budget and 2 being the smallest.

Research conducted by Ipsos, March 2023 to May 2023.

The B2B Marketing
Organization
The skills, practices, relationships and tools that
B2B marketing organizations need to excel.

Evolution of the CMO

Key B2B Marketing Skills
Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
Evolution of the CMO
Globally, B2B CMOs played a pivotal role
in driving business growth, resilience and
agility during and after the pandemic, and
as a result, have seen their influence grow in
the C-suite. The prominence of the marketing
organizations they lead are also growing.
To meet the opportunity ahead, B2B marketing
leaders and their teams must merge art
and science to continue to excel.
 “Marketing’s focus and knowledge of the
customer drives far-reaching influence—
we are often the data champion of an
organization and own the customer journey.
We are at the epicenter, connecting teams
and processes to form a single view of the
customer, and using tools like AI + Data +
CRM drive differentiated customer
experiences and new revenue streams.”
Paul Stoddart
CMO, Customer & Partner Success, Salesforce

Research conducted by Ipsos, March 2023 to May 2023.

Increase in importance of Role of CMO In Eyes of C-suite1

The role of CMO has increased most The CMO has increased
significantly in the APAC region.
74%
67%
in importance in the eyes of
members in the C-suite,
65%
62%
59%
≈
leading to evolving role
changes, most notably in
impact to the bottom line. 2

Roughly 2 in 3 CMOs/CFOs say the importance of

Global APAC NA EMEA LATAM the CMO has increased in the eyes of the C-suite.1

1. Base size: Global (n=751); APAC (n=250); NA (n=100); EMEA (n=302); LATAM (n=99)
CMOIMPORTCSUITE: Compared to two years ago, how, if at all, has the importance of (your/the CMO’s) role changed in the eyes of other members of the C-suite? If you were not in your current role two years ago, please provide your best estimate based on your knowledge of the company's history.

2. Base size: n=751

CMOROLECHANGE: In which of the following ways has (your/the CMO’s) role changed in the last two years? If you were not in your current role two years ago, please provide your best estimate based on your knowledge of the company's history.

Research conducted by Ipsos, March 2023 to May 2023.

Nearly 1 in 2 B2B CMOs and CFOs say the CMO role has evolved
to have a more direct role in driving revenue and growth, and that
CMOs are expected to demonstrate marketing impact to bottom line.
Change in CMO Role in the Last Two Years
Expected to be able to demonstrate marketing impact to bottom line 47%
More direct role in driving revenue & growth 47%
Under more pressure to prove ROI in less time 40%
Helping to drive overall company strategy & budgeting 39%
Collaborating more with others in the C Suite 39%
Expected to leverage creative brand building to improve memorability of
products/services 37%
More agility when it comes to adapting to new circumstances 37%
More influence over data management and business intelligence decisions 35%
More involvement in product offerings/pricing decisions 34%
Collaborating more with CFO 25% 1 in 4 B2B leaders believe a CMO’s role
has entailed collaborating more with
None of the above 1% CFOs in the last couple of years.

Base size: n=751

CMOROLECHANGE: In which of the following ways has the CMO’s role changed in the last two years? If you were not in your current role two years ago, please provide your best estimate based on your knowledge of the company`s history.

Research conducted by Ipsos, March 2023 to May 2023.

To meet the growing demands of their roles, over 8 in 10 CMOs agree
they have strengthened their skills to demonstrate B2B marketing
impact to help the CFO/CEO understand the value of brand.

Agreement with Statements (Strongly Agree/Somewhat Agree )

I have strengthened my skills to demonstrate B2B marketing impact to help the

CFO/CEO understand the value of brand marketing 84%

Learning the language of finance has helped me secure more marketing budget 80% The majority of CMOs say learning the
language of finance has helped them
secure more marketing budget (80%).
I try to involve as many C-Suite members in B2B marketing decisions 79%

I am under pressure to prove ROI in the short term 76%

My CFO/CEO prioritize investment in brand-building 68%

My relationship with our CFO is stronger than ever before 67%

Base size: n=374

CMOATTITUDES: Please indicate how much you agree or disagree with each of the following statements about your role.

Research conducted by Ipsos, March 2023 to May 2023.

Finding and acquiring new customers was the top challenge
for B2B CMOs globally.
Top Challenges CMOs will Face in the Next Two Years (by Region)

APAC NA EMEA LATAM Global

Finding and Acquiring
54% 48% 41% 40% 46%
New Customers

Incorporating Emerging
46% 36% 32% 54% 40%
Technology

Boosting Customer
33% 30% 38% 34% 35%
Engagement

Base size: Global (n=751); APAC (n=250); NA (n=100); EMEA (n=302); LATAM (n=99)
CSUITECHALLENGES: Which of the following B2B marketing challenges are you personally most concerned about in the next one to two years?

Research conducted by Ipsos, March 2023 to May 2023.

 Marketing Challenges in the Next 1-2 Years

Incorporating emerging Finding and acquiring new

46%
technology, like AI,
customers

Incorporating emerging
technology, like AI, into the 40%
into the marketing mix marketing mix

Boosting customer
35%
2 in 5 CMOs are
concerned about
incorporating emerging
is the second biggest
engagement/experience
technology, like AI,
Proving value of marketing
30% into the marketing mix.

challenge for CMOs.

department to C-suite

Growing trust & maintaining

brand safety 29%

Budget cuts 28%

Attracting/retaining talent 28%

Improving data management 22%

Not having the right skills to keep
up with changing landscape 15%

Other (please specify) 1%

Base size: CMO (n=374)

CSUITECHALLENGES: Which of the following B2B marketing challenges are you personally most concerned about in the next one to two years?

Research conducted by Ipsos, March 2023 to May 2023.

 Top Posted Hashtags Top Engaged Hashtags

1 #Marketing 1 #Innovation
2 #Business 2 #Marketing

Technology trends, like 3 #DigitalMarketing 3 #AI

AI, were a top area of 4 #Hiring 4 #Business

interest for CMOs on 5 #AI 5 #Technology

LinkedIn, as reflected 6 #SEO 6 #Leadership

by the hashtags they 7 #SocialMedia 7 #ChatGPT

post and engage with. 8 #Innovation 8 #Team

9 #Technology 9 #Startup
10 #Blockchain 10 #Sustainability

Source: LinkedIn Internal Data – Based on data in total global marketers in top 1K B2B companies. Time Range: Jan 2023 – Apr 2023.
Key B2B Marketing Skills

B2B leaders are looking to sharpen their

teams’ skills to create more efficient and
agile marketing groups.

To do so, B2B marketing organizations

must focus on upskilling their workforces
on both technical skills, like MarTech
expertise, and soft skills, like creative
strategy and problem-solving.

Back to section header

 “ New growth inherently involves Top B2B brands are growing their
building internal capacity.
share of marketing job postings.
With increase in business,
we will need to hire the talent
to execute on the new business
and create (increase)
marketing budget.” +29% +10%
Senior Manager, U.S.

MoM Growth YoY Growth

in Marketing Job posts in Marketing Job posts
(Apr 2023) (Apr 2023)

Source: LinkedIn Internal Data – Based on skills data in total global marketers. Time Range: Jan 2023 – Apr 2023.

Base size: n=1735

CSUITEOE: What is the one thing you would like your (top client’s) C-suite to know about what your team brings to the table?

Research conducted by Ipsos, March 2023 to May 2023.

“ The surge in job postings among B2B companies, in contrast to
their B2C counterparts, during a time when the economy is slowing
down can be attributed to their heightened confidence in growth
potential. B2B companies often have more stable customer bases
and longer-term contracts, making them more resilient in downturns.
Consequently, marketing professionals with expertise in B2B
strategies, lead generation, and relationship management
may witness increased demand for their skills, as B2B companies
continue to invest in marketing talent to fortify their market position
and seize growth opportunities amid the impending downturn.
This underscores the importance of adapting to the evolving
business landscape and aligning marketing careers with
the sectors that exhibit resilience and growth potential.”

Rand Ghayad, Ph.D.

Head of Economics and Global Labor Markets, LinkedIn
In a rapidly evolving technological landscape,
technical skills are highly coveted.
“We’re modernizing their whole
Over 1 in 2 B2B marketing digital marketing approach,
leaders say marketing technology modernizing with cookie-less
mastery is the most important solutions and bringing them
skill for their team members into the digital landscape.
A better tech stack equals
in the next two years.
a better share of revenue
coming into their business.”
Senior Manager, Health, UK

Base size: n=1577

TEAMSKILLIMPORTFUTURE: In your opinion, which of the following skills will be most important for your team members in the next one to two years?

Base size: n=1735

CSUITEOE: What is the one thing you would like your (top client’s) C-suite to know about what your team brings to the table?

Research conducted by Ipsos, March 2023 to May 2023.

 “B2B Marketing establishes critical engagement and
relationship management with those responsible for selling
our companies products. Without the creativity and
engineering done by the marketing team, sales goals would
not be reached. As such, onboarding new and innovative
marketing technology and solutions is an essential
component of the team and organization’s success.”

Director, Financial Services, U.S.

Base size: n=1735

CSUITEOE: What is the one thing you would like your (top client’s) C-suite to know about
what your team brings to the table?

Research conducted by Ipsos, March 2023 to May 2023.

But skills like innovative Most Important Skills For CMO Role (Now Vs. Next 1-2 Years)
thinking and creative Creative Strategy & Execution
41%
59%

strategy are also of Marketing Technology / Data 53%

great importance.
Analytics Mastery 49%

Problem Solving 52%

37%

Innovative Thinking 51%

43%
Self-sufficiency / Entrepreneurial 45%
Mindset 35%

Diplomacy / Consensus-building 37%

30%

Sales 36%
24%

Modeling / Forecasting 30%

34%

Speaking the Language of Finance 26%

28%

Risk Assessment 21%

24%

Other (please specify) 1% 2 1

1% Now Future
Base size: CMO (n=374)
1. SELFSKILLIMPORTFUTURE: In your opinion, which of the following skills will be most important for you in your role in the next one to two years?
2. SELFSKILLIMPORT: In your opinion, which of the following skills are most important for you in your current role?

Research conducted by Ipsos, March 2023 to May 2023.

Top and Fastest-Growing Skills for CMOs
Top Current Skills Fastest-Growing Skills

1 Digital Marketing 1 Customer Acquisition

2 Marketing Strategy 2 Digital Strategy
3 Business-to-Business (B2B) 3 Business-to-Business (B2B)
4 Marketing 4 Sales Operations
5 Communication 5 Change Management
6 Digital Strategy 6 Team Management
7 Project Management 7 Branding & Identity
8 Sales 8 Software as a Service (SaaS)
9 Leadership 9 Cross-functional Team Leadership
10 Social Media Marketing 10 Brand Development

Source: LinkedIn Internal Data – Based on skills data in total global marketers in top 1K B2B companies. Time Range: Jan 2023 – Apr 2023.
 Creative Skills Added to Profile

Creative skills 46% Growth

are on the rise.

46% more creative

skills were added
to marketers’ profiles in
the past year.
2021 2022

Source: LinkedIn Internal Data - Based on total skills for marketers from 2021-2022
Marketers have been adding more creative and
essential skills to their LinkedIn profiles than ever before.

Skill Rank in 2022 Rank in 2021

Social Media #3 #8

Customer Service #9 #20

Adobe Photoshop #11 #17

Copywriting #13 #30

Graphic Design #14 #23

Adobe Illustrator #21 #27

Source: LinkedIn Internal Data - Based on total skills for marketers from 2021-2022
 B2B marketing leaders also rely on emotional intelligence skills
and soft skills in order to succeed in their current roles.
Most Important Skills For B2B Marketers In Current Role

APAC NA EMEA LATAM Global

Creative Strategy
60% 66% 68% 62% 65%
and Execution

Problem Solving 62% 59% 60% 74% 62%

Marketing Technology /
61% 56% 60% 78% 61%
Data Analytics Mastery

Innovative Thinking 61% 61% 55% 58% 58%

Base size: Global (n=1577); APAC (n=375); NA (n=300); EMEA (n=751); LATAM (n=151)
SELFSKILLIMPORT: In your opinion, which of the following skills are most important for you in your current role?

Research conducted by Ipsos, March 2023 to May 2023.

 In 2023, “communication” moved
to the top added (previously 3 )rd

non-creative skill for marketers on LinkedIn.

Top Creative Skills Top Non-Creative Skills
Added in 2023 Added in 2023

1 Marketing Strategy 1 Communication

2 Adobe Photoshop 2 Digital Marketing
3 Graphic Design 3 Project Management
4 Adobe Illustrator 4 Analytical Skills
5 Branding 5 Marketing

Source: LinkedIn Internal Data – Based on skills data in total global marketers. Time Range: Jan 2023 – Apr 2023.
 say Marketing technology /

Looking ahead: Marketing 52% data analytics mastery will be

one of the most important future
skills for their marketing teams.
Technology and Storytelling
stand out as key future skills
for marketing teams to
develop, according to say Storytelling / Ability to
B2B marketing leaders. develop creative that connects

43% with target audience will be one

of the most important future skills
for their marketing teams.

Base size: n=374

TEAMSKILLIMPORTFUTURE: In your opinion, which of the following skills will be most important for (members of your team/members of the B2B marketing team) in the next one to two years?

Research conducted by Ipsos, March 2023 to May 2023.

 “Advances in technology, especially Generative
AI, require that marketing professionals
understand how to best apply innovation to
understand more complex problems, unlock new
opportunities, and meaningfully connect with
more customers. But winning the future is rooted
in compelling storytelling. Human interpretation,
perspective, and refinement complemented by
the speed and scale that technological advances
will provide is what will differentiate marketing
mediocrity from marketing excellence.”
Allyson Hugely
Director, Customer Insights, LinkedIn

Research conducted by Ipsos, March 2023 to May 2023.

Top and Fastest-Growing Skills among B2B Marketers
Top Current Skills Fastest-Growing Skills

1 Digital Marketing 1 Campaigns

2 Communication 2 Business Insights
3 Analytical Skills 3 Growth Strategies
4 Project Management 4 Reporting & Analysis
5 Marketing Strategy 5 Stakeholder Management
6 Social Media Marketing 6 Budget Management
7 Marketing 7 Digital Strategy
8 Social Media 8 Go-to-Market Strategy
9 Data Analysis 9 Sales Enablement
10 Search Engine Optimization (SEO) 10 Client Relations

Source: LinkedIn Internal Data – Based on skills data in total global marketers in top 1K B2B companies. Time Range: Jan 2023 – Apr 2023.
Country Breakdown: Fastest-Growing Skill by Country

UK: Briefing
Germany : KPIs

United States: Activations

France: Supplier Relationship Management

India: Key Metrics

Singapore: Philippines (4M)

Budget Management

Brazil: Strategic Consulting

Australia: Marketing Budget Management

Source: LinkedIn Internal Data – Based on skills data in total global marketers. Time Range: Jan 2023 – Apr 2023.
Diversity, Equity &
Inclusion (DEI)
The continued prioritization of DEI in
marketing organizations will enable better
and more informed decision-making.
Additionally, factoring DEI into marketing
content and advertising campaigns
will also help B2B organizations
connect with a larger audience.

Back to section header

“Any organization that responds to outside
pressures and trends to get started on DEI
initiatives will lose momentum if they’re not
fully integrated into their core values and
business strategies.

Within my Community-Led Growth team, we

embed DEI into our team culture, marketing
strategies and customer experiences.”
Laurie Aquilante (she/her)
VP of Community-Led Growth, HubSpot
 B2B leaders understand
the value of DEI efforts.

Over 8 in 10 (85%)
agree DEI is important
to their company.
• Respondents in APAC (90%)
are more likely than respondents
in all other regions to say DEI
is important to their company
(NA 81%, EMEA 84%, LATAM 83%).

Base size: Total (n=1954); APAC (n=500); NA (n=350); EMEA (n=904); LATAM (n=200)
DEIIMPORT: How important is diversity, equity, and inclusion to each of the following?
T2B –Very important/Somewhat important

Research conducted by Ipsos, March 2023 to May 2023.

 Ready for design
But action to adopt official DEI programs “ It’s this failure to align DEI with corporate
paces behind interest levels.
goals that has, in part, led to it fading into
the background, relegated to little more
Roughly 6 in 10 B2B leaders say than a token role for recruitment teams. The
their company has an official impact of DEI programs is naturally slower
capacity that focuses on DEI. burn, but fatigue at organizational and
individual level can be overcome by taking
5% a strategic approach – by considering both
the resources required to achieve impact
Yes
and structured, regular measurement of
32%
Official capacity No
progress – and appointing diversity
focused on DEI
Don’t know
champions who act as catalysts for change,
63% keeping the business accountable.”

Chris Bagnall
CEO & Founder, Transmission
Base size: n=1954
DEICAPACITY: Does your company have an official capacity that focuses on diversity, equity, and inclusion? This could include a DEI team,
official DEI policies, special committees, or dedicated events.

Research conducted by Ipsos, March 2023 to May 2023.

And a majority believe companies need to strive for equity in
an increasingly diverse workforce and to attract top talent.
Why is DEI Important1 Why is DEI Not Important2
Companies only appear to emphasize
Companies need to strive for equity in an
58% DEI for appearances 38% Among those that find
increasingly diverse workforce
Just not something I know or think very
DEI unimportant, the top
Provides more perspectives for better
58% much about 35% reason is that DEI is used
decision-making only for appearances
There are no tangible benefits to my by some companies.
Helps us attract talent 56% company 28%

Improves our brand/reputation 53%

It is not important to management 23%

Helps us retain talent 51%

Impacts hiring/promotions too much 22%
Too difficult to implement effective DEI
Improves the quality of our work/products 51% policies 19%
Doesn’t matter to clients/prospective
Makes us more attractive to
10% clients 7%
clients/prospective clients

Other (please specify) 1%

Other (please specify) 6%

1. Base size: n=1722

DEIIMPORTWHY: Please select any of the following reasons why DEI is important to you.

2. Base size: n=232

DEIIMPORTWHY_1: Please select any of the following reasons why DEI is not important to you.

Research conducted by Ipsos, March 2023 to May 2023.

Efforts focused on ensuring inclusivity and accessibility
lead current DEI efforts in B2B marketing content.

DEI efforts in marketing content and campaigns1

How does the marketing organization
1 in 2 B2B companies reported measure the impact of DEI efforts?2
creating accessible content
and inclusive campaigns.
64%
• Track number of diverse employees
52% 51% across organization (52%).

• Track number of diverse leaders

across organization (46%).

• Track participation in DEI training

Include POC in images Accessible Content Inclusive Campaigns
sessions/programs (44%).

1. Base size: n=1235

DEIINVOLVE: What kinds of DEI initiatives does your marketing organization participate in?

2. Base size: n=1235

DEIMETRICS: How does your marketing organization measure the impact of its DEI efforts?

Research conducted by Ipsos, March 2023 to May 2023.

 What’s at stake?
Brand trust.
According to Ipsos research, nearly
all Americans want to see significant
change in the world when it comes
to sustainability and equity. And
American consumers would like to
see brands representing this change.
As a result, it is critical that brands
build trust in these areas.
Over half (54%) of consumers expect
brands to take a stand on equality
issues, particularly among young
(18–34, 65%), Hispanic (64%) and
Black (62%) consumers.

Source:
https://www.ipsos.com/sites/default/files/ct/publication/docum
ents/2021-04/21-04-53_Forget_pov_v3.pdf
Research conducted by Ipsos in 2021.
Research conducted by Ipsos, March 2023 to May 2023.
B2B Marketing
Strategies
The most important avenues for
reaching B2B customers and prospects.

Building & Measuring Brand

Marketing Tools & Channels
Generative AI
 As the pandemic accelerated B2B buyers’
shift toward digital, connecting with buyers

B2B Marketing
via content and event marketing has
become more important than ever.

Strategies
And even though B2B marketers are
realizing that emerging technologies, such as
generative AI, will help them to deliver more
impactful, personalized campaigns in the
near future, much of the marketing potential
of AI continues to go unrecognized.
Building & Measuring Brand
B2B leaders see value in building brand
and view brand-building efforts as
a creative way to generate revenue.
“ The best revenue generating
campaigns are also Over 6 in 10 B2B marketing
those that are the most leaders say their companies
unconventional. When have increased spending on
we’ve run some tests that growing brand awareness.2
could have been seen • Globally, 59% of B2B marketing leaders say their
as ‘risky’, the performance C-suite has increased the importance of brand
building given economic conditions.
was usually better than for
conventional campaigns.”1 • A significantly higher percentage of CFOs believe
their company has the right creative skills on their
Director, UK marketing team to support brand building efforts,
compared to CMOs (79% vs 68%).

1. Base size: n=1735

CSUITEOE: What is the one thing you would like your (top client’s) C-suite to know about what your team brings to the table?

2. Base size: Total (n=1577); CFO (n=377); CMO (n=374)

BRANDIMPORT: When thinking about your brand-building efforts, please indicate how much you agree/disagree with the following statements.

Research conducted by Ipsos, March 2023 to May 2023.

 “In addition to driving short term
goals, the marketing team is
increasing value long term through
brand reputation, distinctiveness and
relevance for our core audiences.”
CMO, Tech, UK

Base size: n=1735

CSUITEOE: What is the one thing you would like your (top client’s) C-suite to know about
what your team brings to the table?

Research conducted by Ipsos, March 2023 to May 2023.

“ My team and I are B2B marketing leaders also understand
consistently working on
a thorough marketing
the importance of branding, and their leaders
plan that works with are confident in their teams’ ability to deliver.
the company in a % B2B Marketing Leaders Agree With Statements (Strongly/Somewhat Agree)
more creative and
effective approach.” We have the right creative skills on our
marketing team to support brand building 70% Over 7 in 10 say their
efforts
team understands
CFO, Australia Sales team understands the importance of
68%
importance of brand
brand-building efforts building and they have
the right creative skills to
I have worked on a campaign in the last
support brand building
year that I felt was exceptionally creative 64%

Increased spending on growing brand

awareness in the past year 63%
Marketing team can effectively measure
the effectiveness of our brand-building 60%
efforts

Our C-Suite has increased the importance

of brand building given economic 59%
conditions

Base size: n=1577

BRANDIMPORT: When thinking about your brand-building efforts, please indicate how much you agree/disagree with the following statements?

Research conducted by Ipsos, March 2023 to May 2023.

But despite B2B marketing
organizations’ broad support and
understanding of brand building
efforts, B2B marketing campaigns
still favor product promotion 62% 37%
over brand building. Product Promotion Brand Building

Base size: n=1577

CAMPAIGNSTYPE: Of the campaigns your top client runs/you run, which of the following are more common?

Research conducted by Ipsos, March 2023 to May 2023.

 This product/brand split is reflected in how B2B marketing leaders
measure their efforts, too. Half of B2B marketing leaders leverage
brand surveys to measure brand health, while a similar percentage
measure down-funnel metrics, like lead generation.
Brand Health Measurement Metrics
Brand Awareness & Reputation Surveys 50%
Web Traffic and Lead Generation
Web Traffic 48% play a significant role in brand
Lead Generation 44% health assessment, even more
so than Topline revenue/ROI.
Branded Search Volume 40%
Website Conversions 39%
Topline Revenue/ROI 39%
Social Listening 37%
Followers 35%
Share of Voice 34%
Earned Media 33%
Employee Advocacy 20%
Other 2%
Base size: n=1577
BRANDMEASURE: How does your top client/do you measure brand health?

Research conducted by Ipsos, March 2023 to May 2023.

 2%

Just over 1 in 3 B2B marketing 8% 10%

leaders measure ROI within
4 weeks after campaign launch. 20%
25%
A majority of B2B marketing leaders are running ROI Measurement
After a Campaign
nine or fewer campaigns concurrently.1 Launch
• 38% run one to four campaigns
• 37% run five to nine campaigns
36%
• 66% of respondents agree that timeframe
used to measure ROI is about right. 2

Immediately-within days 4-6 months

1-4 weeks 7 months - 1 year
1. Base size: n=1577 1-3 months Longer than 1 year
CAMPAIGNS. Typically, how many unique campaigns does your top client/do you run at one time?

2. Base size: Total n=1577

ROITIMEALIGN. How do you personally feel about the timeframe your (top client/team) uses to measure ROI?

3. Base size: n=1577

ROITIME. Typically, how long after a campaign does (top client's) B2B marketing team measure return on investment (ROI)?

Research conducted by Ipsos, March 2023 to May 2023.

 In certain regions like APAC,
B2B organizations also consider
employee advocacy and
Share of Voice as important
indicators of brand health.
• Employee advocacy is a significantly stronger
measure of brand health in APAC than other
regions (28%, vs 18% in NA, 21% in LATAM,
and 16% in EMEA).

• Share of Voice is a significantly more important

tool for brand measurement in APAC than other
regions (45%, vs 27% in NA, 21% in LATAM,
and 34% in EMEA).

Base size: Total (n=1577); APAC (n=375); NA (n=300); LATAM (n=151); EMEA (n=751)
BRANDMEASURE: How does your top client/do you measure brand health?
Research conducted by Ipsos, March 2023 to May 2023.
Research conducted by Ipsos, March 2023 to May 2023.
Marketing Channels & Tools
B2B marketing leaders cite the effectiveness
of both in-person and digital channels,
demonstrating the need for a multi-faceted
approach to reach key buying groups.
“ In today’s economic environment
it is important for B2B companies
to generate new leads and
grow their business. The top channels
[The] key to this is leveraging for B2B marketing
the most effective channels, • In-person events (60%), video (59%), thought
techniques, and tools to meet leadership (57%) and digital events (49%)
are the top channels B2B marketing leaders
marketing objectives.” 1
are looking to leverage in the next year.2

Senior Manager, France • In-person events (21%) and thought

leadership (20%) are seen as the most
effective B2B marketing channels.3

1. Base size: n=1735

CSUITEOE: What is the one thing you would like your (top client’s) C-suite to know about what your team brings to the table?

2. Base size: n=1577

CHANNELS: What B2B marketing techniques do you/ does your top client plan to use in the next year?

3. Base size: n=1575

TOPCHANNEL: In your opinion, which channel is most effective at meeting your (top client’s) marketing needs?

Research conducted by Ipsos, March 2023 to May 2023.

 Marketing Techniques Planned to be Used in the Next Year

In-person Events
60%

B2B marketing leaders Video

59%

identified in-person events Thought Leadership Content

57%

as the most effective Display Ads

50%

marketing channel; Digital Events

49%

3 in 5 plan to use this Influencer Marketing

42%

strategy to meet their needs. Hybrid Events

39%

Online Communities
37%

Podcasts
36%

Generative AI
26%

Base size: n=1577

CHANNELS: What B2B marketing techniques (does your top client / do you) plan to use in the next year?

Research conducted by Ipsos, March 2023 to May 2023.

Roughly 3 in 5 B2B marketing leaders plan to use thought leadership
techniques in the following year, on par with in-person events and video.
Top Marketing Techniques B2B Marketing Leaders are Planning to Use in the Next Year

APAC NA EMEA LATAM Global

In-person events 58% 59% 61% 66% 60%

Video 53% 53% 64% 57% 59%

Thought leadership 61% 54% 61% 36% 57%

Digital events 47% 50% 49% 54% 49%

Base size: Global (n=1577); APAC (n=375); NA (n=300); EMEA (n=751); LATAM (n=151)
CHANNELS. What B2B marketing techniques (does your top client/do you) plan to use in the next year?

Research conducted by Ipsos, March 2023 to May 2023.

 Social Platforms Used for B2B Marketing in the Past Year

And LinkedIn is the 80%

‘go-to source’ for 63%

57%
B2B marketers; leading 52%

as the most used social 39%

platform in the past year.

16%
9%
4%

Base size: n=1577

SOCIALPLATFORM. Which of the following social media platforms have (your top client) used for B2B marketing in the past year?

Research conducted by Ipsos, March 2023 to May 2023.

 The majority of B2B marketing leaders have increased their
usage of LinkedIn in the past year and expect usage to grow.

Usage of LinkedIn Platform in the Past Year 1 Usage of LinkedIn Platform in the Next Year 2

65% 65%

28% 29%

6% 5%

Increase Stay the same Decrease Increase Stay the same Decrease

1. Base size: n=1577

PLATFORMCHANGEPAST: We would like to know a bit more about your use of one randomly selected platform:
How, if at all, has your (top client’s) use of LinkedIn changed in the past year?

2. Base size: n=1577

PLATFORMCHANGEFUTURE: We would like to know a bit more about your use of one randomly selected platform:
Thinking about the next year, how, if at all, do you think your (top client’s) use of LinkedIn will change?

Research conducted by Ipsos, March 2023 to May 2023.

 Generative AI has the highest predicted usage increase in the next year
among B2B marketing leaders* who currently use the technology.
Change in Channel/Tactic Use in the Next Year
(Among Channel/Tactic Users)
81%

71%
67%
64%
61% 60%
56%
50%
48% 48%
41% 40% 40%
37%
32% 31%
30%
26% 27%

12% 10% 9% 10%

6% 6% 7% 7%
3% 2% 2%

Gen AI Thought Video Influencer Online Podcasts In-person Events Digital Events Hybrid Events Display Ads
Leadership Marketing Communities

Increase Stay the same Decrease

Base: Total
CHANNELFUTURE. Thinking about the next year, how, if at all, do you think your/your top client’s usage of each of the following channels will change?

Research conducted by Ipsos, March 2023 to May 2023.

*411 B2B marketing leaders cited as current users of Generative AI

The emerging popularity
of Generative AI
in B2B Marketing

What role can generative AI play in

shaping the future of B2B marketing?

B2B marketing leaders are beginning to

realize that emerging technologies, such as
generative AI, will help them to deliver more
impactful, personalized campaigns.
But much of the marketing potential of
AI continues to go unrecognized.
LinkedIn has seen a significant growth in “AI”-related posts indicating
a growing interest among B2B marketers on the platform.

Posts by Top B2B Marketers Mentioning “Artificial Intelligence” by Quarter

30K

25K
+142% Increase
Volume of Posts (Millions)

20K

15K

10K

5K

K
Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1
2022 2023

Source: LinkedIn Internal Data, January 1, 2022 - March 31, 2023

 January 2023 February 2023 March 2023
1 #Hiring 1 #Hiring 1 #Hiring

2 #Business 2 #Business 2 #Business

The hashtag #AI 3 #Marketing 3 #Marketing 3 #Marketing

has continued to 4 #Technology 4 #Technology 4 #Technology

rise in popularity
5 #Jobs 5 # Innovation 5 #AI
throughout Q1 ’23.
6 #RealEstate 6 #AI 6 #Innovation

7 #Leadership 7 #Jobs 7 #RealEstate

8 #Work 8 #Leadership 8 #Leadership

9 #Innovation 9 #RealEstate 9 #Jobs

11 #AI 10 #Jobs 10 #Team

Source: LinkedIn Internal Data, January 1, 2022 - March 31, 2023

LinkedIn members in the marketing & advertising industry were
among some of the most engaged in AI-related conversations.
Information Technology & Services
Computer Software
Higher Education
Management Consulting
Financial Services
Top
Non-profit Organization Management
Industries Marketing & Advertising
Hospital & Health Care
Government Administration
Real Estate
0% 2% 4% 6% 8% 10% 12% 14%

10001+
5001-10000
1001-5000
501-1000
Top 201-500
Company Sizes 51-200
11-50
1-10
Myself Only

0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25%

Source: LinkedIn Internal Data, January 1, 2022 - March 31, 2023

And marketing is among one of the top functions of members
engaging with AI.
Business Development
Operations
Sales
Information Technology
Education
Top Engineering
Functions Human Resources
Media and Communication
Marketing
Community and Social Services
0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30%

Senior
Entry
Director
Manager
Owner
Top CXO
Seniority VP
Partner
Training
Unpaid
0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35%

Source: LinkedIn Internal Data, January 1, 2022 - March 31, 2023

 % of Posts by Author Industry
IT Services and IT Consulting
Author Industries
Software Development
Members and companies Advertising Services
within IT services/IT Higher Education
consulting have been the Business Consulting and Services
most active contributors to Technology, Information and Internet
the “Generative AI” Research Services
conversation, indicating a Financial Services

relevant B2B opportunity. Non-profit Organizations

Professional Training and Coaching

0% 5% 10% 15%
% of Posts

Source: LinkedIn Internal Data, January 1, 2022 - March 31, 2023

 Probability of AI or ML Skill Appearance In a Job Posting

2.60%

And the probability of

2.40%

AI or ML skill 2.20%

appearance in a job 2.00%

posting has been 1.80%

increasing consistently 1.60%

over the past few years. 1.40%

1.20%
AI
1.00% Machine Learning
0.80%
1/1/18 4/1/18 7/1/18 10/1/18 1/1/19 4/1/19 7/1/19 10/1/19 1/1/20 4/1/20 7/1/20 10/1/20 1/1/21 4/1/21 7/1/21 10/1/21 1/1/22 4/1/22 7/1/22 10/1/22 1/1/23

Sources: LinkedIn 2020 Search and Staffing U.S. Emerging Jobs Report; OECD.ai Policy Observatory Dashboard, 2022
Many B2B marketing organizations are already leveraging AI applications.

Just under 1 in 2
B2B marketing leaders
are currently using AI
applications for business
marketing activities.
Base Size n=1577
CURRENTLYU.S.EAI: Are you currently using any AI applications in your/ your top client’s business marketing activities?

Research conducted by Ipsos, March 2023 to May 2023.

 Of B2B marketing leaders say they
are likely to use or continue using

75% generative AI to promote business

when AI-driven advertising
There’s excitement opportunities become available.1

around and eagerness

to embrace
the technology. Of B2B marketing leaders claim they

62% have good understanding of how

to promote business using generative
AI in marketing campaigns.2

1. Base Size n=1577

AICONSIDER: How likely are you to continue/consider using generative AI to promote your/ your top client’s business when advertising opportunities become available that utilize the technology?

2. Base Size n=1577

AIUNDERSTAND: How would you describe your level of understanding of how to promote your/ your top client’s business using generative AI in marketing campaigns?

Research conducted by Ipsos, March 2023 to May 2023.

But there are also gaps in understanding
about how to leverage AI for marketing
among some B2B marketing leaders.
Level of Understanding of Generative AI
Marketing Techniques
Just over 2 of 5 B2B marketing 62%

leaders say they have a

“somewhat good” understanding 45%

of how to leverage generative AI

marketing tools for B2B
marketing campaigns. However,
17%

“extremely good” understanding

is lower than 1 in 5. Good understanding (T2B
Somewhat/Extremely)
Somewhat good
understanding
Extremely good
understanding

Base Size n=1577

AIUNDERSTAND: How would you describe your level of understanding of how to promote your/ your top client’s business using generative AI in marketing campaigns?

Research conducted by Ipsos, March 2023 to May 2023.

Functional uses of Generative AI for B2B marketing will remain
consistent in the next year; focused on efficiency & content creation.
Top 5 B2B Marketing Uses of Generative AI Technology (Now vs. Next Year)
Efficiency & Content Generation
remain relevant over time.
58% 57%
Efficiency & Content Generation
53% remain relevant over time.
56% 55%
51%
41%
35% 39%
36%

Increase efficiency Generate more Create optimized Build more creative Gain competitive Generate more Increase efficiency Create optimized Build more creative Gain competitive
so I can focus on content in less time and engaging campaigns advantage content in less time so I can focus on and engaging campaigns advantage
higher-value work content that higher-value work content that
resonates with resonates with
target audience target audience

NOW1 NEXT YEAR2

1. Base Size n=710
AIU.S.ES: Thinking about the various uses of generative AI for B2B marketing, which is your/ your top client’s business currently using?

2. Base Size n=1577

AIU.S.ESFUTURE: Which, if any, of the following would you/ your top client consider using generative AI for in the next year?

Research conducted by Ipsos, March 2023 to May 2023.

“When properly integrated, generative
AI empowers marketing and advertising
teams to achieve near-perfect content
and ideas with remarkable speed. Its
capabilities go beyond a mere generation
or paraphrasing of copy; for instance, we
can leverage generative AI to support the
planning stages of the campaign lifecycle.”
Arun Pattabhiraman
CMO, Sprinklr
 While AI is here to stay, A majority of Americans are worried about:
• Privacy concerns (72%) and being able to
with an estimated value reach a human when needed (72%).
of $2 Trillion USD by 2023, • An inability to discern what is AI or produced
by humans (71%) and that more misinformation
there are real concerns will be spread online (70%).

about ethical and safe • Discrimination or bias from AI tools (57%)

or even harm caused by AI tools (65%).
usage of the technology. • Difficult-to-understand outputs (60%)
and opaque algorithms (59%).4

4. Lowlights Source: https://www.ipsos.com/en-us/we-are-worried-about-irresponsible-uses-ai

 The value of Artificial Intelligence
2 Trillion is expected to grow twentyfold
USD by 2030, up to nearly two trillion USD 1
AI tech including chatbots, image generating
AI and mobile apps are expected to show

“AI will not replace you – strong growth in the coming decade.

someone using AI will”

– Opportunities! 1 Million ChatGPT reached its first million users
in only five days 2
users
The trajectory of Generative AI’s popularity has
AI is here to stay. And B2B leaders need to been a sharp one, and it’s not showing any
understand what that means for their customers, signs of slowing down.
providers, technologists and employees.

42% CMOs Believe eagerness to adopt

new technology… 3
CMOs Is one of the most important skills for
Source: https://www.ipsos.com/en/chatgpt-and-rise-generative-ai-navigating-changing-landscape-ai
their team members to possess.
1. Artificial Intelligence Market Size and Share | Analysis - 2030 (nextmsc.com)

2. Buchholz, K. (2023). “ChatGPT Sprints to One Million Users”, statista.com. https://www.statista. com/chart/29174/time-to-one-million-users/

3. Base Size n=374

TEAMSKILLIMPORT: In your opinion, which of the following skills are most important members of your team who report to you?
 To most of us, it’s the big consumer brands that are the household
names; the iconic advertising campaigns they’ve created have
made sure that we know exactly who they are. (Just Do It, anyone?)

However, an analysis by Brand Finance shows that the top 100

global B2B brands account for $2 trillion in total brand value. Yet
almost $1 trillion of business value remains untapped by B2B brands,
who lag B2C brands in terms of brand contribution to business value.

Seize the Day If the pandemic proved anything, it’s that B2B marketers are
resilient and are finding new ways to drive influence, impact and
growth across their organizations. Emerging technologies such as
Generative AI make it more important than ever for B2B marketers
to be able to merge art and science to develop bold and
dynamic campaigns. The time is now – and our results show
that B2B marketers are up to the task.

Tequia Burt, Editor in Chief of LinkedIn Collective

LinkedIn connects the world’s Tequia Burt Steve Kearns Connie Chen Lisa Sy
professionals to make them more Editor in Chief, Global Head of Content, Insights Program Manager, Senior Insights Analyst,
productive and successful and LinkedIn Collective & Marketing Solutions Thought Leadership & Narratives Marketing Solutions
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Senior Data Scientist, Insights Analyst, Insights Analyst,
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