Report: B2B Marketers Continue to Prioritize Account-Based Marketing

As more B2B marketers experiment with account-based marketing (ABM), new research suggests that they are diverting more of their budget to this tactic.

Demand Gen recently published “The 2021 Demand Generation Benchmark Study,” and statistics showed that for the majority of B2B marketers (61%), ABM has seen increased budget prioritization over the past year. This was followed by content marketing (60%), sales enablement (48%) and personalization/customization (43%).

In terms of engagement, webinars (53%) have been the most successful for B2B marketers who have been working on generating qualified leads. Lead nurturing campaigns (40%), case studies (30%) and videos (29%) also made the list.

COVID-19 and Changing Marketing Investments

Although more B2B marketers are turning to ABM to generate leads and improve their company’s overall bottom line, previous research indicates that the COVID-19 pandemic has had an impact on their strategies.

ITSMA and the ABM Leadership Alliance conducted their benchmark study on ABM for 2020, and data suggested that in response to the pandemic, 42% of marketers have altered their business objectives for ABM. In addition, 49% are now more focused on accelerating business through existing accounts.

Approximately 37% are honing in on supporting specific major opportunities or deals, while about 28% are changing their perception/strengthening reputation with targeted accounts. The same report found, however, that marketers’ investment in ABM has remained steady, with 44% reporting no change in their ABM budget due to the pandemic.