THE 2024 B2B

MARKETER’S
PLAYBOOK
12 Winning Strategies & Insider Insights
The 2024 B2B Marketer’s Playbook NetLine & MarketingProfs

“ In a world buzzing with talk of AI

breakthroughs and the final curtain call for
third-party cookies, it’s clear we need a new
playbook for 2024.

And not just one that helps you keep up—one

about staying ahead.

This year, you’re not looking to follow trends;

you want to forge new paths with first-party
data at the helm, intent data as your compass,
and perspectives from content insights that
promise to keep your audiences hooked.

From redefining engagement in an AI-driven

era to mastering the art of meaningful
connection without cookies, let’s explore how
to make your mark in a B2B world that’s more
dynamic and competitive than ever.

DAVID FORTINO
Chief Strategy Officer, NetLine

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NetLine & MarketingProfs The 2024 B2B Marketer’s Playbook

TABLE OF CONTENTS
CONTENT STRATEGY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

BUYER-LEVEL INTENT DATA: A PEEK INSIDE THE MIND OF YOUR BUYER . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

AI? MORE LIKE ABSOLUTELY INTERESTED . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

EMAIL MARKETING . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

IS SOCIAL SLUMPING? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

WHAT’S THE FUTURE OF SEO? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

CONTENT FORMAT INSIGHTS: WHAT’S TRENDING IN B2B? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

CONTENT, THE SALES FUNNEL, AND DECISION TENDENCIES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

CONNECTING TO THE C-SUITE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

CUSTOMER-CENTRIC DEMAND GEN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

THE CONSUMPTION GAP WIDENS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

ROI: RESONANCE, ORIGINALITY, IMPACT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

ABOUT MARKETINGPROFS AND NETLINE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

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The 2024 B2B Marketer’s Playbook

CONTENT STRATEGY
NetLine & MarketingProfs

Welcome to The 2024 B2B Marketer’s Playbook! It’s only appropriate that we open with the one
thing every marketer wants to improve upon each year: Strategy.

Sure, there are many factors to consider. Hiring the neighbor kid to help you with TikTok isn’t one of
them.

For
For a
a 2024
2024 content
content strategy,
strategy, consider
consider what
what you
you hear
hear about
about our
our industry
industry each
each day:
day

ADAPT TO COOKIE DECLINE.

It’s finally here.
The shift towards first-party data collection strategies and focus on content that encourages direct
engagement will be new for many.

LEVERAGING INTENT DATA.

The loss of cookies could be the best thing to happen to marketing.
Use intent data—specifically buyer-level intent—to refine target audience profiles and tailor content
that meets their specific needs and interests.

ENGAGING CONTENT FORMATS.

Study the buyer’s journey.
Learn which formats lead to specific actions and outcomes. Experiment with interactive and
immersive content formats like webinars, interactive e-books, and podcasts to engage your
audience.

AI AND TECHNOLOGY INTEGRATION.

There’s no going back.
Generative AI is here and you had better learn how to wield it. For everything from content creation,
personalization, and distribution to enhance efficiency and scalability, the application of AI is in its
infancy. Let it be your trusted apprentice.

MEASURING EFFECTIVENESS.
Don’t get lost in the sauce.
Our goal as marketers is to grow our respective brands. Focus on metrics that align with business
objectives and implement analytics to track content performance. Simpler is often better.

TAKEAWAY
As with all things, it comes down to balance. These topics, while key areas of
focus for many, may not be relevant for you. Lean into your current customer
data and engage your clientele to understand their challenges and needs.

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NetLine & MarketingProfs The 2024 B2B Marketer’s Playbook

ASK THE EXPERTS

“ Marketers have long attempted to create content our

audience needs, but we now have more resources
than ever to help us do that.

With a clear understanding of consumer intent data

and the knowledge of which content formats are
highly desired, we should be able to use new and
growing technologies like AI to not only create better
and more targeted marketing content, but also to
measure it more effectively.

Co-Founder of Creative Kitchen &

MELANIE DEZIEL Author

“ The changing data and privacy landscape has one

massive implication for B2B content: the opportunity
to refocus on content that’s educational, entertaining,
and above all useful to the audiences we create it for.

Rather than constantly chasing misleading click data

or “leads” for buyers who aren’t even in market yet,
we need to get back to asking ourselves “Is this
actually helping anyone do their job better?”

Enterprise Sales & Customer Success

AMBER NASLUND Leader, LinkedIn & Author

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The 2024 B2B Marketer’s Playbook

BUYER-LEVEL INTENT DATA:

A Peek Inside the Mind of
NetLine & MarketingProfs

Your Buyer
Have you heard? Third-party cookies are going away. Certainly everything will stay the
same, right? Right?

With Google phasing out third-party cookies, intent data—specifically buyer-level

intent data—is poised to become the next big thing in B2B marketing.

INTENT DATA IS MORE THAN JUST A TREND; IT’S A SEISMIC SHIFT RESHAPING THE
INDUSTRY.

This powerful data taps into behavior-based signals to pinpoint prospects who are
actively seeking solutions like yours, giving you a clearer picture of who your buyers
are and where their interests lie.

As the industry continues to take steps to protect user privacy, savvy marketers must
rely on first-party and buyer-level intent data to understand and target potential
customers.

Buyer-level intent data outperforms old-school third-party data, providing B2B

marketers a direct line to those approaching a purchase decision. By leveraging this
data, marketers can craft targeted communications perfectly timed to meet buyers
where they are in their journey.

The payoff? Sharper leads, better conversion rates, and revenue growth that speaks
for itself—all thanks to marketing that hits the mark at the right time.

TAKEAWAY
Prioritize buyer-level intent data over third-party cookies. Using it correctly
will result in more targeted marketing, sharper leads, better conversions, and
significant revenue growth opportunities.

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NetLine & MarketingProfs The 2024 B2B Marketer’s Playbook

ASK THE EXPERTS

“ Who needs cookies when you can feast on actionable

information? Traditional account-level intent often
leads B2B organizations astray, merely hinting at
buyer interest without confirmation.

Conversely, true buyer-level intent data closes the

gap, transforming Unidentified Future Opportunities
(UFOs) into known buyer identities.

Now, marketers and sales professionals can

confidently target the ‘who’ in their CRM, armed with
precise, first-party intent signals.

DAVID FORTINO
Chief Strategy Officer, NetLine

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The 2024 B2B Marketer’s Playbook

AI? MORE LIKE ABSOLUTELY

INTERESTED
2023 was the year AI was introduced to the masses.
NetLine & MarketingProfs

We (mostly) have ChatGPT to thank for this.

So with the level of disruption AI has ushered in, it could be assumed that B2B consumption
behaviors would change alongside it, indicating we had reached a point of no return.

This turned out to be true.

THE WORLD WILL NOT BE CHANGING. THE WORLD HAS CHANGED.

TOTAL AI CONTENT DEMAND

Registrations

Source: NetLine’s 2024 State of B2B Content Consumption and Demand Report

After years of see-sawing, demand for AI content exploded in 2023, increasing 5.5x YOY.

Interest in AI topics is set to nearly double from 2023, surpassing the total from 2018 to 2020.

The primary consumers of ChatGPT content are Marketers, Journalists, and HR experts. Healthcare
professionals, meanwhile, were the top consumers of Natural Language Processing material.

TAKEAWAY
Ready or not, here it comes. This is only the beginning of AI-specific content. With growth this
sharp, it’s difficult to predict how much more demand there will be in the coming year. You
can certainly bet, however, that the answer is “a lot.”

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NetLine & MarketingProfs The 2024 B2B Marketer’s Playbook

ASK THE EXPERTS

“ Brands are now discerning AI’s true value lies beyond

(and never was about) merely writing. The evolving
demand for AI-generated content underscores a shift
toward leveraging AI for ideation, content strategy,
and creative inspiration.

This evolution and industry expectation prompts

marketers to rethink the role of AI as we develop a
new relationship with AI tools, where the focus will
pivot from content generation to amplifying creativity,
strategic insights, and personalized marketing
solutions.

Chief Growth Officer, Marketing AI

CATHY MCPHILLIPS Institute

“ While there has been a ton of discussion around the

opportunities that generative AI presents for content
creation (copy, images, and even video), business
leaders should keep their eyes on the other—possibly
more impactful—opportunities it presents.

We’re already leveraging AI to analyze audience

research, and many brands out there are using AI to
help with audience segmentation, personalization,
and improved customer experience.

ZONTEE HOU Managing Director, Convince & Convert;

President, Media Volery & Author

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The 2024 B2B Marketer’s Playbook

EMAIL MARKETING
Those who say email marketing is “dead” are wrong. And
NetLine & MarketingProfs

without a strong alternative, email is still one of the best

ways to scale how you nurture and engage your database
of customers and prospects.

What works for email often feels like a revolving door,

though.

So what trends will hold true in 2024?

VARIETY IS THE SPICE OF EMAIL.

Change up your design, keep readers on their toes, and
don’t be so predictable. Address real-time topics that
resonate with your audience, engaging them directly on
subjects that matter to them.

TESTING IS CRUCIAL.
Ensure your email promotions align with your audience’s
preferences. Are cheat sheets a hit while reports fall flat?
Tailor your content to capture their attention—and keep it.

PERSONALIZATION STILL WORKS, BUT DIG DEEPER.

Most buyers can see through your surface-level use of
company name, industry, and job title. Experiment with
buyer-level insights (perhaps those gleaned from intent
data) to show you understand more about your audience
than their first name.

FOCUS ON ACTIVE CONTACTS.

It’s increasingly hard to stay in the primary inbox. So while
winback campaigns are great, they shouldn’t overshadow
the effort you spend on your audience who actively opens
your emails.

TAKEAWAY
Email marketing is still a critical channel to reach
your active audience. But B2B Marketers need to be
nimble, willing to try new things to reach them (don’t
be boring!), evaluate successes and failures, and
adapt and improve.

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 NetLine & MarketingProfs The 2024 B2B Marketer’s Playbook

ASK THE EXPERTS

“
Email marketing is a critical B2B
marketing channel. Testimonials
strategically placed in email
headlines and subject lines for
webinar and SaaS demo offers

“
surged in performance over the last
6 months.

Using social proof for content offers

Email is dead; email is 4-eva... which
performs strongly with framing such
is it?
as “most downloaded guide.”
Spoiler: It’s the latter.
Elements like emojis and animated
GIFs have grown in use—a trend we
Email is the only place where people
expect to continue. And email
(not algorithms) are in control. There
formats continue evolving—common
are a million tools that can help you
consumer-focused offers such as
optimize your Subject Line. But there
Flash Sales are now top-performing
are no tools that help you optimize
elements of B2B email marketing
the From Line.
efforts.
That means the bar is pretty high
there to show value and relevancy...
otherwise, your would-be customer
JAY SCHWEDELSON unsubscribes. You can never darken
CEO, Outcome Media their doorstep (or inbox) again. As a
marketer, I love that pressure. That’s
where I want to be. Maybe you, too?

ANN HANDLEY
Chief Content Officer,
MarketingProfs & Author

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The 2024 B2B Marketer’s Playbook

IS SOCIAL SLUMPING?
What an interesting time we find ourselves in for B2B social media
marketing.
NetLine & MarketingProfs

Seriously—have we truly reached a point where for most B2B

marketers, there is only one social network?

Twitter (sorry, X), even before the change in ownership, was

producing diminishing returns for B2B brands. Threads is being
treated with kid gloves and Facebook…well at least Facebook has
Instagram.

IT’S BECOMING INCREASINGLY CLEAR THAT LINKEDIN HAS

COME OUT ON TOP—THE GO-TO PLATFORM FOR CONSISTENT
B2B RESULTS.

Perhaps B2B’s future lies exclusively in the personal brands of its

employees—those unafraid to embrace work within their own
accounts and channels, rather than via “Acme’s IG” stories.

TAKEAWAY
In a shifting B2B social media landscape, LinkedIn prevails as
the key platform. But brands should take note: Bryan
Kramer’s H2H (Human to Human) message has more
relevance with each passing year. The growing emphasis on
employee personal brands nearly supplanting that of their
employer reflects the needs of B2B users.

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NetLine & MarketingProfs The 2024 B2B Marketer’s Playbook

ASK THE EXPERTS

“ LinkedIn used to be a quiet hum in the background

while the other more consumer-based social
platforms roared in the spotlight. Now, LinkedIn is
having its time in the sun.

Whether or not B2B is their focus, the content that

gets the most interaction is increasingly very human
and authentic.

LinkedIn is no longer the platform where you have

to represent yourself as being in a suit and tie 24/7.
Rather, you’re rewarded by showing up as both a
human and a professional.

AJ WILCOX
Founder, B2Linked

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The 2024 B2B Marketer’s Playbook

WHAT’S THE FUTURE OF SEO?

SEO remains a complex and fascinating topic.
NetLine & MarketingProfs

Looking ahead in 2024, it’s likely to be even more so.

As Google makes significant updates, specifically the Search Generative

Experience, there’s renewed interest in search optimization. Meanwhile,
Generative AI is simplifying complex tasks for marketers, ushering in yet
another disruption in SEO strategies.

THE ADOPTION OF AI TOOLS AS A MEANS TO INCREASE

PRODUCTIVITY AND STREAMLINE PROCESSES FREES MARKETERS TO
ZERO-IN ON THEIR IDEAL CUSTOMERS.

This raises the bar for everyone, and the creation of targeted, context-rich
content—that which directly addresses the varied roles and specific needs
of their audience—must be prioritized.

The future of SEO will hinge on understanding and leveraging these

technologies to deliver precise, relevant content, ensuring visibility in a
landscape where the methods of information retrieval are rapidly
changing.

How you balance it all will dictate your future.

TAKEAWAY
Embrace generative AI and evolving search technologies in SEO
strategies to deliver targeted, relevant content, ensuring adaptability
in the rapidly changing information retrieval landscape. After all, who
(or what) do you think wrote this takeaway? Just kidding, a human did…
or is that what they want you to think?

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ASK THE EXPERTS

“
SEO is suffering because
marketers have overused bad SEO
tactics like keyword stuffing and link
farming.

The future of SEO is about two things:

planning and patience.

It’s about selecting relevant keywords,

aligning cornerstone pages, and
prioritizing quality content over quick
fixes.

Write quality content that

“
connects with your audience by
providing value and driving emotion.
And then sit and wait for the search
engine algorithm to find you. Start
There’s so much visual noise in search
thinking long-term and ditch the
results, it’s no wonder clickthrough
gimmicks.
rates are down. So the best SEOs look
very closely at the SERPs while
selecting phrases.
MONI OLOYEDE
We all should know by now that
Founder, MO MarTech
ranking #3 means nothing if there are
25 opportunities to click above that
position!

ANDY CRESTODINA
Co-Founder and Chief Marketing
Officer, Orbit Media Studios
& Author

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The 2024 B2B Marketer’s Playbook

CONTENT FORMAT INSIGHTS:

What’s Trending in B2B?
In 2023, NetLine’s data shows B2B content preferences revealed much about purchase intentions,
NetLine & MarketingProfs

showing a notable shift towards certain formats.

2023 2022

39.5%
Registrations (%)

9.7%
9.1%
6.0% 5.8%
5.5%
4.6% 3.7%
1.8% 1.3%
le
r
et
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rt

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ar

ar
k

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ar
id

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oo

po
he

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in
ui
Gu

Pa

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Ar

eb

eb
eB

Re
tS

sG

m
te

W
ea

Su
ch

ick
hi

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Ch

ar
W

ok

Liv
Tr

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Bo

m
nd
Re

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ps

n-
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Source: NetLine’s 2024 State of B2B Content Consumption and Demand Report

eBooks continued to be the top choice, far outshining Guides and White Papers (each of which saw
a drop in demand). Clearly, B2B pros preferred eBooks by a wide margin, reaching for them three
to nearly six times more often than other formats.

On the flip side, the rise in Cheat Sheets, Tips and Tricks Guides, and Book Summaries indicates a
growing demand for succinct, high-value content at the initial stages of the buyer’s journey.

Meanwhile, Webinars—particularly On-Demand Webinars—saw a continued increase in popularity,

reflecting an ongoing interest that has persisted since the pandemic.

TAKEAWAY
Collectively, these trends underscore buyers’ preferences for content that is not only
engaging and easy to digest, but also directly aligns with their evolving needs.
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NetLine & MarketingProfs The 2024 B2B Marketer’s Playbook

ASK THE EXPERTS

“I believe the true insight here is what B2B

marketers call their assets, rather than what they
actually are. One marketer’s eBook is another
marketer’s Tips and Tricks Guide.

Rather, what’s interesting is that what seems to be

implied in these results are that audiences expect
more succinct and real value in “eBooks” than they do
something called a “white paper” or “guide.”

CEO and Chief Strategy Officer of The

ROBERT ROSE Content Advisory & Author

“The increased demand for cheat sheets and tips

reflects the broader societal expectation of having
easy to digest information at our fingertips.

Just as consumers want Siri to tell them the hours of

a nearby store without having to look it up or have
ChatGPT summarize a large document, they want us
to deliver our educational content in a format that
they can quickly and easily access and understand.

Co-Founder of Creative Kitchen &

MELANIE DEZIEL Author

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The 2024 B2B Marketer’s Playbook

CONTENT, THE SALES FUNNEL,

& DECISION TENDENCIES
NetLine & MarketingProfs

The buying journey is a complex beast.

Forrester’s “2021 B2B Buying Survey” underscores that reality: B2B buyers engage in an
average of 27 interactions throughout their buying journey—and 60% of those purchases
involve groups of four people or more.

And these buyers are hungry. NetLine’s “2024 State of B2B Content Consumption and Demand
Report” shows a notable 14% surge in user demand for gated B2B content since 2023.

But this surge comes with a caveat: buyers are taking longer to consume the content they
register for—a “Consumption Gap” averaging 31 hours between registrations and reading.

While AI can bolster a marketer’s output, it is simultaneously amplifying the sheer number of
options available to buyers.

BUYING JOURNEYS ARE GETTING LONGER. THERE’S MORE CONTENT OUT THERE THAN
EVER BEFORE. AND AUDIENCES ARE OVERWHELMED.

How do you cut through the noise and reach your buyers on the other side?

Beyond traditional models, clues to revitalizing strategies lie in content consumption patterns.

The ‘Content Format Intent Matrix’ maps buyer behaviors, revealing optimal content strategies
via ‘Dwell Probability’ and ‘Decision Tendency.’

This matrix aids in aligning content types—ranging from educational to decision-driving—with

specific marketing goals, ensuring targeted engagement and strategic outcomes.

In studying both format and typical engagement level, you can make assumptions on how
close a user is to reaching a purchase decision.

The charts on the next page displaying data from NetLine provide greater context and detail in
the Consumption Format Intent Matrix and offer types.

TAKEAWAY
Marketers should match content types to their goals—educational depth, immediate
decisions, or balanced nurturing—to drive their desired outcomes.

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CONTENT FORMAT INTENT MATRIX

3

Article + White Paper + eBook

2+ Tips & Tricks
Live Webinar
Guide
+ Case Study
Progression of Consumption

Live Webinar
Course
Playbook
1 eBook
In Person Event

Pricing
1

UNGATED
Podcast
Video
Blog Post
0

LOW INTENT MODERATE INTENT HIGH INTENT

Source: NetLine’s 2024 State of B2B Content Consumption and Demand Report

ENGAGEMENT AND INFLUENCE INTENSITY BY CONTENT TYPE

Decision Influence
Offer Types Engagement Level
Level

Course, Live Virtual Event,

High High
On-Demand Webinar

Live Webinar, Playbook,

Moderate Moderate
Trend Report

Source: NetLine’s 2024 State of B2B Content Consumption and Demand Report

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The 2024 B2B Marketer’s Playbook NetLine & MarketingProfs

ASK THE EXPERTS

“ By far, the most valuable content is the content that

sells. It answers sales questions, addresses objections,
and can be sent to prospects after (or even during)
sales calls.

If you don’t have articles that cover topics your

prospects ask about, pause everything and create
them ...in every format!

ANDY CRESTODINA Co-Founder and Chief Marketing

Officer, Orbit Media Studios & Author

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NetLine & MarketingProfs

CONNECTING TO
THE C-SUITE
The 2024 B2B Marketer’s Playbook

Everybody wants to get in front of the C-Suite.

THE GOOD NEWS IS THEY’RE LISTENING QUITE

ATTENTIVELY…AND THEIR TASTES AREN’T TOO DIFFERENT
FROM EVERYONE ELSE’S.

In 2023, C-Level consumption represented 12.7% of total

registrations, growing 7.9% from 2022.*

Of that 12.7%, CEOs were the most active members within the
C-Suite, accounting for 27.3% of this group’s registrations.

The Computers and Technology industry represented 17.1% of

C-Level consumption.

The C-Suite wants their content to be straightforward, too, as it

turns out.

eBooks accounted for 36.4% of registrations across the C-Suite,

proving that they want information quickly and in easily
digestible formats.

*Stats sourced from NetLine’s 2024 State of B2B Content Consumption and
Demand Report, Page 18.

TAKEAWAY
The next time you’re aiming to reach the CEO with your
content, remember their time is limited. Respect their time
and get to the point right away. Not only will they
appreciate your brevity, they’ll be more likely to pass along
your content to their team.

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The 2024 B2B Marketer’s Playbook NetLine & MarketingProfs

ASK THE EXPERTS

“ When laying out a business case to anyone in the

C-Suite, one of the best practices is to always lean in
first with the succinct recommendations, and then
your supporting argument.

Unfortunately, most thought leadership is structured

in exactly the opposite way. These data validate the
best practices. Make your point—then the C-Suite will
pass it along to their team to validate your thinking.

CEO and Chief Strategy Officer of The

ROBERT ROSE Content Advisory and 4x author

“ To establish a meaningful relationship with the

C-Suite, it’s crucial to comprehend their ongoing
business priorities and imperatives. A significant
portion of these endeavors often require the
seamless integration of technology to realize their
visions.

Our role is to assist the C-Suite in understanding the

ramifications of technology integration and artificial
intelligence (AI), weighing the advantages and
disadvantages of implementation, and serving as your
advocate in achieving objectives.

Founder of Relentless Pursuit and

PAM DIDNER 3x author

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CUSTOMER-CENTRIC
DEMAND GEN
The 2024 B2B Marketer’s Playbook

Creating content has become easier than ever with Generative AI.

But creating the right content—that’s what separates those who lead
from everyone else.

When creating anything (whether it’s a new campaign, content, etc.)

you need to remember that there’s a buyer—a real person—who is
going to ultimately be reading, watching, or engaging with it.

THAT PERSON NEEDS TO BE YOUR PRIMARY FOCUS.

It doesn’t matter how well-designed or well-written something is if it

doesn’t speak to the needs, interests, or wants of your buyers.

To truly gain an understanding of what those triggers are, ultimately,

marketers and sellers need data.

Engagement data, intent data, voice of the customer—without those

signals and insights, it’s impossible to truly know what your buyers are
looking for and where they are in their buying and maturity journeys.

While Generative AI shouldn’t supplant your content creators, you

should take advantage of the flexibility it affords you.

Instead of simply focusing on getting content out the door, you have
more time to focus on your customers and prospects.

Revel in your newfound productivity hacks and use the time savings to
double-down on your customer-centric strategy.

TAKEAWAY
Go ahead and use Generative AI to streamline content
creation—but know that it doesn’t replace you or your
customer knowledge. Success lies in crafting content that
truly resonates with buyers’ needs, interests, and journeys, not
just in productivity gains. Prioritize deep customer
insights through data that only you (and your team) have.

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The 2024 B2B Marketer’s Playbook NetLine & MarketingProfs

ASK THE EXPERTS

“ While these tools require your input and guidance,

it’s wrong to dismiss tools like ChatGPT as less
knowledgeable about your audience and ICP than
you or your team.

Their strength lies in interpreting data and

identifying patterns in your ICP that might
otherwise go unnoticed. Harness their abilities to
illuminate the overlooked areas of B2B buyer
behavior and leverage generative AI as the
powerful tool it is.

DAVID FORTINO Chief Strategy Officer, NetLine

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NetLine & MarketingProfs

THE CONSUMPTION GAP

WIDENS
The 2024 B2B Marketer’s Playbook

It may seem like semantics, but there’s a difference between a content request and a content
download. And the time between the two activities tells an intriguing story.

NetLine calls this The Consumption Gap.

THE CONSUMPTION GAP IS THE TIME BETWEEN WHEN CONTENT IS REQUESTED AND THE
MOMENT IT’S OPENED FOR CONSUMPTION.

Between 2022 and 2023, the Consumption

Gap widened—with the time to consume
increasing from 28.7 hours to 31.2.

That’s a 2.5 hour increase and an 8.8%

change YOY.
Hours

WHY DID THE CONSUMPTION GAP

WIDEN?

Content registration outpaced consumption

speed in 2022, leading to a smaller
Consumption Gap.
Years

However, 2023 saw this gap widen, as B2B professionals struggled with time constraints to engage
with content immediately, impacted by various factors.

• The buying process involves more people—often four or more—complicating content

consumption.
• There’s a push for quicker ROI demonstration due to economic pressures.
• Professionals face increasing demands, and are expected to achieve more with fewer
resources and less time.

The reality is, giving leads room at the beginning of any relationship is a fundamental expectation
for today’s marketers. Nurture campaigns are more than acceptable. It just isn’t the time for Sales to
reach out. This isn’t up for discussion; the evidence clearly supports it.

TAKEAWAY
Go ahead and use Generative AI to streamline content creation—but know that it doesn’t
replace you or your customer knowledge. Success lies in crafting content that truly resonates
with buyers’ needs, interests, and journeys, not just in productivity gains. Prioritize deep
customer insights through data that only you (and your team) have.

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The 2024 B2B Marketer’s Playbook NetLine & MarketingProfs

ASK THE EXPERTS

“ For years, I’ve watched B2B marketers try in

vain to have Sales follow up with those who’ve
downloaded gated content appropriately.

It never ends well.

In my experience of observing 1% conversion

rates from MQL to SQL, over time, we all come
to the same conclusion: just because
someone downloaded a piece of content, it
doesn’t mean they’re ready to engage in a
sales conversation.

AJ WILCOX
Founder, B2Linked

26
12
NetLine & MarketingProfs

ROI: Resonance,
Originality, Impact
The 2024 B2B Marketer’s Playbook

We’ve reached the final segment of The 2024 B2B Marketer’s Playbook.

LET’S TALK ABOUT ROI.

Everyone’s goal when building a strategy is to reach the loftiest of goals and
make it the most profitable year to date. Reaching those heights, however,
requires something that ChatGPT cannot provide: Resonance.

Against the backdrop of astonishing technological advancements (read: AI),

this age-old marketing principle has found new importance—highlighting
the ongoing challenge of connecting on a human level.

We humans are simply looking for answers; for belonging. Tactics aside, our
strategies must match this desire; this pang for community.

To truly stand out amidst the cacophony of digital noise, our messaging
must vibrate on the same frequency as its intended audience.

In 2024, our strategies hinge on uniqueness.

What is it that only you can offer? Why is it that your experiences have led
you to your particular perspective? What kind of impact does your
originality offer?

TAKEAWAY
We can have access to the most perfect data imaginable…but without
finding harmony with your ideal customers, you’ll never see
significant returns on your investments.

27
The 2024 B2B Marketer’s Playbook NetLine & MarketingProfs

ASK THE EXPERTS

“ Even with today’s abundant data, if

marketers want our messages to truly
resonate, we must factor in the mental
shortcuts humans routinely rely on when
deciding what to read.

We need to work with the brain to make it

easier for people to notice, understand,
recall, and respond to our marketing.

It’s not enough to get the right message to

the right person at the right time. We must
also do so in the right way—a brain-friendly
way.

NANCY HARHUT
Chief Creative Officer, HBT Marketing & Author

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NetLine & MarketingProfs The 2024 B2B Marketer’s Playbook

ABOUT MARKETINGPROFS
MarketingProfs has been fueling the success of marketers at some of the world’s most iconic
brands since 2000. For nearly twenty-five years, we have been laser-focused on helping
marketers and their teams set priorities, solve problems, and drive business growth.

Even more than that, we hone in on something equally important to every singular marketer–
helping you do work you’re proud of. That’s why 700,000+ marketers have joined the
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You’re obsessed with marketing. We’re obsessed with you.

Visit [Link] or join us at MarketingProfs B2B Forum.

ABOUT NETLINE
NetLine empowers B2B marketers to scale revenue via an all-in-one buyer engagement platform
that delivers unparalleled buyer-level intent data and lead generation capabilities.

Operating the only buyer-level intent platform, INTENTIVE, delivering real-time insights into
“who” is actively expressing intent in an account, “what” actions that person is taking, “when”
those actions took place, and uniquely “where” those actions occurred, including offline Event
Intent data, NetLine fast tracks buyer transparency.

In addition, NetLine also operates the largest B2B content-centric lead generation platform
offering content syndication, lead generation, account-based marketing, lead management, and
more. Founded in 1994, NetLine is a part of Informa Tech, a leading provider of market insight
and market access to the global technology industry.

Successful B2B Marketers Start with NetLine. Visit [Link].