As B2B buyer preferences continue to shift, it’s becoming clear that today’s content is losing its appeal. PathFactory’s recent “2024 Benchmark Report” revealed a 23% decrease in time spent on blogs, a shift that suggests we’re moving away from the traditional content strategies that have dominated for years.
As marketers, we’ve been conditioned to churn out endless content — blog posts, articles and social media posts — but this data suggests buyers are getting fatigued. We’re in the era of excessive content, and it’s gotten worse with the rise of AI-generated content. It’s time to return to more thoughtful, high-quality engagement.
Marketers need to rethink the value of content. Rather than generating a flood of AI-driven material that checks the boxes, I tell my team to create content so good that someone would be willing to pay for it (I credit Udi Ledergor from Gong for this idea). This is content that provides unique value and insights, entertains and is hard for others to copy. To avoid losing buyer interest, we must take note and pivot strategies to align with the current state of buyer behavior.
Content During The Rise Of Self-Service Buying
One of the main drivers of the shift in content preferences is the rise of self-service buying. Buyers are becoming more empowered to make independent decisions, so content plays an even bigger role in guiding them through the purchasing process. Gartner predicts that by 2025, 80% of B2B sales interactions will happen in digital channels, meaning buyers are doing most of their research without speaking to a salesperson.
This change is transforming the role content plays in the marketing process. Instead of relying on sales teams to answer questions, buyers are increasingly turning to content to educate themselves and if they don’t find what they’re looking for, they’ll go elsewhere. Buyers need the tools to make informed decisions, and content is often the only touchpoint before they get to the stage of requesting a demo or contacting sales.
Buyers’ Current Preferences
In addition to the self-service buying shift, today’s B2B buyers are overwhelmed with information and can’t afford to waste time on content that doesn’t deliver real value. Decision-makers are bombarded daily with reports, articles and proposals, so they’ve become highly selective about where they focus their attention. The decline in time spent on blogs isn’t due to a lack of interest — it’s because they demand content that provides clear insights, answers pressing questions and offers actionable solutions. If your content doesn’t meet these expectations, it’s quickly dismissed.
A blog post with a 500-word summary of trends or a generic take on an industry topic simply isn’t enough anymore. Buyers are seeking depth; they want to dive into an E-book that offers real insights or watch a video demo that gives them a hands-on look at how a product or service works.
Interactive experiences, where users can engage with the content and make it more relevant to their needs, are also becoming more popular. Buyers aren’t just seeking information anymore — they’re looking for guidance and it’s up to marketers to lead them through the buyers’ journey.
“Back-to-Basics” Marketing
As marketers, we’ve spent the last decade chasing innovation — new tools, new channels, new content types. But in 2025, we’re going to see a lot more “back-to-basics” marketing. This shift is all about addressing the right audience with the right content in the right place at the right time. Going “back-to-basics” means being more intentional with the content you’re putting out and making sure it has an audience and a purpose.
Data is key to understanding buyer behavior, and right now that data is telling us to slow down and recognize that buyers are in control of when and what content they consume. When my team and I are coming up with our content strategies, we ask ourselves:
- What type of content is actually moving the needle?
- Are we putting too much focus on filling editorial calendars rather than crafting meaningful, impactful pieces?
By identifying and focusing on what resonates with buyers, we can refine our strategies and increase buyer engagement.
How Marketers Can Improve Their Strategy
The key to all of this is understanding your audience — and data and content intelligence can help you do so. Rather than guessing what content your buyers want, content intelligence allows you to track and measure how they interact with different types of content. By monitoring these trends, marketers can adjust their content strategy in real time, focusing on what’s driving engagement and conversions.
Through their behavior, buyers are telling us that they want less noise and more value. As we move into 2025, a return to the basics — high-quality, insightful and buyer-focused content — is the way forward in an era where buyers are more empowered and self-sufficient than ever before.
Pete Lorenco is the VP of Marketing at PathFactory, a B2B content intelligence and personalization platform. With more than 15 years of experience across startups and enterprise B2B organizations, Lorenco has a strong track record of driving growth through data-driven, customer-focused marketing strategies. Previously, he served as VP of Demand Generation at HYCU and Head of Marketing at Alyce, where he led teams to scale marketing efficiency, increase content engagement and grow demand. Lorenco has also held various marketing roles at Avid Technology, Iron Mountain and EMC.
