Online video and display is where marketers working in the B2B landscape anticipate the most investment this year, according to a new report released by marketing research firm WARC.
The report, which analyzed trends within the technology and telecom sectors, and where B2B marketers working in these spaces anticipate growth in 2021, found that nearly three-quarters (73 percent) of B2B marketers expect spending in online video and display to go up this year at their companies.
Two-thirds (66 percent) said they also plan to increase investment in digital audio in 2021, and 59 percent are investing more in TV. Podcasts followed, where a 56 percent lift is anticipated. Nearly half (49 percent) said they’ll be funneling money into out-of-home marketing. Radio and print bottomed out the list, at 44 and 37 percent, respectively.
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| Channels where B2B marketers working in the tech and telecom industries anticipate growth in 2021. |
Half (50 percent) of tech and telcom marketers said they expect the companies they work for to increase their virtual events budgets in 2021, suggesting communicators expect the decline of live events and in-person meetings the industry experienced in light of the COVID-19 pandemic will continue this year.
Nearly the same number of respondents (49 percent) said they also expect their company to increase investment in partner marketing and sponsorship in 2021, while 48 percent said influencers would see more investment.
Altogether, 83 percent of respondents said the COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on their operations, and about 90 percent said the lack of in-person interactions has had an impact on their marketing plans. Nearly three-quarters of North American respondents (72 percent) said working in a virtual environment has made their business development efforts more difficult.
WARC’s “Changing channels in B2B” report surveyed more than 330 B2B marketers working in the tech and telecom industries in 10 markets around the globe. The report was published in partnership with music streaming service Spotify.
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