Anteriad, a global B2B marketing solutions provider, has released new research in collaboration with Ascend2, revealing significant differences between Gen Z and Millennial B2B marketers and their older counterparts.
The study indicates that younger marketers, working for companies with higher revenue gains in 2023, are more confident about increased budgets and performance improvements in 2024. These generational differences in strategy and tactics appear to be influencing not only confidence levels but also marketing outcomes.
The research finds that younger B2B marketers are more attuned to the evolving behaviours of business buyers. They are more likely to observe increases in price sensitivity, longer purchase processes, and changes in the composition of buying groups. This heightened awareness may stem from their use of diverse information sources. For instance, younger marketers are 13% more likely to use social media for research and decision-making compared to Gen X and nearly twice as likely as Boomers.
Embracing New Marketing Tactics
Gen Z and Millennial marketers are adopting different tactics to reach business buyers:
- Video Marketing: Used by 62% of Gen Z and Millennials, compared to 50% of Gen X and 37% of Boomers.
- Influencer Marketing: Prevalent among 53% of Gen Z and Millennials, versus 40% of Gen X and 34% of Boomers.
- Paid Email Campaigns: Employed by 42% of Gen Z and Millennials, compared to 35% of Gen X and 34% of Boomers.
Despite the generational differences in tactics, all groups agree on the critical importance of a strong data foundation for successful B2B marketing. Younger marketers, in particular, emphasise the importance of data quality. They are also more optimistic about the positive impact of AI on key marketing elements, including authenticity and consistency.
“Gen Z and Millennial professionals now make up the majority of business buyers, and it’s important for B2B marketers to evolve their strategy to adapt to shifting behaviours. More Gen Z and Millennial marketers use the tactics that resonate with their peers, embrace data to identify important buyer behaviour, and embrace innovations like AI. These are elements that can help all B2B marketers succeed at getting in front of prospects and customers effectively,” said Lynn Tornabene, CMO at Anteriad.
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