As a follow up to a survey we conducted in 2021 on planned marketing investments for 2022, we conducted a new survey and received 79 responses from B2B manufacturing professionals who shared how they’re spending their 2022 budgets. Here’s what they had to say.
2022 vs. 2021 Marketing Budgets
The first question we asked was how 2022 marketing budgets compare to 2021. Fortunately, 2/3 of respondents said their marketing budgets increased, while 28% said their budget stayed the same and only 8% had a reduced marketing budget.
2022 vs. 2021 Budget Categories
Next, we asked which areas within marketing respondents expected to increase spending (we allowed multi-select answers). The top spot went to social media with 57% of respondents indicating they plan to increase spending, while content marketing (49%) and trade show marketing (47%) came in next.
Marketing Priorities
Almost half of respondents (48%) shared that improving lead quality is their number one priority. A much lower percentage answered their priority was improving customer experience (19%) and improving ROI tracking (16%).
What Drives Growth
When asked what will drive the most growth for their organization, more than half of respondents (56%) answered “customer acquisition”. Next in line were “entering new markets” (15%) and “cross/up-selling existing customers” (12%).
Marketing Trend Investment
Looking at current marketing trends—whether new or extended—we asked respondents where they’re most likely to invest. Though it’s a marketing trend that’s been around for more than a decade, video continues to grow and evolve and took the top spot in our survey with 58% of respondents prioritizing this investment. Another long-term trend, Account-Based Marketing (ABM) came in next with votes from 47% of respondents. Newer trends such as conversational marketing, branded audio content, and augmented or virtual reality came in much lower.
Overall, the year ahead for these B2B manufacturing marketers looks positive. Budgets have grown and marketing teams are focused on delivering content to make connections that bring in the best quality leads. We’ll continue to check in with marketers throughout the year and report back new findings. And as always, PMMI Media Group is here to serve our advertisers with rich opportunities to connect with our engaged readers of Packaging World, ProFood World, Automation World, Healthcare Packaging, OEM, and Mundo PMMI.
