“Large-scale language models have become more powerful and sophisticated in the last year,” said our analyst Kelsey Voss during our 2024 B2B Marketing Trends webinar. “Generative AI (gen AI) will drive a renewed focus on brand reputation, an increased need for data quality and reliability, and an increased desire for human interaction, such as B. at live events.”
1. Generative AI is an increasingly powerful tool, but guidelines are needed
“Marketers are not only increasing their use of gen AI, but they are also becoming more aware of the need to harness its power and overcome the challenges that come with its use,” Voss said.
Voss said it will change how marketers create, iterate, distribute, manage, and even think about content. In fact, a March 2023 Sitecore survey found that 65% of U.S. marketers are most excited about using generative AI to create and scale content faster. According to July 2023 data from Ascend2 and RPE Origin, half of U.S. enterprise marketers have used or plan to use AI for content personalization in email marketing campaigns.
“[Generative AI] paves the way for increased productivity and streamlined operations, freeing up time for marketers to be more creative and strategic,” Voss said.
But for B2B marketers, generative AI is not without challenges.
“The more gen AI is integrated into workflows, the more important policies, governance and consistent strategies become for the entire company,” Voss said.
According to a July 2023 survey conducted by Content Marketing Institute and Marketing Profs, at least 61% of B2B marketers say their companies lack generative AI policies. Be proactive, Voss said. Define the role of generative AI, protect customer data, and foster collaboration between your team and AI experts.
2. Generative AI can optimize your data, but not everything at once
With generative AI, “marketers need to prioritize data quality, governance, and integration,” Voss said. “This is essential to successful campaign performance, measuring ROI, and improving personalized buyer experiences.”
“The convergence of data analytics and generative AI will enable marketers to use predictive analytics across the entire customer lifecycle, enabling more accurate forecasts and strategy optimization,” she said. Don’t try too many things at once, Voss said, and start by:
Define data standards
Tune legacy systems
Ensure you have a central data management system in place
Perform regular data checks
Consider hiring data experts
3. AI needs to be balanced by human connection
“B2B companies, their prospects and customers want balance against AI and the incredible amount of digital noise that has increased as a result of the pandemic,” Voss said. “We need to balance technological advances with authentic, human-centered marketing, which is so important to building trust.”
