A recent LinkedIn report reveals that 72% of B2B marketers feel overwhelmed by the speed at which AI is reshaping their roles.
LinkedIn Chief Economist Karin Kimbrough shared the study, exploring marketers’ current concerns and opportunities.
Overview Of LinkedIn B2B Marketing Report
AI In B2B Marketing
Approximately two-thirds (66%) of B2B marketing leaders surveyed report integrating generative AI into their marketing campaigns.
Key applications include:
- Content creation: 45% leverage AI for short-form copy, 33% for blog posts.
- Efficiency gains: 40% report faster workflows, while 39% use AI to scale personalized campaigns.
However, challenges persist:
- 43% cite insufficient AI skills on their teams.
- 34% express data privacy concerns, and 40% worry AI-generated content lacks a “human touch.”
- Plagiarism risks (34%) and inaccuracies (32%) remain hurdles.
Despite this, 55% of organizations now offer AI training, signaling a push to close skills gaps.
LinkedIn’s data indicates that AI isn’t replacing jobs; it’s making daily tasks more efficient.
By current projections, half of today’s skills will require significant adjustments within the next five years. AI is accelerating changes to as much as 70%.
More than half (53%) of marketing professionals worry about being left behind if they don’t stay current with AI.
Short-Form Video Drives Highest ROI
According to LinkedIn’s report, video content dominates marketing strategies, with 55% of marketers citing short-form social videos as their top ROI driver.
LinkedIn data reveals:
- 75% use social media as their primary channel, followed by email (53%) and blogs (44%).
- 61% attribute increased brand engagement to bold creative campaigns.
Immersive tech is also rising:
- 35% use AR/VR for interactive demos and virtual events.
- 34% plan to adopt AR/VR this year
- 55% will expand connected TV (CTV) advertising investments.
Budgets Rebound
68% of marketers saw budget increases last year, and 72% expect further growth.
Priorities include:
- Lead generation: 37% rank pipeline quality as their top goal.
- Brand investment: 67% boosted spending on brand-building, with 88% of CMOs advocating for “riskier” creative campaigns.
CMOs Gain Influence
Marketing leaders are securing bigger seats at the table:
- 69% of CMOs say their role has grown in strategic importance.
- 77% report stronger collaboration with CFOs, emphasizing marketing’s financial impact.
- 84% of CMOs now actively shape company-wide budgeting and strategy.
What This Means For B2B Marketers
LinkedIn research suggests that B2B marketers who blend AI capabilities with human communication will be best positioned for success.
Marketing leaders are seeing the strongest results when they:
- Use AI to handle routine tasks
- Invest in visual content, especially short-form social videos
- Focus on social media while maintaining active blogs and email lists.
- Build stronger relationships across departments, especially with sales and finance
- Demonstrate clear ROI to the C-suite
While B2B marketing is changing, opportunities exist for those who adapt their skill sets.
The research combines data from LinkedIn with survey responses from 2,001 B2B marketing leaders across eight countries.
Featured Image: Luis Line/Shutterstock
