The Path to B2B Personalization at Scale: Using Content AI, Automation and Analytics to Optimize Journeys

By Matt Heinz, President of Heinz Marketing

The competition is fierce in the B2B marketplace, with businesses clamoring for the attention of potential customers. It’s a constant battle to differentiate yourself, capture interest, and maintain it. So, how do you win in this crowded arena? The answer lies in personalization. 

Personalization has become a critical component of B2B marketing strategies. Today’s buyers expect personalized experiences, and B2B revenue teams must deliver relevant content that addresses their specific needs and interests. However, achieving personalization at scale can be challenging, especially as B2B buyers become increasingly anonymous and elusive. 

This is where content intelligence comes into play. Content intelligence refers to the use of content AI, automation, and analytics to optimize B2B buyer journeys and customer experiences. It involves leveraging content engagement and performance data to understand buyers’ interests, increase engagement, and conversions. 

Why Do We Need Content Intelligence?  

Simply put, because content drives digital experiences. B2B revenue teams need content intelligence to effectively engage and convert known and anonymous buyers into accounts through personalized, self-service journeys. By leveraging content intelligence, B2B marketers can deliver the right content to the right people at the right time, leading to increased engagement, more pipeline conversions, and ultimately, higher revenue. 

Advanced personalization requires content intelligence because it allows B2B marketers to go beyond simple segmentation and personalization tactics. With content intelligence, B2B marketers can create personalized content journeys that are based on each buyer’s unique firmographics, demographics, interests, and behaviors, delivering the most relevant content at each touchpoint. This leads to improved buyer and customer experiences. 

Why Personalization Matters 

Personalization shouldn’t just be a “nice-to-have” in B2B marketing. In fact, according to recent studies by Forrester and Gartner, 74% of B2B marketers recognize that buyers expect a personalized experience, while 86% of B2B customers expect companies to be well-informed about their personal information during interactions. Yet only 26% of B2B marketers report using AI for personalization in the most recent Forrester Global State of AI in B2B Marketing Survey. So if you want to stand out and make an impact on your customers, you need to make personalization a core part of your sales and marketing strategies. 

Here are a few reasons why personalization is so important for businesses: 

• Builds trust: When you personalize your messaging and content to your audience, you demonstrate that you understand their needs and are invested in helping them solve their problems. This can build trust and credibility, which is essential for establishing long-term relationships.
  
• Increases engagement: Personalized content is more relevant and interesting to your audience, which can increase their engagement with your brand. This can lead to more time spent on your website, more shares on social media, and ultimately, more conversions
• Improves customer experiences: Personalization can help you create more seamless and enjoyable experiences for your customers, whether it’s through customized email campaigns, personalized product recommendations, or tailored website content. This can lead to less friction in the buyer journey, better customer experiences, and more loyal advocates for your brand. 

Personalization in Action 

PathFactory partnered with Heinz Marketing to understand various use cases demonstrating how a content intelligence platform, like PathFactory’s can improve B2B personalization at scale among Path Factory’s customers.  These case studies show how B2B personalization at scale leads to increased engagement, conversions, and sales pipeline acceleration. 

Case Study 1: Anthology 

Anthology, a global provider of higher education solutions, implemented a content intelligence platform (PathFactory) to better understand its audience’s content consumption behavior and preferences. 

With AI-driven insights, Anthology created personalized content journeys tailored to each buyer’s interests and behaviors, resulting in a 400% increase in leads engaging with multiple pieces of content and a 20% increase in lead conversion rates. 

Case Study 2: FinancialForce 

FinancialForce, a cloud-based financial management software company, implemented the PathFactory content intelligence platform to improve the quality and relevance of its content. 

Using insights gained from the platform, FinancialForce identified which content topics and formats resonated with its audience and created more personalized content experiences at scale using PathFactory’s content AI, automation and analytics. 

By creating and delivering personalized content experiences for its prospects and customers based on their interests and behaviors, FinancialForce saw a 300% increase in content engagement and a 50% increase in sales pipeline acceleration. 

Content Intelligence Is the Only Path to Personalization at Scale

Personalization is no longer just a buzzword in B2B marketing; it’s an essential component of successful revenue strategies. With the rise of anonymous and increasingly self-service buyers, businesses must use content intelligence to gain insights into their audience’s interests, behaviors, and preferences to deliver personalized content experiences that drive engagement and conversions.

If you want to learn more, I recently conducted a webinar on personalization with PathFactory’s SVP of Product Marketing and Research, Christine Polewarczyk. In the session, “Personalization at Scale: How to Leverage Content Intelligence for Engaging B2B Customer Experiences,” we go into more detail about current B2B personalization trends and offer specific advice on how to improve the use of personalization in your B2B marketing campaigns and digital experiences.