B2B Research 2025

UPDATED: Jul 6/25

B2B Core Research Library Podcast

Dig in to each report below and when you're ready contact us or book some time with our founder, Chris Herbert, to discuss how to start and grow your B2B venture.

Bridging the Trust Gap: B2B Tech Buying in the Age of AI

Source: TrustRadius | Link

Most Critical Insights

The report, "B2B Tech Buying in the Age of AI: Bridging the Trust Gap," highlights a profound transformation in B2B technology buying, driven by artificial intelligence (AI) and a critical need for trust and transparency.

The most significant finding is the widening "trust gap" between buyers and vendors. Buyers now heavily rely on self-serve research, their own prior experience (identified as the most frequently consulted and influential resource), and social proof.

This diminishes the influence of traditional vendor-led sales tactics and even third-party analyst reports. AI, particularly Google's AI Overviews, has disrupted traditional search behavior, making discoverability more complex for vendors.

Major Trends and Developments

• AI's Expanding Role: 72% of buyers encountered Google’s AI Overviews, and 90% clicked through to fact-check sources, indicating a persistent need for verification.

  
  

• AI has made information easier to find for 40% of buyers, and 80% now trust AI tools at least sometimes, a 19% increase from last year. However, frequent AI users remain skeptical, with 62% always or very often fact-checking. Gen Z buyers are more likely to use and trust AI tools, signaling a future trend.

• Rise of Self-Serve and Social Proof: User reviews are highly influential, consulted by 77% of buyers, and 54% speak with a user before purchasing, often through untraceable channels like professional networks. Conversely, analyst reports are at an all-time low of 14% usage (a 60% decrease since 2022), suggesting buyer distrust of "pay-to-play" third parties.

• Faster Deal Cycles: The average deal cycle is 3.8 months, with 86% of deals closing in six months or less. Short-lists are small, averaging 2.6 products, and 82% of buyers had a top product in mind from the start.

Challenges and Pain Points

• Vendors face significant go-to-market (GTM) misalignment: 72% of vendors believe sales outreach is effective, yet it doesn't rank among the top five resources buyers consult. This indicates substantial investment in tactics buyers often ignore.

• A crucial disconnect exists as vendors often incorrectly believe AI models access gated content, when in reality, AI only uses publicly available data for training.

• Discoverability is harder due to AI Overviews leading to "dramatic traffic fluctuations" and higher customer acquisition costs (CAC).

• Furthermore, 49% of buyers demand more transparent pricing information as their number one requested change.

Investment Outlook & Future Strategies

• Vendors allocate 38% of their discretionary budget to brand awareness and 53% to demand generation. However, with AI reshaping discoverability and increasing CAC, these budgets require re-evaluation for effectiveness.

• 66% of buyers had a VP or C-Level executive involved in their purchase, highlighting continued budget scrutiny and the need for confidence in decisions.

Actionable Recommendations for B2B Marketers

To bridge this trust gap and remain discoverable, marketers must adapt by:

• Prioritizing "buyer enablement": Provide readily available, ungated resources that build confidence.

• Optimizing for AI Overviews and Search: Answer simple queries clearly for potential AI citation, but also provide detailed, later-stage content (e.g., pricing, use cases) to fill AI's capabilities gaps.

• Embracing Transparency: Offer ballpark pricing and ensure customer testimonials and demos are easy to find on websites and third-party sites.

• Leveraging Social Proof Strategically: Invest in review sites (68% of vendors do) and optimize profiles with demos and pricing, as buyers value authentic feedback and reviewer relatability. Foster customer advocacy programs to encourage reviews and facilitate peer conversations.

• Rethinking Sales Outreach: Focus on quality lead generation programs with reliable intent data, as buyers prefer to engage with sales when they are ready.

• Creating Original, Proprietary Content: Original content, especially from customers, will be the fuel for brand-led growth in the AI era, particularly given Gen Z's increasing influence.

---

2024 State of B2B Content Consumption & Demand Report

Source: Netline | Link

Most Critical Insights

• Despite the push for ungated content, demand for gated B2B content rose 14.3% year-over-year and has increased 77% since 2019, indicating that B2B professionals still value and are willing to exchange information for high-quality content.

• The "Consumption Gap" has widened, with the time to consume content increasing by 2.5 hours to 31.2 hours, suggesting buyers need more time for review, likely due to multiple stakeholders and the need to prove ROI quickly. 35.2% of professionals expect to make a purchase decision within the next 12 months, a 5.3% increase from 2022.

• Case studies are strongly linked to purchase decisions, with users requesting them being 78.5% more likely to buy within the next year.

Major Trends & Developments

• eBooks remain the most popular content format, representing 39.5% of all demand and seeing a 34.5% increase in registrations. However, users often progress to other formats, particularly courses, for subsequent content consumption.

• AI-related content saw a dramatic 5.5x year-over-year increase in demand. C-level consumption grew, representing 12.7% of audience demand with a 7.9% year-over-year increase, and these executives prefer simple, easily digestible content.

• Webinars saw a 7.6% year-over-year increase in demand, with on-demand webinars growing by 12.1%.

• Purchase readiness has increased, with buyers 5% more likely to invest within 12 months and 7% more likely to invest within three months.

Challenges & Pain Points

• B2B marketers must balance the increasing demand for content with the widening "Consumption Gap," ensuring they allow sufficient time for prospects to review materials before following up.

• Tailoring content to specific job roles, industries, and purchase intent timelines remains a challenge.

• Understanding the progression of content consumption, such as the shift from eBooks to courses, requires deeper analysis and strategy.

• Keeping up with rapidly growing interest in AI-related content and meeting the specific content preferences of C-level executives also presents ongoing challenges.

Investment Outlook & Future Strategies

• Strategic investments should focus on creating high-quality, gated content that addresses specific needs and purchase intentions.

• Content formats like case studies and playbooks, which are strongly linked to purchase decisions, should be prioritized.

• Leveraging intent data to understand buyer behavior and tailor content delivery is crucial.

• Developing content strategies that account for the "Consumption Gap" and allow ample time for review is essential.

• Investing in AI-related content and creating simple, easily digestible materials for C-level executives are also important strategies.

Actionable Recommendations for B2B Leaders

• Embrace gated content as a valuable tool for capturing first-party data and intent signals.

• Allow at least two days for prospects to consume requested content before following up.

• Create a diverse content library that includes formats aligned with different stages of the buyer’s journey.

• Prioritize case studies and playbooks for prospects with high purchase intent.

• Develop AI-related content to meet growing demand. Tailor content for C-level executives, focusing on simplicity and key takeaways.

• Leverage intent data to personalize content delivery and follow-up strategies.

• Monitor content consumption patterns and adapt strategies based on user behavior.

---

B2B services firms need a digital content strategy in order to connect with modern buyers looking online for professional advice, expertise and services. Here's how to create one.

---

The Definitive Guide to B2B Ecommerce 2025

Source: Shopify | Link

Most Critical Insights

• B2B ecommerce is undergoing rapid transformation, driven by evolving buyer expectations, digital-first purchasing behavior, and the need for streamlined operations.

• By 2025, 70% of B2B buyers will be millennials, demanding intuitive self-service platforms, personalized purchasing experiences, and seamless omnichannel engagement.

• Businesses that fail to modernize risk losing market share, as 87% of buyers are willing to switch suppliers for a better digital experience.

• While automation and ecommerce platforms are improving efficiency, many B2B organizations struggle with outdated systems, fragmented tech stacks, and resource-heavy custom-built solutions.

Major Trends & Developments

• The B2B ecommerce landscape is increasingly prioritizing self-service experiences, with 83% of buyers preferring digital channels over traditional sales interactions.

• Companies are investing in AI-driven personalization, tailoring storefronts with dynamic pricing, customer-specific catalogs, and localized purchasing options.

• The rise of unified commerce platforms is another major shift. Businesses are moving away from siloed B2B and DTC operations in favor of centralized solutions that offer cross-channel integration, automated workflows, and seamless ERP and CRM connectivity.

• Shopify is at the forefront of this movement, helping brands reduce reliance on costly developer-heavy systems by offering an intuitive, scalable ecommerce infrastructure.

• Additionally, speed-to-market is a key competitive advantage. Companies that streamline their ecommerce deployment are seeing major cost and time savings.

• For instance, businesses using Shopify’s platform have launched storefronts 37% faster and at 33% lower costs compared to traditional enterprise solutions.

Challenges & Pain Points

Despite technological advancements, B2B brands face persistent hurdles in adapting to the digital shift. Key obstacles include:

• Legacy System Constraints: Many businesses still rely on outdated, inflexible platforms that require extensive resources to maintain.

• High Costs of Customization: Custom-built B2B solutions often lead to ballooning costs, slow innovation, and reliance on specialized developers.

• Siloed Data & Operations: Disconnected tech stacks prevent businesses from gaining a unified view of their customers, impacting efficiency and personalization efforts.

• Inconsistent Buyer Experiences: Many companies struggle to deliver the seamless, consumer-grade experiences that modern B2B buyers expect.

Investment Outlook & Future Strategies

As B2B ecommerce becomes increasingly digital, companies are shifting their budgets toward automation, self-serve platforms, and AI-driven personalization. Strategic investments are focusing on:

• Unified commerce platforms that consolidate B2B and DTC operations for operational efficiency.

• AI-powered customization tools to enhance product recommendations, dynamic pricing, and user experiences.

• Integration with ERP, CRM, and payment systems to streamline backend processes and improve order management.

• Data-driven decision-making to optimize sales strategies and better understand buyer behavior.

Actionable Recommendations for B2B Leaders

To stay competitive in the evolving B2B landscape, businesses should:

• Embrace Self-Serve Commerce – Prioritize intuitive platforms that enable buyers to manage orders independently.

• Unify Tech Stacks – Consolidate operations onto a single, scalable ecommerce platform to reduce inefficiencies.

• Invest in Personalization – Leverage AI and first-party data to tailor customer experiences and drive conversions.

• Optimize for Omnichannel Commerce – Ensure seamless transitions between digital and in-person touchpoints.

• Reduce Time-to-Market – Utilize agile, low-cost solutions like Shopify to deploy ecommerce experiences quickly and efficiently.

By implementing these strategies, B2B brands can modernize their operations, meet evolving buyer expectations, and secure long-term growth in the digital-first era.

---

B2B Content Marketing Benchmarks, Budgets and Trends: Outlook 2025

Source: Content Marketing Institute | Link

Most Critical Insights

• B2B content marketing in 2025 is defined by rapid technological evolution, particularly the integration of generative AI, data-driven personalization, and shifting content consumption behaviors.

• Marketers are investing in automation, refining content distribution strategies, and addressing challenges related to ROI measurement.

• Despite these advancements, a lack of clear AI governance, resource constraints, and leadership misalignment continue to hinder marketing effectiveness.

Major Trends & Developments

• One of the most significant trends is the rise of AI-powered content creation. While many B2B organizations use AI tools, concerns remain about content quality, ethical considerations, and maintaining brand voice.

• Marketers experimenting with AI-driven automation report efficiency gains but struggle with establishing structured workflows and guidelines.

• Content personalization is another priority, with brands leveraging first-party data to create highly targeted experiences. SEO strategies are also evolving as AI influences search algorithms, pushing marketers toward intent-driven keyword approaches and high-quality, authoritative content.

• Additionally, video and interactive content are proving to be the most engaging formats, surpassing static text-based materials.

• LinkedIn remains the most valuable platform for B2B content distribution, while marketers are exploring new channels for organic and paid content promotion.

Challenges & Pain Points

Despite these advancements, marketers face persistent challenges that impact overall effectiveness. The biggest roadblocks include:

• Lack of Resources: Many content teams are small, underfunded, and stretched thin, limiting their ability to execute strategies effectively.

• Leadership & Alignment Issues: Internal silos prevent collaboration between marketing and other departments, leading to inconsistent messaging and missed opportunities.

• Tech Stack Limitations: Many teams lack the right content management, analytics, and automation tools needed for efficient content production and performance tracking.

• Measuring ROI: While engagement metrics are widely used, clear revenue attribution for content marketing efforts remains elusive for most organizations.

Budget & Investment Outlook

Looking ahead, content marketing budgets are expected to increase, with organizations recognizing the need for stronger content strategies. Investments will focus on:

• AI-driven content creation and automation

• Advanced content analytics and measurement tools

• Expanding content teams and improving cross-department collaboration

• Enhancing personalization through first-party data strategies

Hiring trends suggest an emphasis on content orchestration, ensuring teams can efficiently scale operations and improve content effectiveness.

Actionable Recommendations for B2B Marketers

To stay ahead in 2025, B2B marketers should:

• Develop AI Governance – Establish ethical guidelines and structured workflows for AI-powered content.

• Leverage First-Party Data – Build hyper-personalized content strategies to improve audience engagement.

  
  

• Adapt to AI-Driven Search Trends – Prioritize high-quality, authoritative content optimized for evolving search algorithms.

• Diversify Content Formats – Invest in video, interactive experiences, and thought leadership pieces.

• Strengthen ROI Measurement – Improve analytics capabilities to track revenue impact rather than relying on engagement metrics.

By addressing these priorities, B2B marketers can enhance their content marketing strategies, improve efficiency, and drive measurable business growth in 2025.

About the Author

Chris Herbert spearheads Mi6 Agency, emphasizing small business growth and entrepreneurship. On the agency's blog, he offers practical marketing insights and solutions to unique challenges faced by businesses. Herbert advocates for sustainable and responsible growth. His "Rural Entrepreneur Podcast" extends this mission, providing essential advice and experiences for entrepreneurs. He adopts a comprehensive approach, focusing on building sustainable businesses, community engagement, and active participation in entrepreneurial ventures.