Top B2B Lead Generation Statistics 2023
In every B2B marketing strategy, data reigns supreme. It’s not just about telling a story; it’s about using numbers to shape your strategy, validate your decisions, and get a sneak peek into what lies ahead. Whether you’re a marketer, sales leader, or SME leader in B2B, you know the struggle of swimming through a sea of data points. Well, we’ve got your back! Through a comprehensive B2B marketing trends study among hundreds of tech marketers, and scouring the internet, we compiled the latest B2B lead generation statistics in 2023.
These numbers not only inform you, but also give you a burst of ideas for your next big lead generation campaign to pave your way to a fuller B2B sales pipeline.
And if you’re hungry for even deeper insights, don’t miss out on our exclusive guide: The B2B Marketer’s Forecast for AI, Budgeting, and Lead Generation. It’s chock-full of essential statistics and in-depth analysis that will keep you one step ahead of the curve and take advantage of all b2b lead generation statistics to make data based decisions when you strategize for 2024.
- 51% of B2B marketers say increasing brand awareness is their highest B2B marketing priority for the year. (ViB)
- 61% of the B2B market works exclusively online now. (ThriveMyWay)
- 6 to 7 people on average are involved in the purchasing decision-making process in the high-tech B2B niche, on average. (ThriveMyWay)
- Lead generation is a top measure of success for 85% of B2B marketers. (Zippia)
54% of B2B marketers say improving overall lead quality and conversion rates is their biggest challenge in B2B marketing this year. (ViB)
41% of B2B marketers say generating more leads is their biggest challenge in B2B marketing this year. (ViB)
- 49% of B2B marketers say generating more leads is their highest B2B marketing priority for the year. (ViB)
Discover the latest trends and statistics — and the key actions B2B marketers and leaders need to take today.
B2B Marketing Statistics
- 38% of B2B marketers say launching new products and services is their highest B2B marketing priority for the year. (ViB)
- 34% of B2B marketers say increasing marketing contribution to pipeline and revenue is their highest B2B marketing priority for the year. (ViB)
- Only 17% of B2B marketers say expanding into new markets is their highest B2B marketing priority for the year. (ViB)
- 11% of B2B marketers say streamlining marketing operations is their highest B2B marketing priority for the year. (ViB)
B2B Lead Nurturing and Lead Conversion Statistics
- 46% of B2B marketers say improving overall lead quality and conversion rates is their highest B2B marketing priority for the year. (ViB)
- 78% of B2Bs use lead conversions as a performance metric (Content Marketing Institute)
- B2B technology has one of the lowest lead conversion rates at 1.7%. (Ruler Analytics)
- Lead conversion rates for agencies average 3.3%. (Ruler Analytics)
- B2B tech organizations can see over 50% lead to opportunity conversion rates with appointment setting. (ViB)
- Nurtured B2B leads generate 47% larger purchases than non-nurtured leads at a 33% lower cost. (Zippia)
On average, 55% of marketers met their target lead numbers in 2022. (ViB)
22% of organizations exceeded their targets for overall leads (i.e. basic contact info) generated. (ViB)
B2B ABM Statistics (Account-Based Marketing)
- 58% of B2B marketers experienced larger deal sizes with ABM. (Rollworks)
- 60% of B2B marketers are just getting started with ABM. (ViB)
- Only 18% of B2B marketers say ABM is their highest B2B marketing priority for the year. (ViB)
- 83% of B2B marketers are challenged with sourcing contacts for ABM target accounts. (ViB)
- 30% of B2B marketers are figuring out how to approach personalizing content for ABM. (ViB)
- 56% of marketers say that personalized content is key to a successful ABM strategy. (Forrester)
- 66% of top performers leverage multiple teams to execute ABM across their organizations. (Demand Gen Report)
B2B Content Marketing Statistics
- 75% of B2B marketers say that content marketing is an important marketing channel in their current strategy. (ViB)
- 80% of decision-makers prefer articles over ads from potential partners. (WebFX)
- 61% of US B2B buyers will read three to seven pieces of content before speaking with a salesperson. (Demand Gen Report)
- 96% of B2B marketers say that content marketing is an effective channel in generating quality leads, but only 30% say that it is very effective. (ViB)
- 86% of B2B marketers use content to create brand awareness. (WebFX)
- 20% of B2B marketers say they allocate a high budget to content marketing. (ViB)
- In a 2022 Statista Research Study of marketers worldwide, 62% of respondents said they believed it was important to be “always on” for their customers, whereas 23% thought content-led communications were most effective for personalized targeting purposes. (Statista)
B2B Content Marketing Trends
- 53% of B2B marketers say that repurposing content is a top trend they have adopted, or are planning to adopt, in 2023. (ViB)
- 94% of B2B marketers see the most potential for generative AI-powered tools in creating assets, such as blogs and guides; 55% say there is a strong potential. (ViB)
- 94% of B2B marketers see the most potential for generative AI-powered tools in personalizing content for their target audience; 50% say there is a strong potential. (ViB)
- 92% of B2B marketers see the most potential for generative AI-powered tools in promoting content to their target audience; 42% say there is a strong potential. (ViB)
- 30% of B2B marketers say they have increased their budget for content marketing. (ViB)
B2B Email Marketing Statistics
- 83% of B2B marketers say that email marketing is an important marketing channel in their current strategy. (ViB)
- 90% of B2B marketers say that email marketing is an effective channel in generating quality leads; 33% say that it is very effective. (ViB)
- Email generates $36 for every $1 spent, meaning email marketing ROI is 3600%. (Litmus)
- Personalizing email subject lines leads to a 22% increase in open rate. (Outreach)
- 33% of people open emails based on the subject line alone. (SuperOffice)
B2B Email Marketing Trends
- 42% of B2B marketers say they allocate a low budget to email marketing. (ViB)
- 71% of B2B marketers say their budget for email marketing has stayed the same this year. (ViB)
- 61% of B2B marketers reported email open rates below 20% in 2022. (ViB)
- 14% is the average email open rate in 2022 for B2B marketing in the tech industry is (ViB)
- In comparison, 34.5% is the average email open rate in 2022 across all industries. (Constant Contact)
B2B Market Research Statistics
- Only 30% of B2B marketers say that market research is an important marketing channel in their current strategy. (ViB)
- 77% of B2B consumers say they do extensive research before making a purchase. (TheB2BHouse)
- 90% of B2B marketers say that market research is an effective channel in generating quality leads; 33% say that it is VERY effective. (ViB)
- 32% of B2B marketers say they allocate a low budget to market research. (ViB)
- 23% of B2B marketers say they have increased their budget for market research. (ViB)
- 52% of B2B clients state that they prefer making purchases from companies that create their own content. (ThriveMyWay)
- 61% of decision-makers say that an organization’s thought leadership can be moderately or a lot more effective at demonstrating the potential value of its products and services compared to traditional product-oriented marketing. (Linkedin-Edelman)
- 50% of C-suite executives say that high-quality thought leadership has more impact on their purchase decision-making during economic downturns than when times are good. (Linkedin-Edelman)
- 65% say they give more credence to peer reviews, user-generated content, and third-party publications/analysts vs. company-generated content. (Demand Gen Report)
- 60% of thought leadership producers expect the content to keep their brand and capabilities top of mind during a downturn even among clients or prospects who cannot buy from them because of budget constraints. (Linkedin-Edelman)
- Thought leadership content repurposed from original research has been shown to generate up to $2 million in closed/won deals. (ViB)
B2B Prospecting and Sales Statistics
- 95% of B2B marketers say that appointment setting is an effective channel in generating quality leads; 40% say that it is very effective. (ViB)
- 13% of organizations exceeded their targets for marketing generated meetings for sales. (ViB)
- 25% of organizations fell below their targets for marketing generated meetings for sales. (ViB)
- On average, it takes 8 cold call attempts before a prospect is reached. (ThriveMyWay)
- Top sellers spend an average of 6 hours every week researching their prospects. (Crunchbase)
- 35% of B2B marketers say increasing marketing contribution to pipeline and revenue is their biggest challenge in B2B marketing this year. (ViB)
- 27% of B2B marketers say they allocate a high budget to appointment setting. (ViB)
- 30% of B2B marketers say they have increased their budget for appointment setting. (ViB)
- Need and budget are the two biggest factors in whether a prospect connects with a rep. (RAIN Group)
- 64% of sales professionals who cross-sell say email follow-up is the most effective cross-selling strategy. (HubSpot)
- 60% of customers say no four times before saying yes. (Invesp)
- 82% of B2B decision-makers believe sales professionals aren’t prepared. (ThriveMyWay)
B2B Website and SEO Statistics
- 83% of B2B marketers say that website and SEO are important marketing channels in their current strategy. (ViB)
- 12 searches are the average number a B2B user makes before engaging with a brand’s site. (Google)
- 96% of B2B marketers say that website and SEO are effective channels in generating quality leads; 45% say that they are VERY effective. (ViB)
- 86% of B2B companies use their website as a customer or prospect communication channel. (Salesforce)
- 33% of B2B marketers say they allocate a high budget to their website and SEO. (ViB)
- 39% of B2B marketers say they have increased their budget for their website and SEO. (ViB)
- On average, a CTR of above 3% is considered good for SEO. (Backlinko)
- A one-spot increase in rankings can increase CTR by 30.8%. (Backlinko)
- 54.4% of all clicks go to the top 3 Google search results. (Backlinko)
B2B Event Marketing Statistics
- 91% of consumers reported that they would be more inclined to purchase a brand’s product or service after participating in a brand activation or experience, and 40% felt they became more loyal to the brand. (EventTrack)
- 41% of B2B marketers say that virtual events are an important marketing channel in their current strategy. (ViB)
- 64% of survey participants agree that the quality of speakers and relevance of content encourages them to sign up for events. (Vimeo)
- For B2B marketers in tech, their average webinar attendance rate is 37.5%. (ViB)
- 61% of B2B marketers saw <40% webinar attendance rates in 2022. (ViB)
- 29% of B2B marketers say they allocate a high budget to virtual events. (ViB)
- 25% of B2B marketers say they have increased their budget for virtual events. (ViB)
- When asked why they would consider attending a virtual event, 62% of the respondents chose educational/informative purposes and 26% chose networking. (vFairs)
- 89% of B2B marketers said that capturing and leveraging event data has made a positive impact on their marketing strategy, with their top three metrics being a number of leads generated, satisfied decision makers, and new/increased sponsorships. (AgencyEA)
B2B Video Marketing Statistics
- 50% of B2B marketers say that short-form videos are a top trend they have adopted, or are planning to adopt, in 2023. (ViB)
- 91% of businesses use video as a marketing tool in 2023 — an all-time high since 2016. (Wyzowl)
- 31% of B2B marketers say that video and podcast marketing are important marketing channels in their current strategy. (ViB)
- 30% of people lack the time to create video content but 70% of ‘non-video-marketers’ plan to start online video marketing in 2023. (Wyzowl)
- 92% of B2B marketers say that video and podcast marketing are effective channels in generating quality leads, but only 22% say that it is VERY effective. (ViB)
- 32% of marketers found the most effective way to generate leads from marketing videos is to place links to landing pages on social media video ads. (Hubspot)
- 23% of B2B marketers say they allocate a high budget to video and podcast marketing. (ViB)
- 33% of B2B marketers say they have increased their budget for video and podcast marketing. (ViB)
- 14% of marketers say their company spends between $7,000 to $10,000 to produce a video. (Hubspot)
B2B Social Media Marketing Statistics
- 74% of B2B marketers say that social media marketing is an important marketing channel in their current strategy. (ViB)
- 83% of B2B marketers say that social media marketing is an effective channel for generating quality leads, but only 21% say that it is VERY effective. (ViB)
- 53% of B2B buyers get product information through social media. (Sales for Life)
- 31% of B2B marketers say they allocate a low budget to social media marketing. (ViB)
- 27% of B2B marketers say they have increased their budget for social media marketing. (ViB)
- 56% of sales professionals use social media to find new prospects. (HubSpot)
- 67% of sales professionals who use social media to find new prospects say Facebook is one of the most effective platforms. (HubSpot)
Generative AI Trends in B2B Marketing
- 41% of B2B marketers say that generative AI is a top trend they have adopted, or are planning to adopt, in 2023. (ViB)
- At 37%, generative AI is being adopted by the marketing and advertising industry at a faster rate than any other industry in the US. (Statista)
- 85% of B2B marketers see AI as having a positive impact on B2B marketing in the next 12 months; with 26% seeing a strong positive impact. (ViB)
- 96% of B2B marketers say generative AI will have the most impact on content marketing; 60% of them see a strong impact. (ViB)
- 61% of B2B marketers are using or exploring ChatGPT in their marketing strategy. (ViB)
- 53% of B2B marketers are using or exploring Grammarly in their marketing strategy. (ViB)
Generative AI Implementation in B2B Marketing Statistics
- 46% of B2B marketers are considering or testing generative AI in their marketing strategy, with no formalized plans to implement it yet. (ViB)
- Only 38% of B2B marketers have formalized plans to use generative AI within the next 12 months; 14% have already implemented it. (ViB)
- 16% of B2B marketers have no formalized plans to implement generative AI in their marketing strategy in the near future. (ViB)
- 63% of B2B marketers were using AI-powered marketing automation tools before ChatGPT. (ViB)
Generative AI Risks in B2B Marketing Statistics
- 59% of B2B marketers say the quality of AI-generated material is their biggest concern over implementing generative AI in their marketing strategy. (ViB)
- 46% of B2B marketers say data privacy and security is their biggest concern over implementing generative AI in their marketing strategy. (ViB)
- 37% of B2B marketers AI bias, ethics, and discrimination are their biggest concerns over implementing generative AI in their marketing strategy. (ViB)
- 31% of B2B marketers say SEO penalizations are their biggest concern over implementing generative AI in their marketing strategy. (ViB)
- 29% of B2B marketers say uncertainty over ROI is their biggest concern over implementing generative AI in their marketing strategy. (ViB)
- 25% of B2B marketers say integrating AI with their existing processes and tech stack is their biggest concern over implementing generative AI in their marketing strategy. (ViB)
- 25% of B2B marketers say the cost of AI-powered solutions is their biggest concern over implementing generative AI in their marketing strategy. (ViB)
- Only 20% of B2B marketers are concerned with generative AI replacing jobs. (ViB)
B2B Marketing Budgeting Statistics
- By 2024, B2B data spending will be $3.91 billion with a year-over-year (YoY) growth rate of 3.8%. (Insider Intelligence)
- On average, spending of the B2B industry on paid advertising rises by 20% every year. (ThriveMyWay)
- 45% of B2B marketing leaders are allocating most of their budget to marketing programs and paid media. (ViB)
- 28% of B2B marketing leaders are allocating most of their budget to staff and contractors. (ViB)
- 14% of B2B marketing leaders are allocating most of their budget to marketing technology. (ViB)
- 12% of B2B marketing leaders are allocating most of their budget to outsourced services and agencies. (ViB)
Wrapping up
Looking at these B2B lead generation statistics this year, which stats stood out to you? What changes will you make for 2023 and beyond?
We’d love to hear your thoughts! If you’re interested in learning more or need support with B2B demand generation, don’t hesitate to reach out to us at ViB. We’re here to help!
