AI is significantly disrupting the B2B buyer journey and how B2B decision makers engage with information, particularly at the discovery stage. The consequences for a B2B media brand appear scary; the audience who once relied on a publication’s website now get what they need from an AI-generated summary. They no longer need the media brand or at least have less need and less direct interaction with it. Traffic to the site plummets, the active audience database shrinks and the value of marketing, particularly products measured by number of impressions and clicks, diminishes.
However, I would argue that the true fundamentals of a B2B media brand’s value proposition have not changed at all, and if anything, the threat from AI will result in higher value media and information platforms – at least for those that adapt. The value proposition of a B2B media and information provider is to be the expert authority in any given audience niche, the trusted voice that helps navigate industry challenges and informs decisions. This need for trusted expertise across most B2B audience segments is more profound than it has ever been: B2B leaders across industry verticals or job functions face complex market and organisational challenges and are under increasing pressure to make faster, evidence-based decisions while coordinating across multiple stakeholders. AI-generated summaries have further heightened the distrust of information and fueled an even greater need for go-to expertise and a single source of truth.
The value in B2B media is not diminishing, it is shifting: audiences increasingly lean on media brands for original content and research, expert opinion and advisory and, perhaps most important, to gather and share the community’s collective knowledge and real-life experiences. The results of Plural’s annual B2B audience survey really brought this to life:
- Peer networks and community access have the highest impact on informing decisions
- Audiences are increasingly willing to seek information behind gates and invest in subscriptions, if it helps tackle their needs and challenges
- Webinars – two-way live interactions – have become an industry staple
- Video and podcasts – where expert voice is brought to life are increasingly popular
- Events, particularly targeted, are an essential part of the mix
Does your current model address and capture the full strategic value of your audience?
These trends significantly elevate the strategic importance of better understanding and prioritising audience value. Best-in-class media and information models are audience-first and sit at the very heart of solving their audiences’ problems. They know their audience and continuously adapt and deepen value propositions and develop more targeted products to reinforce their position as the go-to trusted source across stakeholders in their verticals.
Best-in-class operators are also making an important switch, transitioning away from high volume content aimed at capturing as many eyeballs as possible to doubling down on the originality of their content, bringing to life their brand and user experience through expert voice, personalities and community, and delivering that across channels where their audiences spend time. In doing so, they are cultivating a trusted base of followers who depend on their brand and, in turn, offer rich and valuable first-party insights.
A segmented, commercial understanding of the audience universe is the key to raising the value of the media and information brand, differentiating it from AI-generated summaries, and appropriately monetising it. Get clarity on the following questions:
- What are the high value parts of the audience universe?
- What are their information needs and challenges and how can we best help them?
- How underserved are these needs and what is our right to play?
- How should our value proposition, product set and distribution align to most effectively serve these needs?
- How big are the different product opportunities and what is the best ways to monetise them (marketing spend, subscription, memberships, etc.) by segment?
If there is one consistent theme from Plural’s work in the sector, it is that media and information businesses can often underestimate the opportunity to do even more for their audiences and that there is almost always the potential to go deeper. This could include…
So is your B2B model the best version of itself? Could it be more?
Plural’s strategic audience studies can help define the true strategic value of your audience. We combine a deep and segmented understanding of information needs and behaviour across the audience universe with granular market data. The outcome is a defined set of opportunities aligned to audience needs and value.
