How Early Content Engagement Signals Purchase Intent in B2B
MarketingCharts, summarizing findings from NetLine’s 2025 State of B2B Content Consumption and Demand, reveals how early-stage content engagement provides a strong signal of purchase intent among B2B decision-makers.
One in three professionals who register for B2B content expect to make a purchase within the next 12 months. While that’s a promising signal for marketers, short-term buyers are becoming less common. Only 8 percent anticipate making a purchase within three months, a decline from 9.4 percent in 2023. Another 10 percent plan to buy within three to six months.
Seniority plays a key role in purchase readiness. C-level executives, EVPs, and business owners are significantly more likely to indicate near-term buying plans than senior managers or consultants.
The type of content consumed also matters. Guides, live webinars, and best-practice materials are more likely to attract buyers who intend to act within three months. In contrast, playbooks and trend reports tend to align with buyers operating on a 12-month or longer timeline.
E-books continue to dominate the B2B content landscape, accounting for 53 percent of downloads in 2024. On average, each e-book generated 983 leads—far outpacing whitepapers, which attracted just 60 leads per asset.
With 69 percent of B2B marketers focusing on lead quality over quantity, aligning content types with buyer intent signals is becoming increasingly important for optimizing marketing ROI and accelerating the sales pipeline.
Credit: Summary adapted from MarketingCharts
Read more: https://www.marketingcharts.com/industries/business-to-business-235684