The trade traits each marketer ought to know

The great thing about freelancing for many of my decade-long profession is that I’ve labored on each side of the B2B and B2C advertising coin. One week, I’m serving to a B2B SaaS model rewrite a whitepaper. The following, I’m deep in marketing campaign planning for a B2C actual property model. It’s a front-row seat to how advertising works throughout totally different verticals.

Now, with AI, every part has modified. I’ve heard it in interviews with advertising leads, seen it within the instruments folks attain for, and felt it in the way in which groups are organizing their workflows.

On this article, I’ll share what I’ve noticed, backed by insights from our State of AI in Advertising 2025 report, to match how B2C and B2B entrepreneurs are every leveraging AI and the place they’re headed subsequent.

Desk of Contents

How B2C vs B2B Manufacturers Use AI for Content material Creation

Though the use circumstances of AI are as diversified as they arrive, one factor is evident: AI has develop into almost synonymous with content material creation. However the way in which it reveals up in B2C versus B2B contexts reveals each sturdy similarities and refined variations. And the info from our report makes this very clear.

1. Content material High quality Assurance

One of the vital broadly adopted use circumstances throughout each gross sales fashions is high quality assurance. In accordance with our survey, 53.87% of entrepreneurs use AI for issues like spellchecks, tone changes, accessibility critiques, and writing suggestions. Each marketer is aware of that is the form of work that quietly eats up hours within the content material cycle.

Personally, I usually spend simply as a lot time reviewing as I do writing, checking that each ‘i’ is dotted and each ‘t’ crossed. Now, it’s such a reduction to have the ability to deal with that a part of the method with AI.

2. Copywriting

This was the second hottest use case in our survey, with over half of all entrepreneurs saying they use AI to write down content material. Whereas their content material objectives might differ, each B2B and B2C entrepreneurs rely closely on written communication.

B2C groups usually flip to AI for high-volume writing wants, particularly when there’s strain to churn out a number of content material throughout totally different channels.

On the B2B aspect, the place content material is commonly required to be in-depth and technical, AI is ceaselessly used extra for construction than velocity. Right here, AI is extra related for producing outlines, organizing concepts, and typically producing a stable first draft.

3. Creating Photographs With AI Artwork Instruments

Visible content material is one other rising space for AI help, with almost half of entrepreneurs throughout each B2C and B2B saying they use AI to create advertising photographs.

On this case, B2C barely leads the way in which. And that’s not shocking, as they usually rely closely on attention-grabbing visuals for social media, digital advertisements, and branded storytelling, far more than their B2B counterparts.

4. Summarizing Textual content Into Key Factors

I as soon as labored in social media for a B2C model, and I bear in mind how essential it was to take advanced or detailed service info and switch it into enjoyable, digestible content material for our social media pages. That’s one among many situations the place I consider AI might have supported me.

Round 40% of entrepreneurs at the moment are maximizing this, utilizing the know-how to interrupt down dense content material into key factors.

For B2C, it’s a shortcut to creating participating captions, tales, or publication blurbs. For B2B, it helps rework long-form belongings like stories or webinar transcripts into summaries, government notes, and even LinkedIn carousel content material.

5. Repurposing Content material by Format and Viewers

Let’s say you’ve shot a buyer testimonial video. That very same piece of content material may must develop into a weblog publish, then a LinkedIn thought management article, and perhaps even a script for a brief video advert. This sort of repurposing, taking one concept and reshaping it throughout a number of codecs, is one other house the place AI shines for entrepreneurs working with B2B and B2C manufacturers.

But it surely’s not nearly altering the format. Many entrepreneurs (almost 40%) additionally use AI to adapt content material for various audiences. For instance, turning a weblog on male trend traits into one tailor-made to ladies’s styling wants. It’s the identical core message, however with language, tone, and focus adjusted to resonate with a brand new reader.

6. Translating Content material Throughout Languages

World campaigns demand localized content material, and 35% of the entrepreneurs we surveyed are utilizing AI to scale their content material throughout languages sooner than conventional workflows allowed. B2C manufacturers, particularly in ecommerce, use this to localize product pages, advertisements, and assist docs.

B2B groups are additionally adopting it, notably for worldwide touchdown pages, case research, or product training content material. Human oversight nonetheless issues, however there’s nothing fairly like the pinnacle begin AI gives.

High AI Instruments Leveraged by B2C vs B2B Manufacturers

After we requested entrepreneurs and advertising leaders what AI-related assets their organizations present to help AI adoption, the most typical response — by a transparent margin — was subscriptions to AI instruments and platforms.

The attention-grabbing half?

This pattern was evenly distributed between B2B and B2C organizations. That tells us one thing essential: No matter viewers, trade, or gross sales mannequin, manufacturers are actively investing in entry.

However what instruments are entrepreneurs really utilizing of their day-to-day roles? Right here’s what stood out over the previous 12 months.

1. Picture or Design Turbines

This was probably the most used class total, utilized by over 40% of entrepreneurs. B2C groups are barely forward right here, which is smart given their heavier reliance on visible storytelling.

Instruments like DALL-E, Canva AI, and Midjourney enable entrepreneurs to create fully new photographs from textual content prompts, mock up marketing campaign visuals, and even iterate for advert creatives.

2. Common Goal Chatbots

Chatbots like ChatGPT, Google Gemini, and Microsoft Copilot are arguably probably the most versatile instruments on this listing and so they come because the second hottest instrument. Because the descriptor goes, these chatbots can be utilized for every part starting from brainstorming, outlining, writing, and summarizing to answering analysis questions.

3. Good AI Video and Audio Enhancing Instruments

Video content material continues to dominate digital advertising, and the demand for high-quality video belongings has by no means been increased. What’s modified is how simply entrepreneurs can create and edit that content material utilizing AI.

Now, 36% of entrepreneurs, with B2C entrepreneurs main B2B, use instruments like Descript, Runway, Pictory, and Wisecut to routinely take away filler phrases, add subtitles, clear up audio, repair lighting, and even repurpose lengthy movies into shorter clips.

4. Voice and Narration Turbines

After which now we have voice or narration turbines which permit entrepreneurs to generate human-sounding voiceovers in numerous languages, tones, and types. These instruments — like Murf, Speechify, Play.ht, and Soundraw — give entrepreneurs the artistic vary to generate voiceovers and soundtracks while not having an expert studio.

With these generated sounds, entrepreneurs can produce video advertisements, social explainers, and even audio content material for apps, product excursions, demos, coaching modules, product tutorials, and shows. The probabilities are countless.

5. Good Picture Enhancing Instruments

Think about this: You are taking a product picture someplace, however for a particular marketing campaign, it makes extra sense on a clear white or seasonal background. That is the place AI-powered picture modifying instruments are available.

Over 30% of entrepreneurs throughout each B2C and B2B use picture modifying instruments like Photoshop, Fotor AI, Luminar, and others to boost, retouch, resize, or take away backgrounds routinely. With these instruments, photographs are polished shortly and tailored for various makes use of in file time.

How B2C vs B2B Leaders Really feel About AI

Entrepreneurs could also be deep within the trenches of AI-powered instruments, however management sentiment is what actually alerts how organizations are interested by long-term adoption, and our knowledge reveals quite a bit.

1. Leaders need extra management, not simply extra instruments.

After we requested leaders what’s driving AI adoption, the solutions have been sensible. High of the listing at 23% was higher management over knowledge privateness and safety. Proper behind that at 22% was the flexibility to customise AI to suit their enterprise wants, after which price financial savings at 20%.

These priorities got here out almost evenly between B2C and B2B manufacturers, suggesting that no matter trade, leaders are attempting to carry AI nearer to the core of their operations, not maintain it as a shiny exterior add-on.

2. Many leaders see progress potential however they don’t seem to be absolutely bought but.

Roughly 35% of leaders considerably agreed that AI will assist their companies scale in ways in which wouldn’t in any other case be attainable.

That’s a average vote of confidence, however what’s much more telling is the second most typical response: neutrality. Nearly 29% neither agreed nor disagreed, which says quite a bit about the place most leaders are proper now — , however nonetheless watching intently.

Perhaps they haven’t seen the ROI but, or perhaps they’re cautious of betting too closely on a know-how that’s nonetheless evolving. Whichever it’s, we will agree that there’s optimism, nevertheless it’s cautious.

3. AI is nice, however perhaps not as nice because the Industrial Revolution.

But. Greater than a 3rd of promoting leaders considerably agree that AI will rival the Industrial Revolution, particularly with regards to the impression it should have on human productiveness. And but, almost 27% stated they neither agree nor disagree — once more pointing to this theme of cautious curiosity.

The hype is robust, however leaders might need to see sustained productiveness positive factors throughout departments, not simply sooner content material. Till then, the comparability to the Industrial Revolution will possible stay a metaphor.

4. Being overly reliant on AI is a purple flag.

A transparent majority — 65% — of leaders agree that AI needs to be utilized in folks’s roles, however with out them changing into overly depending on it. This is likely one of the most generally agreed-upon sentiments throughout each B2C and B2B, and it displays one thing essential: Respect for human creativity and demanding considering.

This makes loads of sense. Whereas there’s worth in automating the repetitive stuff, the core expertise that make advertising work ought to by no means be outsourced.

5. The ROI of AI funding is considerably optimistic.

Nearly all of leaders describe the ROI from their AI investments as “considerably optimistic.” That’s stable, however not game-changing.

Round 43% are seeing outcomes they be ok with, whereas solely a few third are seeing “very optimistic” returns. In different phrases, AI is working — however not blowing minds simply but.

This tracks with how most firms are utilizing AI: to boost productiveness, velocity up content material manufacturing, or unlock small efficiencies.

The takeaway? Leaders aren’t strolling away from AI, however they’re not betting the complete farm both.

Is B2C or B2B embracing AI extra shortly?

In the event you’re hoping for a dramatic divide between B2C and B2B with regards to AI adoption, you received’t discover it right here. What the info (and conversations with entrepreneurs) present as a substitute is that each side are shifting quick, and in surprisingly related methods.

An astonishing 91% of promoting groups say they already use AI in some capability, and the break up between B2C and B2B is almost even. The identical goes for worker mindset — over half of respondents described their groups as keen to make use of AI, and once more, B2C and B2B are neck and neck.

Even once we requested leaders about future funding in AI instruments, the sample held: Two-thirds of groups plan to extend their AI spend in 2025, with a near-identical quantity from each side.

The underside line? B2C and B2B could also be utilizing AI for barely totally different duties, however with regards to tempo of adoption, they’re on the identical monitor — and each are accelerating.

AI doesn’t belong to at least one sort of marketer.

If there’s one factor I’ve realized whereas penning this piece — and dealing with each B2B and B2C manufacturers — it’s that AI doesn’t belong to at least one “sort” of marketer. Whether or not your job is writing enterprise whitepapers or producing viral product movies, the core objectives are the identical: Be extra artistic, work extra effectively, and keep related.

To do that, entrepreneurs are maximizing each instrument at their fingertips, which is a really good factor to do. The ways might differ barely, however the momentum is shared.