Where Have All the Clicks Gone?

Content Strategies to Address the New B2B Buyer Journey

The B2B buyer journey has undergone a profound shift. And companies that don’t adapt will soon be left behind.??

Marketri ’s own Katie Bergmann and Jane Woodling recently attended Content Marketing World 2024, hosted by Content Marketing Institute , where this idea rang through loud and clear throughout every session they attended.

At Marketri, we are committed to staying at the cutting edge of these changes, ensuring our clients receive not only up-to-date insights but a fresh, strategically sound approach to content marketing. Content Marketing World 2024 highlighted just how critical this buyer journey transformation is, as we’ve entered a “zero-click” era. Here’s a look at how this shift is redefining B2B content marketing and how your organization’s marketing strategy must evolve to meet buyers where they are—on their terms.?

Welcome to the Zero-Click Era: Redefining the Buyer Journey?

We’re seeing a major shift where customers engage, evaluate, and decide to purchase. The SparkToro study presented by Amanda Natividad underscored this, showing that over half of today’s search traffic ends without a click to a website.?

Instead, B2B buyers gather information on platforms like LinkedIn, YouTube, Google’s AI Overviews, and even within Gen AI tools such as ChatGPT, Claude, and Perlexity, consuming content directly within these ecosystems. The implications for marketers are clear: organizations must adapt by meeting audiences where they are and delivering value on the spot. It’s no longer just about driving web traffic but about nurturing presence and credibility across all touchpoints.?

To thrive in this new environment, content marketing strategies must evolve, centering around three core pillars that address the expectations of today’s B2B buyers: fostering genuine connections, diversifying content across channels, and optimizing foundational digital experiences.

Here’s how each of these areas can redefine success in a zero-click world:?

1. Creating Trust and Connection in a Tech-Driven Landscape?

With AI generating unprecedented volumes of content, brands face the challenge of preserving authentic, human connections with buyers. Ann Handley highlighted the importance of “keeping it real” in an increasingly automated world. B2B buyers aren’t just looking for solutions; they’re looking for partners they can trust to understand their unique challenges. In this zero-click era, building that trust doesn’t rely on a website visit—it depends on brands consistently delivering value, insights, and empathy directly within the channels buyers already use.?

Beyond the channels, it’s also important that your content itself is genuine, authentic, and original. With AI generating more content than ever, there’s a risk that customer interactions can feel impersonal. This year’s conference highlighted the critical need for B2B companies to retain a human touch in their communications.??

?Rather than focusing solely on what your product does, consider the “why” and the impact it has on your customers’ businesses. A recent article on AI in communications from Sprinklr explains,

“The key to leveraging AI is to remember that it’s a tool for efficiency, not a replacement for empathy. Your goal is to enhance—not replace—human interaction.”??

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2. Diversify or Be Left Behind?

One of the strongest messages from Content Marketing World was that content marketing organizations have evolved way beyond just writing and distributing a blog article. With more buyers consuming information where they’re already active, brands must diversify how they distribute content.??

To reach buyers in this zero-click environment, organizations need to put content directly into the formats they consume: video snippets, PR features, podcasts, and interactive social posts. This multi-channel approach is crucial for engaging audiences on their own terms and adds essential touchpoints in today’s extended B2B buyer journey.?

3. The Website as Your Brand’s Foundation: It’s All About Experience?

Though zero-click behaviors are rising, your website remains a crucial anchor point—but only if it provides a seamless, engaging experience. A fast, mobile-optimized, and easy-to-navigate site is critical to maintaining credibility and accessibility. As Amanda Natividad emphasized, even the most valuable content won’t matter if visitors find the website slow or difficult to use. This is more essential than ever as Google increasingly prioritizes user experience and trust metrics like EEAT (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness) in its rankings.?

Embracing Zero-Click Marketing: A Long-Term Strategy for Brand Growth?

This zero-click environment requires B2B marketers to rethink what success looks like. It’s not solely about clicks or traffic but about building a lasting presence and growing trust across all the channels where your buyers spend time. A successful strategy will consider engagement on each platform—whether that’s a high-performing LinkedIn post, a well-shared video, or a podcast episode that buyers share within their networks.?

At Marketri , we’re ready to help B2B brands embrace this zero-click future by building cohesive, audience-first strategies that reach and engage buyers authentically.

Contact us to learn how we can help your brand succeed in this new era where presence, authority, and genuine connection drive the buyer journey.