Conflicting and changing priorities. Unclear briefs. Last-minute changes and approval woes.
And 65% said it's a "big problem", making it the single biggest obstacle to good content.
So if you keep having to chop and change your content programme – or if you find work being completely rewritten in the (you had hoped) final round of proofing, take heart; you're far from alone.
It's by far the biggest concern for content creators and marketing managers alike. And it's especially huge in small businesses, SaaS companies, and the tech sector, but is much more of an issue for respondents in the UK than their counterparts in mainland Europe.
All this uncertainty has a real impact. People who cite it as a "big problem" are the least likely to be proud of their content's business results – 29% less likely than the average.
In short, organisations that are unable to give marketers clear direction are harming their own outcomes.
I have a whole docket of content that I've envisioned, planned, and want to see through, but it often gets disrupted by "drive-by" projects that have more urgency to them.
It's sounds crazy, but it's true. 59% agreed with the statement "If nobody else had to sign off our content, the results would be a lot better."
The statement received majority approval in almost every category, especially among B2B marketing managers (71%) and respondents in large enterprises (81%).
Interference from management who want content to sell, sell, sell.
Just proofing the final doc when the CEO decides to delete some pages, add in some others (very product heavy), and edit some messaging. But we HAVE to publish the next day. No choice but to approve the change with small amends. Gah!
Listen: At Intel, Shaema Shazleen Katib says the findings resonate with her experience in a large tech enterprise: "There can be situations where content has changed in messaging and creative appeal, simply because there are too many people involved."
The results do show that marketers who believe their signoff process makes results worse are actually less happy with their content outcomes.
Compared to the average, respondents who agreed with the statement were less likely to be proud of their best content:
quality of writing (-8%)
business results (-8%)
customer priority alignment (-6%)
marketing prestige (-15%)
emotional impact (-19%)
value for reader (-5%)
Notably, the greatest proportional impact is on the content's ability to resonate emotionally with the reader – a clear sign that traditional signoff processes could be preventing B2B content from evolving to a more human approach.
Potentially, this could itself harm B2B brands' ability to differentiate their own content in a crowded market.
Convoluted targets and goals for each piece. Key internal stakeholders with contradictory targets, unwilling to compromise or even communicate.
Listen: Doug Kessler says the finding is "heartbreaking", and asks: "Who's gonna fix it, if not us?"
