The B2B industry is more volatile now than ever before. Clearbit’s recent report revealed that in 2023, marketing teams were under a ton of pressure to generate revenue and were often the first team to get cut during layoffs. These high stakes have put B2B leaders in a tight corner as they must figure out how to structure a B2B marketing team that delivers results.
While they know the importance of having a dedicated marketing team, B2B leaders often struggle with identifying the right roles to fill and building a team that covers the diverse skill sets required. If you’re facing the same problem, I’ll explain everything you need to know about building a solid B2B marketing team.
B2B marketing team vs. B2C marketing team
Before we get into the structuring aspect, let’s talk briefly about the differences between B2B and B2C marketing teams. The core differences between these two stem from the audience they serve, the goals they prioritize, and the strategies they employ. These differences influence how each team operates and how it measures success.
While B2B and B2C marketing teams might share the same roles (depending on business needs), the individuals who occupy those roles will likely focus on different audiences, content, and metrics. This is important to consider as you set up processes for building your B2B marketing team.
B2B marketing team roles and responsibilities
While the roles you hire for depend on factors like your industry, the stage your company is at, and your budget, there are some common roles you’ll find in B2B marketing teams, including the following:
1. Chief Marketing Officer (CMO)
A Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) is probably the most important role you can hire because this person will lead the overall marketing strategy and ensure your company achieves all its goals. They manage and guide the entire B2B marketing team, including setting goals, ensuring collaboration across departments, and cultivating a results-driven culture.
They also manage the marketing budget and allocate resources efficiently across campaigns, tools, and teams to maximize impact.
2. Content marketer
This individual is responsible for developing the overall content strategy and ensuring that content aligns with your brand’s messaging and marketing goals. They produce high-quality written content, such as blog posts, whitepapers, eBooks, case studies, and work closely with other marketing team members (e.g., SEO, social media, email marketers) to ensure content is optimized for different channels and audience segments.
3. SEO marketer
This professional is responsible for optimizing content for search engines to improve organic visibility and drive traffic. They identify relevant keywords that target audiences are searching for and optimize content for these terms. They also ensure that the website’s technical elements (e.g., site speed, mobile responsiveness, URL structure) are optimized to improve search engine rankings.
Read: Should you hire an SEO expert? The role, benefits, and hiring process explained
4. Email marketer
An email marketer manages email marketing campaigns to nurture leads, engage existing customers, and drive conversions. They write and design personalized email content, including newsletters, drip campaigns, and product announcements. They also work with automation tools (e.g., HubSpot, Marketo) to set up automated workflows, triggered emails, and targeted content delivery.
5. Social media manager
This person manages the company’s online presence and uses social media platforms to increase brand awareness, engage with the audience, and promote content. They plan and execute social media campaigns, often in conjunction with the broader content strategy, to promote events, product launches, or thought leadership content.
6. Paid search marketer (PPC specialist)
Paid search marketers manage paid search campaigns, typically on platforms like Google and Bing, to drive targeted traffic and conversions. They identify high-intent keywords to target and write compelling ad copy that drives clicks and conversions.
7. Paid social expert
Paid social media experts manage and optimize paid advertising campaigns across social platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn to generate leads, increase brand awareness, and engage target audiences.
First, they use data to build and refine custom audience segments based on demographics, interests, and behaviors. Then, they create, execute, and test various ad creatives (images, videos, copy) to determine what resonates with the target audience;
8. Programmatic marketer
A programmatic marketer uses programmatic platforms like Google Display Network and The Trade Desk to place ads across various websites and digital spaces. They leverage data to create highly targeted ads based on demographics, behavior, and interests. They also use real-time bidding (RTB) technology to bid on ad placements to maximize reach and efficiency.
9. Marketing analyst
A marketing analyst analyzes digital marketing performance data to provide actionable insights that drive strategy and decision-making. They collect and evaluate data from multiple marketing channels (e.g., PPC, SEO, social media, email) to measure campaign success.
They also create reports and dashboards that display KPIs, and use advanced data models to predict future trends, optimize ad spend, and forecast revenue.
10. Product marketer
The product marketer is responsible for positioning and promoting your company’s products to ensure they resonate with your target market and drive demand. They craft clear and compelling product messaging that highlights your unique value proposition and differentiates it from competitors, and develop launch plans for new products or features.
They also do necessary research to understand customer needs, pain points, and market trends, and create product demos sales collateral, and training materials to equip the sales team with the tools it needs to communicate your product’s value effectively.
11. Growth marketer
A growth marketer focuses on driving scalable business growth through data-driven strategies, experimentation, and full-funnel optimization. They work across the entire customer journey, from acquisition to retention, to improve key metrics like lead generation, customer activation, and lifetime value (LTV)
They also run A/B tests and experiments across various marketing channels (e.g., email, social media, paid ads) to identify the most effective ways to increase leads, conversions, and customer retention.
12. Brand marketer
A brand marketer is responsible for shaping and maintaining your company’s brand identity and ensuring it resonates with target audiences and aligns with your business’ values and objectives.
They do this by developing and implementing a comprehensive brand strategy that reflects your mission, values, and unique positioning in the market. They also craft consistent messaging that communicates your brand’s value proposition across all channels, including content, advertising, and sales materials.
B2B team organization charts
The way you structure your B2B marketing team depends on various factors, including your industry and your size. In this section, we’ll look at some common B2B team structures based on these factors.
1. Industry
The industry you operate in will significantly influence the composition and focus of your B2B marketing team. For example, if you operate in the SaaS or technology industry, you’ll require more technical marketing expertise, such as content strategists or product marketers who can break down complex solutions into digestible, consumer-facing content.
However, if you operate in manufacturing or professional services, you may prioritize account-based marketing (ABM) or relationship management roles to target key clients.
SaaS B2B marketing team structure
.png)
In a SaaS B2B marketing team, roles are often divided into several specialized branches/subteams to support the unique demands of driving subscription-based revenue and customer retention.
A. Leadership
- Chief Marketing Officer
- VP/Director of Marketing
B. Demand generation team
- Growth marketer
- Paid search marketer/PPC specialist
- Paid social media expert
- SEO marketer
C. Product marketing team
- Product marketer
- Brand marketer
- Sales enablement manager
D. Content marketing team
- Content marketer/strategist
- SEO content specialist/copywriter
- Social media manager
- Marketing analyst
E. Customer success team
- Customer Success Manager (CSM)
- Lifecycle marketing manager
- Customer advocacy manager
Why this structure works: In this structure, each team plays a critical role in attracting, converting, and retaining customers, maintaining a balance between customer acquisition and customer success. The team aims to generate leads, improve trial-to-consumer conversions, and maximize customer lifestyle value (LTV).
Services B2B marketing team structure
In the Services industry, B2B marketing teams are structured to promote intangible offerings, focusing on building trust, establishing expertise, and creating lasting client relationships. Below is a typical structure for a B2B marketing team in the services industry:
A. Leadership
- Chief Marketing Officer
- VP/Director of Marketing
- Marketing Manager
B. Demand generation team
- Lead generation specialist
- Account-Based Marketing (ABM) manager
- SEO marketer
- Paid search marketer
C. Content marketing team
- Content marketer
- Social media manager
- Copywriter
- Marketing analyst
D. Customer success team
- Client onboarding specialist
- Customer advocacy manager
- Lifecycle marketing manager
- Client success manager
Why this structure works: This structure allows for a highly coordinated approach to marketing the services. The team is built around attracting new clients and retaining existing ones, creating strong client relationships, and continuously communicating the value of the services offered.
Agency B2B marketing team structure
In an agency setting, B2B marketing teams promote the agency’s expertise and services to other businesses. These teams are responsible for building strong client relationships, generating new business, and delivering measurable results. Here’s a typical structure for an agency B2B marketing team:
A. Leadership
- Chief Marketing Officer
- VP/Director/Head of Marketing
B. Account management & client relations team
- Account manager
- Client success manager
- Project manager
C. Demand generation team
- SEO Specialist
- Paid search expert
- Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO) expert
- Performance marketing manager
D. Content marketing team
- Content strategist
- Content marketer
- Email marketer
- Creative director
- Copywriter(s)
- Graphic designer
- Video producer
Why this structure works: This B2B team structure balances acquiring new clients, managing existing accounts, delivering creative content, and optimizing performance. Each team is critical in helping the agency grow, retain clients, and showcase its expertise.
2. Company stage
Your company's size will also dictate the size and structure of your marketing team, as well as the specific roles you prioritize. Here’s a chart from Clearbit’s report showing the median B2B marketing team size by employee range:
Startups & small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs)
If your company is a startup (5-50 employees) or an SMB (51-100 employees), your budget is likely limited, so you must be flexible.
According to Clearbit, the average B2B marketing size in startups and SMBs is between 2 and 5 people, so you’ll need to hire generalists who can wear many hats. These include:
- Marketing lead/Head of Marketing
- Content marketer/SEO specialist
- Growth marketer
- Product marketer
- Marketing analyst
Mid-sized (or growth-stage) businesses
As your company scales (100-1,000 employees), you’ll need to start bringing in more specialized roles. At this stage, marketing is responsible for contributing to the business's pipeline, so you’ll typically need dedicated demand generation, product marketing, and SEO functions to manage the increasing complexity of marketing operations and lead generation efforts.
Here are the typical roles in a growth-stage B2B marketing team:
- Head of Growth
- Paid search expert
- Product marketer
- Sales enablement manager
- Content marketer
- SEO Specialist
- Social media manager
- Copywriter/content creator
- Brand manager
- PR manager
- Marketing analyst
- Customer success specialist
Enterprise stage
At the enterprise level (1,000+ employees), the marketing team becomes highly specialized, with dedicated professionals in each area, such as content marketing, digital marketing, brand strategy, ABM, and data analytics.
Since enterprise businesses usually have predictable revenue patterns and a proven marketing system, you don’t need to run frequent, standalone marketing campaigns to generate business. Instead, focus on building a diverse team with forward-thinking experts, including a chief marketing officer (CMO), to pioneer new growth paths.
Here’s a typical structure of an enterprise B2B marketing team:
A. Leadership
- Chief Marketing Officer
- VP/Director of Marketing
B. Demand generation team
- Growth marketing manager
- Account-Based Marketing director
- Paid search expert
C. Product marketing team
- VP/Director of Product Marketing
- Product marketing manager
- Sales enablement director
D. Brand and communications team
- Director of Brand Marketing
- PR & communications manager
- Events marketing director
E. Content marketing team
- Director of Content Marketing
- Content marketing manager
- SEO manager
- Email marketing manager
- Creative director
- Marketing analyst
F. Customer success team
- CRM manager
- Customer success manager
- Lifecycle marketing manager
Why this structure works: This structure allows enterprise companies to execute complex, large-scale marketing initiatives while maintaining consistency and alignment across teams.
How to build a B2B marketing team
You might be wondering which of these roles should be in-house and which should be assigned to freelancers or outsourced to agencies. Each option comes with its own advantages and challenges, and the choice depends on factors like company size, budget, workload, and expertise needs.
1. Hiring in-house employees
Because they typically work full-time, in-house employees are embedded within the company and become a core part of the culture. They offer stability, deeper product knowledge, and loyalty, but they also come with higher overhead costs, including salaries, benefits, and training. Full-time hires also give you less flexibility in scaling resources up or down based on workload.
Hire in-house employees if:
- Your company is scaling, and you need continuous marketing efforts that align with long-term objectives.
- You require core roles like Content Marketers, Product Marketers, and Demand Generation Managers who have a deep understanding of your product, market, and internal teams.
- You want to build a cohesive company culture that relies on internal collaboration and knowledge-sharing across departments.
2. Hiring freelancers/fractional talent
Freelancers provide flexibility and can be cost-effective for specific, short-term projects. However, managing freelancers requires more oversight and coordination, as they’re typically not as embedded in the company’s culture or long-term goals.
Hire freelancers/fractional marketers if:
- Your company needs specific marketing tasks completed, such as creating a whitepaper, designing an infographic, or running a one-time paid campaign.
- Your budget is tight, and you can’t afford to hire full-time employees;
- You’re experimenting with new marketing strategies (e.g., video marketing, influencer campaigns), and you don’t want to hire full-time staff until you’ve proven their value.
Platforms like MarketerHire make it easy for you to hire roles like Fractional CMO, Product Marketer, or Brand Marketer on a freelance basis without making any long-term commitments.
Read: Hire a fractional CMO--Get high-level expertise for a “fraction” of the cost
3. Outsourcing to agencies
Agencies bring a team of professionals with diverse expertise, making them ideal if you need to outsource entire functions (e.g., paid search, SEO, content creation) or run large-scale campaigns.
Agencies can handle multiple aspects of marketing with more efficiency and depth than a single hire but charge premium prices, so they’re expensive. And since agencies typically have multiple clients, you’ll have less control over day-to-day activities and strategy execution.
Hire a marketing agency if:
- Your company needs to ramp up marketing efforts quickly but doesn’t have the internal capacity.
- You need expertise across multiple marketing channels but don’t have the bandwidth or expertise to manage it internally.
- You need to scale large, ongoing campaigns, like PPC advertising or content marketing, but you don’t want to hire and manage an in-house team.
Read: A guide to choosing a digital marketing agency for startups
4. Hybrid team
You don’t have to choose only one of these options. At MarketerHire, we recommend a flexible model--a mix of in-house roles and freelancers/fractional marketers.
In-house employees (for core roles) will have a deep understanding of your company’s culture and goals, while fractional talent will bring specialized expertise that can fill specific skill gaps without extensive training or onboarding.
Hire a hybrid team if:
- You want to control costs by maintaining a core in-house team for strategic roles, while relegating temporary assignments to freelancers.
- You need specialized skills for short-term projects or niche tasks, without the commitment of full-time hires.
- You want to accelerate growth quickly (by hiring freelancers) while allowing your in-house to focus on core business objectives.
Why choose MarketerHire to build your B2B marketing team
If you’re planning to hire any of these roles, you might be worried about the time and money you’ll have to invest to recruit and vet the right people, especially if you’re working with a limited budget. MarketerHire aims to solve this dilemma.
We give you access to a pool of over 2,500 pre-vetted and specialized marketing talent from top companies like Amazon, Coca-Cola, and Airbnb. Since we accept only 1% of the marketers applying to our platform, you can rest assured that the marketer we match you with can do the job.
With MarketerHire, you can scale your marketing efforts up or down as needed. So, if you only need freelance marketers rather than full-time hires, we can help with that. We aim to match clients with marketers within 48 hours, so you can skip the arduous months-long recruitment process and go straight to working with them.
Schedule your first call today and start building your B2B marketing team with top-tier talent. If you’re also looking for assistants to help your marketing, design, and sales teams with manual tasks, MarketerHire can also match you with a Global Talent in no time.