Content marketing—including blogs, whitepapers, infographics, webinars and video content—has become the dominant platform for business marketing, reports Business.com in its 2015 Demand Generation Report.

“Gone are the days of cold calling. We’ve entered a new era, where decision-makers are educating themselves and can be up to 70 percent through their purchase process before engaging with a sales rep,” says Tony Uphoff, CEO of Business.com. “From start-ups to Fortune 1000 corporations, successful demand generation today requires a coordinated, multi-layered approach across a variety of platforms.”

The company’s survey of 150 marketers found that lead generation is evolving into a sophisticated “demand generation life cycle” that encompasses brand awareness and engagement, lead generation, lead nurturing and customer retention tactics. However, respondents report they are finding content marketing ROI elusive, citing ongoing alignment issues between sales and marketing. Marketers also note that a lack of brand awareness, lead scoring and behavior-based lead nurturing programs are causing lead quality versus marketing execution confusion.

The full 2015 Demand Generation Report is available for download at Business.com.