Modern marketing leaders are under pressure to deliver measurable results, not just awareness. In B2B, “conversion” goes beyond impressions and clicks. It includes generating qualified leads, driving email sign-ups, boosting product trials, building long-term loyalty, and encouraging brand advocacy. Branded content today plays a full funnel role, guiding audiences from awareness to action and outcomes.
Know More About B2B Marketing
What is B2B Marketing? Strategy Guide
B2B Marketing Channels: Strategies for Reaching Business Audiences
9 Strategies to Elevate B2B Brand Visibility
Align Content Strategy With Business Outcomes
The best branded content campaigns start by clearly defining business objectives, such as brand lift, lead generation, or product interest. Fast growth brands measure their value through KPIs and relate their storytelling to these KPIs.
A strong B2B example to illustrate aligning content strategy with business outcomes is the Xerox “Get Optimistic” campaign. Xerox focused on just 30 carefully selected accounts and partnered with Forbes to create custom magazines filled with business insights tailored to each account’s specific challenges. Instead of pushing products, Xerox delivered valuable, relevant content that resonated with decision-makers. The company closely tracked key metrics such as website engagement, readership rates, new contact generation, and pipeline revenue. This approach led to $1.3 billion in pipeline revenue, 20,000 new contacts, and over 1,000 scheduled appointments, clearly demonstrating how content aligned with business objectives can drive measurable business impact rather than just reach
Build Brand Stories That Serve, Not Sell
Branded content should teach, excite, or amuse—earning trust and attention by putting the audience’s needs first. Human-first storytelling consistently outperforms explicit sales messaging, especially with B2B buyers who are often skeptical of overt product pitches.
A standout example is Slack’s approach to social media. Rather than focusing solely on product features, Slack shares real, relatable, and practical content that addresses workplace challenges and highlights authentic user experiences. This strategy positions Slack as a resource and community builder, not just a tool provider, and has helped the brand foster engagement and loyalty among its audience.
These approaches build emotional connections and trust, making the brand more memorable and persuasive to business buyers
At HT Brand Studio, we help brands create editorial-style content that resonates with audiences while staying rooted in brand value, bridging the gap between emotional impact and measurable performance.
Engineer for Distribution and Format Fit
Even the best stories fall flat if delivered on the wrong platform. Smart brands design content to match audience behavior across various channels, including short-form video, long-form reads, and interactive formats.
Loom’s ABM strategy paired personalized LinkedIn ads with custom landing pages, creating tailored journeys for decision makers. Optum’s campaign succeeded by layering advertorials, display, email, and direct mail to reach stakeholders at every touchpoint, resulting in a 23.5% lead to conversion rate.
HT Brand Studio enables brands to distribute content across HT Media’s premium platforms, ensuring that powerful stories reach the right people with credibility and scale.
Let the Data Shape the Story (and the Spend)
Performance content relies on data collected before, during, and after distribution. The most successful brands don’t just track impressions; they also focus on engagement quality, dwell time, brand lift, and conversions to gauge success.
For example, HubSpot provides analytics-supported insights and regularly updates their strategies based on what truly generates leads.
HT Media’s Branded Content Whitepaper outlines how brands can go beyond vanity metrics by using benchmarks and attribution frameworks that help prove ROI.
Codify Learnings Into a Repeatable Playbook
Sustained success in branded content comes from repeatable processes. High-performing B2B brands document what works, scale what performs, and constantly test and evolve.
Atlassian, for instance, repurposes successful webinar and virtual event formats into scalable lead-gen engines. CB Insights turns its newsletter into a brand asset, consistently delivering valuable insights in a distinctive voice that keeps audiences engaged and loyal.
This isn’t about one-off success. It’s about building a flexible branded content engine, one that connects to funnel goals, adapts across platforms, and proves its value over time.
What Great Branded Content Looks Like in 2025
Branded content is evolving. No longer a top-of-the-funnel awareness tool, it’s now expected to deliver on performance. The most successful B2B marketing leaders are:
- Defining KPIs at the briefing stage
- Anchoring their stories in real audience’s needs
- Designing for format and distribution upfront
- Tracking branded content like performance media
- Repurposing and optimizing post-launch
Action Checklist for Your Next Branded Content Campaign
- Define the KPI at the briefing stage
- Anchor your story in audience needs
- Choose a format before production
- Track content like performance media
- Optimize and repurpose post-launch
Want to learn what’s working today in branded content?
Download the HT Media Branded Content Whitepaper, packed with benchmarks, insights, and real-world examples to help marketing leaders turn storytelling into ROI.
Frequently Asked Questions
What exactly does branded content mean in B2B marketing?
Branded content in B2B is not just about promoting your brand or getting views. It’s about creating meaningful content that helps in generating real business outcomes like qualified leads, email sign-ups, product trials, and even long-term customer loyalty. It’s storytelling with a purpose.
How do I make sure my content strategy actually helps my business grow?
Start by clearly defining what you want to achieve, be it lead generation, brand awareness, or product interest. Then, align your content to these goals and track the right metrics. It’s important to focus on KPIs that show real impact, not just the number of clicks or impressions.
Is it better to focus on sales in branded content or tell stories?
Storytelling always wins! People don’t want to be sold directly, especially in B2B where decisions take time. Content that educates, inspires or entertains builds trust and keeps your audience engaged. When you focus on real human stories or practical advice, conversion happens naturally.
Does the platform I choose to share my content on really matter?
Absolutely! Different audiences behave differently on various platforms. For example, LinkedIn might work better for personalised B2B ads, while short videos could engage decision-makers more effectively on other channels. Tailoring your content format and distribution plan to where your audience is makes a big difference.
How important is tracking and data in a branded content campaign?
Tracking is everything! It’s not enough to just count views. You need to look at how long people engage with your content, how many actually convert, and whether your brand awareness is improving. Data helps you optimise your campaign in real-time and spend your budget wisely.
Ready to take your brand to the next level? Connect with us today to explore how HT Media can amplify your presence across our diverse portfolio of 25+ brands and properties. Let's turn your brand vision into reality!
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