A Complete Guide to Using Original Research to Elevate B2B Content Marketing

Let me know if this sounds familiar: You’re drafting a masterful thought leadership piece and want to back up your thesis with a strong data point. After a bit of searching, you find the perfect one! But when you click through to the source, it takes you to one of those “Billionty Best Statistics For Marketers” lists.

Okay, so you find the stat again, click through, and it takes you to… an older stat round-up list.

Many (many…) frustrating clicks later, you find you’re back in 2012. Maroon 5 is topping the charts, London’s hosting the summer Olympics, and the stat you’ve been chasing is no longer relevant. 

If you’ve ever found yourself at the bottom of the dreaded stat source rabbit hole wishing you just had reliable data – do I have a solution for you!

Original research. At TopRank Marketing, we’ve partnered with several big brands on ambitious original research reports that have driven amazing results for lead gen and brand awareness. We’ve got tips to share from our experience.

Your guide to B2B original research

Publishing your own marketing research reports, on the surface, may appear daunting — they take budget, time, and certain skills to do well. That’s why we’ve broken down the benefits and best practices of conducting B2B original research.

B2B original research influences your bottom line

Here are a few high-quality data points that drive home the value of publishing your own marketing research: 

• 84% of deals are already won or lost before vendors even know they’re on the radar.
• Research reports are a sought-after form of content. 55% of B2B buyers regularly consume research reports, and rate them as the most valuable type of content when evaluating purchasing decisions.
• High-quality research and data are the top factors that motivate B2B buyers to express interest in a sales conversation.

In short: Your buyers are looking for your company to be the voice of authority and to offer insights that make their jobs easier, ahead of ever contacting your sales team. 

“Early-stage positioning can reduce the number of vendors that buyers consider before they arrive at the 70% Constant… and affect which vendors are top-of-mind when it’s time to engage sellers.” – The 2023 B2B Buyer Experience Report, 6sense 

Brand benefits of B2B original research

From strengthening thought leadership to giving your customers information they’re hungry for, publishing your own research data has a number of benefits: 

Becoming the  primary source

Being the source of a data point or unique research positions your brand as the authoritative origin of valuable information. Your company owns the insights and findings, allowing you to control the narrative and provide exclusive content to your audience.

Positioning your brand as an industry leader

The most powerful way to build your brand’s reputation is to publish data-backed thought leadership that aligns with your company’s vision and meets the needs of your customers and stakeholders. B2B original research helps your company present fresh, data-driven insights, and establishes your business as a go-to authority on new trends and issues within your sector. 

Cementing trust and credibility

By publishing the most sought-after data-backed insights under your logo, you gain the twin advantages of differentiation and credibility. Data-backed content builds trust with your audience by providing factual, relevant information that helps readers determine their own path forward. B2B buyers are often decision-makers looking for reliable information to guide their business strategies and purchases, and research-based content offers the credibility they seek.

Amplifying your brand 

When you publish high-quality information, other B2B thought leaders and media outlets take notice. As the primary source of original research, your company becomes a go-to expert. Any publication that cites your work, every podcast that discusses your findings, and each webinar that invites your brand thought leaders on to share their insights amplifies your brand that much further. 

Types of original research

The type of research you publish depends largely on your end-game: do you want the research to generate leads? Are you after greater brand awareness? Is this a marketing research report you want to publish on a regular cadence?

These are a few types of reports to consider adding to your marketing strategy:

Yearly benchmarks

These are annual studies that track key metrics or industry trends over time. They are useful for showing how specific areas evolve year after year. 

Example: LinkedIn 2024 B2B Marketing Benchmark

One-off research

Research focused on a single topic, often related to emerging trends, industry disruptions, or niche subjects. These are useful for addressing specific questions or timely issues.

Example: Sprinklr and LinkedIn: Proving the Power of Brand*

Customer Insights and preferences

Studies that survey your customers or broader market to understand buyer behaviors, needs, or preferences. This data helps craft solutions that better address customer pain points.

Example: Global B2B Buyer Report, BigCommerce 

Trend reports

Regular publications that analyze and predict key market trends in the B2B space. This helps your audience stay ahead of the curve with industry developments.

Example: TopRank 2023 B2B Influencer Marketing Report: Elevate & Ignite*

Reporting on disruptive trends

Research that measures how companies are reacting to major industry shifts, economic changes, or technological advances like AI positions your brand as responsive and in tune with industry needs.

Example: HubSpot: The Intersection of Marketing, Data and AI*

* TopRank Marketing partnered on or led these original research projects.

Repurposing marketing research reports: The content gift that keeps on giving

The dollars you invest in original research can be stretched far and wide as that research is repurposed into blog posts, infographics, white papers, webinars, video series, and so on … all unlocking different ways to reach and provide value for your audience.

Blog posts: In what we like to refer to as a “turkey slice,” you can break down key findings into a series of blog posts, each focusing on a different aspect of the research. 

Infographics: Visualize data and insights from the report into easily digestible infographics.

Social media posts: Share individual stats, charts, or quotes across LinkedIn, X/Twitter, or other social media platforms, driving engagement.

Whitepapers: Combine the research with related content to create a detailed whitepaper or guide for your audience.

Ebooks: Expand on the research findings by providing additional context or case studies, turning the data into an in-depth ebook.

Webinars: Host a webinar discussing the report’s insights, with key speakers diving deep into the findings.

Case studies: Use the data to support a case study highlighting how a company benefited from the trends or insights revealed in your research.

Podcasts: Create a podcast episode discussing the findings, either with internal experts or guest industry professionals.

Presentations: Develop a presentation or slide deck to share at industry conferences or with prospects.

Video series: Create short videos discussing the top takeaways, explaining how the insights apply to your audience’s challenges.

Newsletters: Feature snippets from the marketing research report in a company newsletter or as part of an email marketing campaign.

Best practices for B2B original research

Our team has a great deal of collective experience putting together high-quality reports based on original research. Here are the best practices we’ve developed along the way.

#1. Establish your research goals: Understand what insights you want to uncover, how they align with your company’s strategic goals, and how they serve your audience’s needs.

#2. Target the right audience: Ensure your research is aimed at your core audience, whether it’s clients, prospects, or key industry players.

#3. Ask neutral, focused questions: Design survey or interview questions that are free of bias. If the results of your surveys and interviews don’t support your original hypothesis, remember: that data still holds insights, and may be even more newsworthy!

#4. Don’t be afraid to outsource the research: For your data to be high-quality and accurate, you may want to work with a third-party research organization. They have the connections and expertise to ensure the quality of your questions, rapidly deploy your survey, and help you make sense of the responses.

#5. Validate and cross-check data: I once stumbled upon a data point that had been published far and wide, long after the original publisher pulled their report due to inaccuracy. Cross-checking data strengthens its credibility and prevents misleading conclusions.

#6. Use a blend of quantitative and qualitative data: While quantitative (hard numbers) data can provide a broad overview, qualitative (observable but not measurable) data offers deeper insights. Use both forms of data to give your report more dimension and support a compelling narrative.

Source: 2024 B2B Marketing Benchmark

#7. Get other industry experts involved: Data from a single voice is interesting, but a consensus of thought leaders backing up that data? That’s compelling! Partnerships can be accomplished through co-branded research, or by including quotes and feedback from experts.

Source: 2023 B2B Influencer Marketing Report: Elevate & Ignite

#8. Give your audience actionable takeaways: Data is great, but useful insights are what drive impact and motivate organic sharing. Highlight key findings and suggest practical applications that can help your audience use the insights to inform their strategies.

Source: The Intersection of Marketing, Data and AI

#9. Prioritize the report design: Design can make or break your report’s readability. Make your research accessible and easy to digest by using a combination of visuals (infographics, charts) and detailed insights to present your findings.

Source: Proving the Power of Brand

#10. Promote, promote, promote: Publishing a research report should never be a one-and-done campaign. Make sure you continue to leverage your research findings by promoting the report across various channels and through different content formats to reach a broader audience and maximize the impact of your research.

Source

Our friends at Content Marketing Institute have also drafted an excellent self-assessment for marketers who are considering diving into original research: Don’t Start an Original Research Project Before Answering These 8 Questions.

Learn to stop worrying and love B2B original research

Publishing a marketing research report is an excellent way for your company to share the next Big Idea with your industry. At TopRank, we’ve helped companies bring their research to life, as well as published our own proprietary insights.

Some highlights from this last year of report drafting include:

• The TopRank 2023 B2B Influencer Marketing Report: Elevate & Ignite
• Sprinklr and LinkedIn’s Proving the Power of Brand
• HubSpot’s The Intersection of Marketing, Data and AI

Interested in learning more about how we can help you develop a marketing report based on original research? Contact us. 

The post A Complete Guide to Using Original Research to Elevate B2B Content Marketing appeared first on TopRank® Marketing.

SEO in 2025: Adapting to Google’s New Reality

In the latter half of 2023 and throughout 2024, the SEO landscape has been thrown into upheaval. Monumental updates and changes have left many small- and mid-size websites reeling, especially in niches where they once outperformed larger competitors.

The reality is, SEO results almost never happen in a vacuum. Every action you take on your site is influenced by a web of concurrent developments — algorithm updates, SERP feature shifts, and more. This makes it difficult to isolate variables and pinpoint what’s really driving disruptions in your performance.

Understanding what’s currently happening in the world of SEO is more vital than ever for informing your strategy as you plan for what’s ahead in 2025.

A timeline of SEO turbulence: Late 2023 into 2024

The last six months of 2023 saw relentless volatility in the SERPs, with one major algorithm update after another.

• August 2023 Core Update: This marked the beginning of a turbulent period, shaking up rankings across the board.
• September Helpful Content Update (HCU): Previously separate from core updates, this iteration has left many sites struggling to recover.
• October and November Core Updates: These continued the trend of volatility, with significant impacts on rankings and traffic.
• Google’s Deal with Reddit: In February of 2024, Google licensed Reddit’s content to train its AI models. At the same time, Reddit’s presence in the SERPs exploded, sparking debate about its usefulness and safety for users. While Reddit’s AI overview appearances are dwindling, its influence on search visibility remains significant.
• March 2024 Core Update: This 45-day-long update aimed to reduce unhelpful content by 40%, with harsh penalties for offenders. Sites were deindexed within days, making this one of the most impactful updates in recent memory.
• August 2024 Core Update: With this update, Google acknowledged that many smaller sites saw major losses during the HCU, aiming to connect people with “a range of high quality sites, including small or independent sites that are creating useful, original content, when relevant to users’ searches.” Early results show some signs of recovery for those sites.

Adding to the complexity, Google replaced the First Input Delay (FID) with Interaction to Next Paint (INP) as a Core Web Vitals (CWV) metric. While not a primary ranking factor, INP and CWV could act as tie-breakers among top-ranking pages — a crucial detail given the fierce competition on the SERP today.

The rise of AI Overviews and the impact on organic search

In May of 2024, during Google I/O, Google launched its AI Overviews (AIO), formerly known as the Search Generative Experience (SGE) following a period of beta testing. Despite the initial excitement, AIO quickly came under fire for generating hallucinated answers. 

Although its visibility has decreased, AIO still significantly impacts the SERP, pushing organic results down by an average of 900 pixels. This shift affects the click-through rates of even top-ranking pages.

It’s possible to have your content cited in AIO, which is theoretically prime placement. However, trying to tell where your site is appearing in these overviews is extremely hard (a “maddening adventure,” as Search Engine Roundtable puts it). Google Search Console currently lumps those clicks and impressions into overall data.

Learn more on our blog: Age of SGE: How Will AI Affect Search Traffic in the Next Decade?

The resulting outcome: More zero-click searches

As these changes unfold, we’re seeing a rise in zero-click searches — instances where users either get the information they need directly from the SERP without clicking through to any site, or create a new search because the initial results didn’t satisfy them. For the former case, this trend ties closely to Google’s apparent goal of keeping users within its ecosystem for longer, thereby increasing ad revenue. Features like AIO contribute to this, as they deliver information-rich content that satisfies user queries without the need for external clicks.

This change has profound implications for organic search. The traditional click-through rate curve may start to change shape, with even top-ranking positions losing their prime status as SERP features push them further down the page. Higher competition and the evolution of search behavior mean that being number one might not be as valuable as it once was.

Sounds scary, I know. But rest assured, there are steps you can take to confidently navigate these challenging times in SEO.

How to respond: Re-establishing your SEO strategy in 2025

Given the current landscape, it’s important to re-establish your baselines and goals. Don’t hyperfocus on year-over-year losses, especially if your site has been hit by updates like the September Helpful Content Update. In some cases, recovery might not be the right goal — stability could be the new success.

Here’s what you can do to adapt:

• Prioritize Quality Traffic: Not all traffic is created equal. Focus on creating content designed to convert, following Google’s guidelines for helpful content as well as the Search Quality Evaluator Guidelines. Write for humans, not search engines!
• Solidify Your Technical Foundation: Crawlability is key — Google needs to access your content easily. Core Web Vitals may not be everything, but as mentioned, they can break a tie when all else is equal. Audit your site’s technical state and incorporate elements like schema markup to help search engines quickly understand your content.
• Emphasize Content Freshness: Google now considers multiple dates when crawling your content — byline date, syntactic date, and semantic date. Consistency across these signals is key. Avoid URL dates if possible, as they’re harder to update.
• Bolster E-E-A-T: Expertise, Experience, Authority, and Trustworthiness should be the pillars of your content strategy. Author bylines, bios and expert quotes will help build credibility, while structured data helps communicate your industry niche and relationships to other organizations.
• Optimize for Conversion: With organic traffic potentially dropping, optimizing for conversion becomes critical. Understand your user funnel and tailor CTAs to guide users further down the path. This way, any losses in traffic will have less impact on your bottom line.
• Prioritize Your Efforts: When planning your action items, use a chart to outline resource intensity and estimated impact. This will help you prioritize tasks wisely.

Staying agile in an ever-changing world of SEO

SEO is inherently dynamic, but the strategies outlined here are evergreen. As the landscape continues to evolve, staying informed and adaptable is key. Focus on creating high-quality content, maintaining a strong technical foundation, and optimizing for user experience.

Working with an expert partner in all things SEO will help you stay in front of the curve, and your competitors. 

The post SEO in 2025: Adapting to Google’s New Reality appeared first on TopRank® Marketing.

Try These 7 B2C Influencer Marketing Tactics for B2B Success

Despite their differences, business-to-consumer (B2C) and business-to-business (B2B) influencer marketing share several key similarities. 

Both audiences seek value, with a strong emphasis on trust, credibility, and social proof. They are actively engaged online and respond well to relevant, high-quality content. Effective influencer marketing strategies for both segments leverage this content to address specific needs and interests, driving engagement and fostering meaningful connections.

This is all to say that the many successful tactics that work for B2C influencer marketers can work for those on the B2B side of things, too. Yes, the goals and audiences may differ but the fundamental principles behind these tactics — building trust, leveraging content, and engaging authentically — are always relevant. By digging into these B2C tactics and adapting them for B2B, we can uncover strategies that get results. Let’s take a look at seven popular B2C methods that can be optimized for B2B influencer marketing.

1. Content co-creation

• B2C: Influencers create content that authentically showcases the brand, often integrating the product into their daily life.
• B2B Adaptation: Co-create content that aligns with both the brand’s marketing goals and the influencer’s expertise and audience.
• The Stat: 40% of brands say creator and/or user-generated content was the most important part of their 2023 social media strategy. (Source: Wall Street Journal) 

“What’s a faster way to connect with a target audience than building thought leadership from scratch? Working with influencers that already have authority and credibility with the target audience you want to reach.” – Lee Odden, Board Advisor, TopRank Marketing

2. Authentic storytelling

• B2C: Influencers share personal stories and experiences with a product to connect emotionally with their audience.
• B2B Adaptation: Humanize your brand by encouraging B2B thought leaders to share their professional journeys, challenges, and how your solution helped solve their specific problems. For best results, ensure the influencers in your selection pool have vast experience with your brand.
• The Stat: Conversions improve by 30% when brand-influencer posts focus on storytelling. (Source: Sprinklr)

3. Product demonstrations and reviews

• B2C: Influencers create captivating short-form videos to show products in action.
• B2B Adaptation: Because of their sometimes intangible traits (think software), showcasing a B2B product, service or solution takes special care. Rely on the influencer to share their POV on the offering, being sure to back it up with their industry expertise, the value proposition, their personal experience, and use cases. 
• The Stat: 96% of B2B companies plan to use video product demos in their content marketing over the next year (Source: RIVIA.AI)

“Influencers showcasing the practical applications of B2B products or providing authentic reviews can significantly influence potential buyers. This type of content aids in decision-making and boosts product credibility.” – Neil Patel, Co-Founder, Neil Patel Digital

4. Event partnerships and live streaming

• B2C: Influencers often attend brand events and live-stream their experience to their followers.
• B2B Adaptation: Partner with influencers to live-stream industry events, conferences, or product launches. These types of activations not only increase your reach but also adds a layer of credibility when an industry expert endorses your brand.
• The Stat: 68% of B2B marketers found that having influencers attend and cover industry events significantly enhances brand visibility and generates quality leads. (Source: Influencer Marketing Hub)

5. Long-term partnerships

• B2C: Consumer-facing influencers form long-term relationships with brands, promoting products over a series of months or even years.
• B2B Adaptation: Turn your B2B influencers into brand ambassadors. Recurring content creation, thought leadership, and event appearances can build sustained credibility and trust over time.
• The Stat: 56% of CMOs interviewed believe that the best way to optimize the use of B2B influencer marketing campaigns is to “build long-term relationships that show true brand advocacy.” (Source: Warmly,)

“Influencer marketing in the B2B space cannot be focused on short-term tactics; it’s about building long-term relationships with key opinion leaders. These relationships can lead to ongoing collaborations, where influencers become advocates for your company.” – Rafael Schwarz, CRO, TERRITORY Influence

6. Leveraging niche platforms

• B2C: Influencers often engage with audiences on niche platforms like TikTok or Instagram, depending on where their audience is most active.
• B2B Adaptation: Identify and engage with influencers on niche platforms relevant to your industry, like TikTok, Instagram, Reddit, newsletters, and even Threads. These platforms might have smaller but more engaged and relevant audiences for B2B brands, allowing for more targeted influencer campaigns.
• The Stat: Instagram is the top platform for influencer marketing, with 80.8% of marketers planning to use it in 2024. (Source: Sprout)

7. Influencer-driven content series

• B2C: Creators develop multi-part series to keep their audience engaged and the brand on their radar. 
• B2B Adaptation: Partner with influencers to develop a content series that explores different aspects of a relevant industry topic. Examples include blog posts, videos, or webinars that allow the influencer to provide insights on complex subjects over an extended period of time.
• The Stat: B2B buyers engage with 3-7 pieces of content before talking to a sales rep. (Source: Kurve)

“As brands, we need to stop building pay-per-post influencer campaigns.” – Justin Levy, Head of Social Media, Influencer Marketing and Community, ZoomInfo

Are you ready to unlock the potential of B2C strategies for your B2B organization? Our team of award-winning influencer marketing experts is here to help you every step of the way, from strategy development to execution. Contact us today.

The post Try These 7 B2C Influencer Marketing Tactics for B2B Success appeared first on TopRank® Marketing.

Content Localization Tips From the Experts

Content localization can be a time-consuming, research-intensive process, which is probably why it’s often overlooked — even by big brands that otherwise have highly robust and effective SEO strategies in place. But that’s also what could make it such a key differentiator for you.

When you take the time to accurately localize your content, your brand won’t just feel like another option for your audiences. Instead, you’ll feel like a brand that actually understands them and takes the time to speak to them on their own terms (literally). You’ll stand out from your competition, form more authentic relationships with your audience, and drive more qualified traffic to your web pages. All it takes is a little extra work on the front end.

If you’re wondering whether it’s worth localizing your content for different regions, that’s already a pretty good sign the answer is yes. 

What is content localization?

Content localization is the process of creating or editing content for a specific region. Though localization is related to — and frequently conflated with — content translation, the two are separate undertakings that require separate expertise.

Where translation is about converting the text of one piece of content from one language to another, localization can be thought of as converting the meaning of a text. Localizers are in charge of rewriting text to ensure its message makes sense to and resonates with the localized audience they are attempting to communicate with.

Compared to translation, content localization is much broader in focus. It could involve any number of alterations to content, including changes to:

• Spelling, such as changing American English to British English (for example, changing the spelling of “color” to “colour”).
• Measurements, such as switching from the imperial measurement system to the metric system (for example, changing feet to meters).
• Time and date formatting, such as changing the MM/DD/YYYY format used in the US to the DD/MM/YYYY format used in most of Europe.
• Idioms and phrases, which may rely on cultural knowledge that makes them difficult to translate to other cultures, requiring a replacement or analog instead.
• Hyperlinks, including any links to other webpages or websites you include in the content. You don’t want to localize one page only to send your visitors to an un-localized, irrelevant webpage when they want to learn more.
• Images and other media are often overlooked by localizers, but swapping out images and videos with media that’s more relevant to a local audience is a great way to make a page feel more targeted.
• Emojis, which can have different connotations in different cultures and regions. For example, the smiley face emoji actually symbolizes contempt or distrust in China.
• Keywords are also highly affected by localization. Using localized keywords is an opportunity to rank highly in the locales you’re targeting, significantly boosting your visibility to the right audience. Keyword localization is an important part of international SEO.

Depending on the nature of the content itself, even more substantial changes may be necessary. For instance, if you’re writing about celebrations or cultural events that aren’t observed in every region you’re targeting, then it won’t make much sense to publish that content in those regions. Instead, your content team should consider creating an alternate piece of content for those regions — or scrapping the idea entirely in favor of something with broader appeal.

Content localization best practices

No matter your audience, your content, or the region you’re localizing to target, you should always take the time to follow each of these best practices.

Get to know your regions first

The earlier you start your localization process, the more effective it will be. If possible, make thoughtful localization a part of your content and SEO market entry strategizing. As you develop audience personas, take note of where these audiences are located, and gather insights such as the following:

• Languages spoken in the regions
• Formatting styles used in the region (for date, time, measurements, spelling, etc.)
• Average demographics in the region (including age, education, income level, etc.)
• How people within this region typically find and interact with content online
• Major competitors in the region and how they approach content creation
• Audiences most likely to be interested in your product 
• Major holidays celebrated in the region
• Unique cultural factors to be aware of within the region
• Specific words, phrases, and subject matter to avoid 
• Anything else your content creators should know about the region

The later you implement your localization strategy, the more content you’ll have to retroactively localize, which can be a time-consuming and resource-intensive process. If you already have a great deal of existing content you’d like localized, it’s worth taking the time to conduct an SEO content audit with your new regions in mind.

Create (and maintain) regional style guides

Once you’ve researched the regions you’re targeting, build out separate style guides for each. These style guides should contain all of the information you found during your research and will serve as a source of truth for your content and SEO specialists.

Consult these style guides frequently and continuously update them as you learn more information about the region in question. If and when you conduct additional customer research, cross-check your learnings with your regional style guides and update them accordingly. If you maintain them properly, your style guides should continue to become more accurate and useful the longer you have them — just like your personas.

Don’t think of your regions as “primary” and “secondary”

Chances are, you probably do most of your business in one or two major regions. It’s tempting to think of these regions as your “primary” regions and narrowly focus on them. But by deprioritizing “secondary” regions, you risk stifling their potential for growth.

Take the time to consider all of these regions a primary source of traffic and potential revenue, and create content for them accordingly. Doing any less will only serve to alienate your “secondary” regions — which is exactly what localization aims to avoid.

Measure success for continuous optimization

Track all the localization changes you make to content closely so you can measure their success. Detailed, regionally segmented reporting will help you understand the specifics of progress and opportunities. 

Keeping a close eye on how your localization efforts affect your success within target regions can inform your ongoing content approach. Include learnings in your regional style guides to build out more informed and impactful localization strategies for each of your regions over time.

Ask for local guidance

There’s nothing more valuable than local insight for any stage of your content localization. If you’re just starting out, ask locals to review your research and style guide and add anything they can come up with. Have these locals review any localization edits you make to your content on an ongoing basis to ensure a higher level of authenticity and effectiveness.

You’ll find that your brand gets out of content localization what you put into it. If you take the time and invest the resources to accurately and thoughtfully localize your web content per target region, you’ll see just how valuable localization can be.

Want to learn more about advanced content strategies that can help your brand get ahead? Check out our full content marketing hub.

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