If your B2B marketing playbook was written before TikTok existed, it might be time for a serious update.
The way companies buy, consume content, and interact with brands has changed a lot. But many businesses are still relying on old tactics that not only waste resources, they actually hold back growth.
Gated PDFs, inflated lead numbers, and funnel hacking might have felt smart in 2016. But they are not what moves revenue today. What’s working now is a more thoughtful approach that focuses on building demand, not just trying to capture what already exists.
Some companies are adjusting and growing because of it. Others are still spending money on lead generation strategies that don’t lead anywhere useful.
Gated Content is a Dead End
A few years ago, companies were obsessed with lead magnets (white papers, eBooks, infographics, etc.) thinking they were goldmines for collecting emails. The idea was simple and for years companies clung to the idea that they needed to gate everything. The logic was simple. Put a form in front of a PDF, collect an email address, and call it a lead.
But downloading an eBook does not mean someone is ready to buy. It means they were curious. That’s it! Most of them barely read it. Sales teams then followed up with people who had no interest in the product, wasting everyone’s time.
Here’s what works better:
- Make helpful content available without friction. If it’s good, people will come back.
- Use content to build familiarity, not just collect emails.
- Wait until someone shows actual buying intent before reaching out.
- Focus on content that gets shared, not content that gets hidden behind a form.
The goal is not to grow your email list just for the sake of it. The goal is to create something useful enough that people remember your brand when they are ready to solve a problem.
MQL Obsession is Killing B2B Marketing
Marketing teams have been chasing MQLs for a long time. On paper, it sounds good. More leads equals more opportunity. But in reality, most of these “leads” are just email addresses from people who were never going to buy.
Some of the common issues:
- Conversion rates stay low because the people you’re targeting were never in the market to begin with.
- Teams focus on short-term lead volume instead of long-term business growth.
- Sales gets overwhelmed with unqualified contacts that go nowhere.
- Marketing ends up measuring the wrong things.
There’s a better way to measure success:
- Track pipeline and revenue impact, not just form fills.
- Align with sales on the quality of leads, not the quantity.
- Focus on building awareness and interest over time.
- Ask whether your content is attracting people who are likely to become customers.
If marketing is not influencing revenue, it needs to change.
Why Growth Hacking Doesn’t Work in B2B
B2B marketing often borrows ideas from consumer marketing. Sometimes that helps. But growth hacking as a concept was designed for short cycles, viral loops, and transactional buyers.
That’s not how B2B works.
B2B buyers take their time. They read. They ask around. They move in and out of the funnel. They need to build trust before they take a meeting, let alone sign a deal.
Trying to force them down a linear path is not just ineffective. It’s frustrating for everyone involved.
A better approach:
- Invest in multi-touch marketing. People will discover you across different channels at different times.
- Focus on education and helpful content. Buyers remember who helped them, not who pushed them.
- Be patient. Building trust takes time.
- Keep testing and evolving your message. You will not get it right the first time.
You cannot shortcut relationships. Not in this space.
Stop Focusing Only on Demand Capture
Most companies get this part wrong. They focus only on capturing existing demand through channels like Google Ads, SEO, and cold outreach, while completely ignoring demand generation and brand building. The problem is that these efforts only reach the small slice of your market that is actively looking to buy right now.
The other 90 percent are not ready. But they could be in six months. Or next year. If you ignore them now, someone else will earn their trust first.
The best companies balance both sides:
- Demand capture brings in near-term results.
- Demand generation builds your future pipeline.
If you are only focused on immediate conversions, your growth will eventually hit a ceiling.
How to Actually Generate Demand
Most buyers are not looking for a new solution today. But that does not mean they never will. Your job is to make sure they think of you when the time comes.
This is how to stay top of mind:
- Post helpful insights on LinkedIn. Not just promotional content, but actual advice.
- Create short-form videos that are easy to consume and memorable.
- Host interviews or start a podcast. It builds credibility and connection.
- Run paid social campaigns that focus on awareness, not just clicks.
- Use a newsletter to stay in touch in a non-salesy way.
You want to show up consistently in a way that feels helpful. The more often someone sees your brand providing value, the more likely they are to reach out when they are ready.
Your Ideal Customer Profile Matters More Than Ever
There’s a temptation to try to talk to everyone. It feels safer. But in practice, it leads to wasted effort and scattered messaging.
Not everyone is a fit for your product. And that’s okay.
Instead of casting a wide net, narrow your focus:
- Define exactly who you want to reach.
- Speak directly to their challenges and goals.
- Prioritize lead quality over volume.
A small group of engaged, well-matched prospects will always outperform a long list of contacts who barely know who you are.
Sales and Marketing Need to Work Together
One of the biggest breakdowns in B2B companies is the handoff between marketing and sales. When marketing delivers low-quality leads, trust breaks down. Sales stops following up. Marketing keeps doing its own thing.
And no one wins.
The best marketing teams do more than drive leads. They make it easier for sales to close deals.
Here’s how to improve the connection:
- Ask prospects how they heard about you. Don’t rely only on attribution software.
- Meet regularly with sales. Share insights. Ask questions. Adjust together.
- Use intent data to identify which leads are actually engaging with your content.
If both teams are working toward the same goals, the results improve for everyone.
Final Thoughts
B2B marketing is not about collecting email addresses. It’s not about short-term hacks or chasing the latest playbook.
It’s about building something real. Creating demand. Helping your audience. Earning their trust.
The companies that are still clinging to old tactics are already falling behind. The ones showing up with useful content, consistent messaging, and real insight are becoming the obvious choice.
If your marketing feels disconnected or stale, don’t just tweak a campaign. Step back and rethink your strategy.
Think longer term. Be more focused. And most importantly, be more helpful.
That is what I’m seeing that works now.
