Making B2B Marketing Choices: Brand Awareness This or That

In B2B marketing, there isn’t a single “right” way to approach brand awareness. Strategies can vary depending on goals, audience, and resources.

In a recent #USAMfgHour chat on X, host Ruby Rusine of Social Success Marketing prompted participants with “This or That” choices, prompting industry experts to share their personal experience and expertise to help others navigate the world of B2B marketing. Whether it’s choosing thought leadership over product demos, or balancing paid and organic strategies, these perspectives offer actionable advice and fresh ideas.

 

Thought Leadership or Product Demos? The Key to Building B2B Credibility

𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗼𝗿 𝗧𝗵𝗮𝘁: For B2B brand awareness, should you prioritize thought leadership content or product demos?

“I vote for thought leadership content,” stated Whitney Koch from Keystone Click. “I believe it casts a wider net for brand awareness than product demos.”

“Yes you should prioritize thought leadership content,” said Tracy St. Clair from Total Distribution, Inc. “This helps build trust and credibility. I have to say thought leadership because of it building the trust (sic) and gives you the brand as an industry expert.” 

“Absolutely!” host Rusine affirmed St. Clair. “Thought leadership is key to establishing credibility. What one tactic do you find most effective for showcasing that?”

“I have to say creating and sharing high-quality, insightful content,” St. Clair replied to host Rusine. “Whether it be articles or industry reports they should offer in-depth analysis to address the key challenges and trends within one’s industry.”

Host Rusine agreed with St. Clair, writing: “High-quality content is the backbone of any strong industry presence. In-depth analysis and addressing key challenges? That’s the recipe for engaging your audience and positioning yourself as a thought leader.”

“I am piggybacking off of Tracy’s answer,” remarked Kirsten Austin from DCSC, Inc.

“For brand awareness, I would focus on thought leadership content,” explained marketing strategist Joanie Hollabaugh. “Product demos are down the pipeline (and the sales engineer or product marketer should be doing those).”

“I love this: ‘Product demos are down the pipeline,’” host Rusine commented on Hollabough’s answer. 

“Content should be for the reader,” stated Nigel Packer from PelaTis Online. “If you are trying to educate the potential customer base then 80% Thought leadership articles and 20% Product demonstrations.”

“Great point about balancing content types!” host Rusine commended Packer. “How do you determine when it’s the right time to shift that ratio towards more product-focused content?”

“Watch the numbers and reactions,” Packer said in response to Rusine’s question. “This will indicate the change in balance.”

Host Rusine shared her expert opinion and recommendation for the developing strategy:

“As the campaign develops then the ratio should slant the other way.

While both are valuable, 𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗻t often has a longer-lasting impact on brand awareness. It positions your company as an industry expert and attracts potential customers who are seeking solutions to their challenges. 

Ultimately, it also hinges on your current objectives and the stage of your business.”

 

Wide Reach or Targeted Niche? Choosing the Right B2B Strategy

𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗼𝗿 𝗧𝗵𝗮𝘁: When building B2B brand awareness, should you focus on a wide audience or a highly targeted niche?

“Great question!” commended Rick Gunnarson from DCSC, Inc. “I think it should be adapted to your audience; customize your message for each target.”

“Great point Rick!” host Rusine acknowledged. “Tailoring your message to the audience can make all the difference.”

“You need to focus on your niche,” Austin asserted. “For us, it’s manufacturing and distribution. You can’t be everything to everybody.”

“🎯🎯 Focus is key!” host Rusine replied to Austin, validating her response. “In manufacturing and distribution, it’s about efficiency and precision. Can’t be a jack of all trades, gotta be a master of one.”

“The riches are in the niches!” declared Koch.

“I am going with a highly targeted niche,” St. Clair stated, clarifying, “That way your message can be tailored to specific needs.”

From host Rusine’s perspective, “[a] 𝗵𝗶𝗴𝗵𝗹𝘆 𝘁𝗮𝗿𝗴𝗲𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗵𝗲 is often more effective for B2B brand awareness. By focusing on a specific audience, you can tailor your messaging to their unique needs and pain points, increasing the likelihood of conversion.”

 

LinkedIn or X? Picking the Best Platform for B2B Brand Awareness

𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗼𝗿 𝗧𝗵𝗮𝘁: For B2B brand awareness, should you prioritize social media platforms like LinkedIn or general platforms like X?

“You need to be where your audience is,” answered Austin. “So we do X and LinkedIn. We don’t really do Facebook or Instagram.”

“B2B companies are more likely to be on LinkedIn than X,” responded Hollabaugh. “Consider the demographic, though: age, interests, typical engagement…”

“B2b brand awareness should be done on LinkedIn,” St. Clair asserted. “LinkedIn is designed for professional networking and easier to reach industry professionals and potential customers…X is a great source as well but not to the extent of LinkedIn. Other platforms, not so much.”

“It has its unique strengths for sure,” host Rusine noted about the platform X.

“You should prioritize where your audience is,” said Koch. “If your ideal customer persona is on LinkedIn, then that’s where you should be.”

“Exactly! Don’t spread yourself too thin,” emphasized host Rusine.

“[A]lways remember, the person working the X profile is probably an intern or marketing person,” Packer advised. “Make sure you encourage them to get your message to a decision-maker in the company.”

Host Rusine recommends considering the unique strengths of each platform.

“LinkedIn is often hailed as the premier space for B2B interactions, with 97% of B2B marketers leveraging it to connect with decision-makers and generate leads.

On the other hand, X offers real-time engagement opportunities and a chance to join industry conversations, making it valuable for brand awareness and relationship building,” she clarified.

 

Paid vs. Organic: The Perfect Balance for B2B Growth

𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗼𝗿 𝗧𝗵𝗮𝘁: When building B2B brand awareness, should you focus on paid advertising or organic content?

“I believe it is a combination of both paid advertising and organic content. This allows you to have a broader reach for finding your audience,” explained St. Clair.

“I couldn’t agree more!” host Rusine affirmed St. Clair.

“[I]f you are B2B then you are not looking at as big an audience as in the B2C marketplace,” asserted Packer. “Think about the timeline from initial contact to invoicing. The beauty of B2B is the order value is much bigger and the customer, if served well, will be lifelong. Invest your time well, research, research, research. Craft your content based on the customer journey and make sure you put your content in their path. [U]se your budget in direct contact online, at exhibitions and meetings.  Invest your advertising spend in offline activities. PPC is OK for PR.”

“THIS. What he said ⤴️” host Rusine replied to Packer, adding: “🎯 B2B isn’t about the biggest audience, it’s about the best audience.”

“Both have their place,” said Koch. “Paid and organic can support each other and help widen your reach.”

According to host Rusine, “𝗕𝗼𝘁𝗵 𝗽𝗮𝗶𝗱 𝗮𝗱𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘁𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗼𝗿𝗴𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗰 content are essential for building B2B brand awareness.   

-𝗣𝗮𝗶𝗱 𝗮𝗱𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘁𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 allows for immediate visibility and targeted reach.   

-𝗢𝗿𝗴𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗰 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁 builds long-term credibility and trust.   

A 𝗯𝗮𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗱 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗮𝗰𝗵 that combines both strategies is often the most effective.”

 

Social Proof vs. Recognition: What Matters More for B2B?

𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗼𝗿 𝗧𝗵𝗮𝘁: For B2B brand awareness, should you prioritize customer testimonials or industry awards?

“I think customer testimonials are more important,” asserted Koch. “People want to know you work with similar types of clients.”

“🎯🎯 Agreed!” host Rusine replied to Koch. “Customer testimonials are gold. They’re evergreen and show real-world results. Awards can be fleeting, but a happy customer’s voice speaks volumes.”

“Depends on who you are targeting because you want your audience to connect with your brand awareness strategy,” said Gunnarson. “I’d blend both so that your audience can see a variety of positives.”

“Agree and watch the response!” host Rusine said in agreement.

“I have to say customer testimonials,” St. Clair answered. “You want to provide real evidence of your services or product because you want value shown. The potential customer will see you offering credibility and trust, which is what potential customers are looking for.”

“Any tips on getting those testimonials?” host Rusine asked St. Clair.

“I think you first have to make it easy for the customer,” responded St. Clair. “Asking at the right time is key. You want a positive interaction or significant achievement to have happened to showcase on. The customer will be overjoyed with the success and be willing to write a review.”

“Testimonials are gold dust and make excellent content,” Packer commented. “When your clients tell everyone how good you are in a testimonial it is better than you telling your potential clients.”

“Both are important; however, I would prioritize customer testimonials,” responded Koch. “Industry awards are great to list on your website and share as they happen, but they don’t carry as much weight as the social proof testimonials provide.”

Host Rusine believes customer testimonials and industry awards are important for trust-building and reputation management. 

“𝗧𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗼𝗻𝗶𝗮𝗹𝘀 provide authentic voices from satisfied clients, showcasing real-world success stories that resonate with potential customers,” said explained. “On the other hand, 𝗶𝗻𝗱𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘆 𝗮𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱𝘀 can elevate your brand’s credibility and visibility, signaling excellence and recognition from peers.”

 

In Review

Building B2B brand awareness requires a strategic balance of approaches tailored to your unique audience and business goals. Regardless of what you choose to prioritize, the key is to stay adaptable and data-driven. The expert insights shared in this #USAMfgHour underscore the importance of aligning tactics with long-term credibility and trust-building. 

 

About #USAMfgHour

Anyone who champions U.S. manufacturing can join in on a new conversation each week on Twitter using the hashtag #USAMfgHour. The chat starts at 11 a.m. Pacific Standard Time/2 p.m. Eastern. Share positive blog posts, helpful articles, news, important information, accomplishments, events, and more with other manufacturers and supporters from throughout the country.

Are you interested in hosting a #USAMfgHour chat? Contact organizers @DCSCinc, @SocialSMktg, and @KeystoneClick.

To learn more about how Keystone Click can help you level up your online presence, contact us.