Experiential B2B Content & Buyer Trust: Key Findings
- Only 33% of B2B marketers regularly use experiential content, exposing an execution gap agencies are positioned to close.
- Experiential formats outperform static content by building trust buyers can feel, helping agencies stretch budgets while still delivering high-quality assets.
- AI can’t replicate human creativity, making storytelling and interaction essential for agencies looking to stand out in saturated markets.
Most B2B content gets ignored because it talks at buyers, not with them.
In a recent study by leading agency TopRank Marketing, 78% of B2B marketers say interactive and experiential content increases repeat engagement.
But only 33% of them regularly build it into their campaigns.
Founder and CEO of TopRank Marketing, Lee Odden, says many marketers still rely on outdated habits, where quantity is valued over quality.
“These perceptions that throwing more digital spaghetti against the wall is an effective effort when really it's just littering,” Odden says.
“It's littering our inboxes and our feeds with stuff that just doesn't mean anything.”
That disconnect, between what marketers believe works and what they actually do, reveals a missed opportunity for B2B brands.
“It’s not enough to simply inform people anymore. You’ve got to help them feel something," Odden says.
And that means storytelling and experience."
In episode No. 124 of the DesignRush Podcast, Odden highlights the natural power of experiential marketing, saying:
“Experiences are the DNA of great storytelling, right?”
Odden’s astute observations and ability to connect storytelling to lived experience will certainly hit home with marketers.
“This is one of the fundamental reasons why experiential content, I think, is increasingly playing a role,” he adds.
Based on the episode, here are five strategic shifts B2B marketers must embrace to build trust and stay competitive:
- The mistake of chasing content volume over intent
- The missed opportunity in ignoring experiential content
- The misconception that experiences must be flashy to be effective
- The threat of overlooking the full buying committee
- The strategic edge of human taste in an AI-driven landscape
Keep reading to learn more, and check out the full episode on Spotify or watch on YouTube.
1. Mistake: Prioritizing Content Volume Over Intent
Many brands still chase reach through sheer volume, assuming more content means better results.
Odden calls this the “mechanical vs. meaningful” divide.
"It's because of familiarity. Like people like to do what they're comfortable with," Odden says.
"And there are status quo processes and habits that organizations will have and often makes them resistant to innovation and adaptation."
Instead of producing for algorithms, high-performing teams design for human intent:
- What does this buyer need to know?
- How do they prefer to discover and decide?
- What experience builds trust?
TopRank’s Best Answer Marketing system starts with customer research to design content formats around those preferences.
2. Missed Opportunity: Ignoring the Power of Experience
Content becomes memorable when it’s an experience: something buyers interact with, feel, and share.
One turning point: TopRank’s SAP campaign featuring an interactive microsite with influencer validation.
"The interactive experiential aspect of it was such high quality and so relevant," Odden recalls.
"It achieved sharing levels amongst these influencers at levels we had never seen before."
From clickable benchmarks to short-form video and explainer clips, the best experiences match buyer behavior, not brand ego.
3. Misconception: Content Must Be Flashy to Be Experiential
Experiences don’t require massive budgets or splashy visuals. They require relevance.
Adding a 30-second subject-matter video to a white paper?
Embedding voice-of-the-customer quotes in research findings? These are experiences.
Odden urges B2B marketers to embed interaction and validation wherever possible, especially inside traditional formats.
4. Threat: Forgetting the Buying Committee
In B2B, decisions aren’t solo; Finance, IT, and ops all weigh in.
Odden explains that you’ve got to be the best answer, not just to one person, but to the full buying committee.
That’s why TopRank builds persona-specific experiences, like finance-facing ROI benchmarks or IT readiness tools.
The goal?
Help every stakeholder feel confident and equipped to say yes.
5. Strategic Edge: Human Taste in an AI World
AI can scale content, but it can’t create resonance. Odden warns that AI makes you more of what you already are.
"If you're a mediocre marketer and you're using this efficient tool to generate more content, you're just creating mediocrity at scale," he says.
But if you're a brilliant marketer and you've great imagination and creativity, well, you are going to get great productivity out of that AI tool."
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To stand out, brands must combine:
- Human creativity
- Strategic orchestration of tools
- Taste-driven editing
AI may assist, but differentiation still depends on human judgment, storytelling, and strategic design.
About Lee Odden
Founder and CEO, TopRank Marketing
Lee Odden is a B2B strategist who helps brands become the most trusted answer in their market.
Known for his Best Answer Marketing methodology, he integrates SEO, content, social, and influencer strategy to build buyer confidence at scale.
Confidence Is the Real Driver of B2B Growth
Buyers don’t just need information; they need to feel confident in their choices.
That's why it's so crucial to earn trust at every step of the buying journey.
To overcome competitors, brands need to grasp the following:
- Experience beats assets
- Confidence trumps clicks
- Strategy outlasts volume
For even more insights, watch the full conversation on YouTube or listen on Spotify.
