What just changed about the B2B growth playbook
For the last decade, a lot of B2B growth has been built on a familiar recipe:
Publish some content, run search ads, host a webinar, nurture and book demos.
That playbook isn’t dead. Some are just getting caught up. But it’s not as dependable as it used to be.
A new benchmark report called From Uncertainty to Opportunity: LinkedIn Benchmarks for B2B Success pulled together performance signals across channels and offers a blunt takeaway:
Buyers are shortlisting earlier, researching differently, and rewarding brands that show up consistently — especially on LinkedIn.
If you’re a B2B founder, leader, or agency owner, this isn’t “interesting marketing news.” It’s a key strategy adjustment.
This is an area I’ve been focused on, so much so that I launched a studio to better support you.
What leaders need to know
Buyers are choosing before you know they’re shopping
The report highlights how often buyers begin vendor evaluation with a preferred option already in mind — and how common “pre-selection” has become. In plain terms:
You’re not competing when people are comparing vendors. You’re competing earlier — when they’re forming an opinion.
That shifts the job of marketing from “get clicks” to build familiarity and trust before the buying window opens.
Top of funnel is getting noisier (and less predictable)
There’s been declines across classic acquisition motions like organic search growth and gated content performance in many cases — while high-intent actions like demo requests hold up better.
Translation:
A lot of teams are getting less from “renting attention” (ads, search) alone
And getting more from being known, trusted, and easy to choose
LinkedIn is becoming the research layer for B2B
LinkedIn is not as “another channel,” but as an environment where:
leaders build credibility
buyers learn what you believe
teams validate whether you’re legit
committees find proof they can forward internally
LinkedIn can influence performance in other channels (for example: a buyer discovers you on LinkedIn and later converts through search).
So if your reporting is only last-click, you’re probably undervaluing the work that actually creates demand.
The buying funnel is now a loop (and your content needs to match)
The modern B2B journey is cyclical: awareness, evaluation, validation, re-validation, stakeholder alignment… and repeat. Which means your content can’t just be “campaign bursts.” It should be a system.
Why this matters
(especially if you run an agency)
If you’re an agency owner, you’re being hit from two sides:
Your clients expect you to deliver growth, not just content.
Your own pipeline depends on being trusted before people reach out.
The data reinforces a tough truth: you can’t “out-automation” a trust problem.
What wins is consistent, high-signal visibility — and content that makes your expertise obvious.
Steal this: 5 best practices to apply now
1. Build for the buying committee, not the individual
B2B decisions don’t happen in a vacuum. Your content has to help multiple stakeholders reach confidence.
Create assets that can be forwarded internally, like:
“what we believe” POVs
frameworks and decision guides
case stories that show the messy middle (not just the win)
objection-handling posts (“here’s what most teams get wrong about X”)
2. Shift from “lead magnets” to “proof in public”
If gated content is underperforming, stop forcing commitment early. Instead:
publish the insight
show your thinking
include proof
make the next step clear when someone is ready
3. Make LinkedIn your “front door”
Not forever or exclusively, but practically speaking, a lot of buyers will meet you there first.
That means your LinkedIn presence should answer, quickly:
What do you do?
Who do you help?
What do you believe that’s different?
What proof do you have?
Are you active and credible right now?
4. Use formats that fit how people actually consume
Video and document-style content has been on the rise on LinkedIn, so think:
short native video for trust and tone
document/carousel posts for “saved + shared” value
simple founder-led storytelling to humanize expertise
recurring series so people learn what to expect
5. Measure what’s real — not what’s easy
If LinkedIn is influencing later conversions elsewhere, a narrow attribution model will lie to you (politely).
Better signals:
ICP engagement growth
qualified conversations started
demo requests / consult requests
sales cycle warmth (reply rates, meeting quality)
“we’ve been following you for a while” moments
Where’s the data from?
B2B is not one-size-fits-all. From Uncertainty to Opportunity: LinkedIn Benchmarks for B2B Success references a mix of platforms, research orgs, and practitioners that show how the ecosystem is converging around the same idea: trust + attention are now the scarce resources. Some of the entities referenced include:
LinkedIn (and the LinkedIn B2B Institute) — the platform and research arm framing the “full-journey” role LinkedIn plays in B2B buying
Google Ads — the benchmark comparison point for paid search performance
Forrester and HubSpot — research and ecosystem context many teams already use to shape their GTM approach
IBM — enterprise-scale context for modern buying complexity
Factors.ai — attribution and journey analysis perspective (important given cross-channel influence)
Agencies and specialists like NeonTrumpet, TripleDart, B2Linked, and Hey Digital — practitioner examples around what’s working in the market
Companies like Understory and Descope — examples referenced in the report’s narrative and benchmarks
Even if you don’t use every one of these tools or partners, the pattern is consistent:
The winners are building consistent presence, not just running tactics.
This is why I built Clarity Content.
A lot of B2B leaders know they should show up more consistently.
The issue isn’t motivation, it’s often capacity (and systems).
Most teams are stuck between:
DIY posting (inconsistent)
hiring a junior social role (often too tactical)
outsourcing to an agency that can create assets, but not always your voice
Clarity Content exists to solve that gap.
It’s a content strategy + production system designed for founders, leaders, and agency owners who need to:
build trust before the shortlist
turn expertise into repeatable content
show up consistently without becoming a full-time creator
create assets that sales and partnerships can actually use
If the message is “visibility compounds,” then Clarity Content is the compounding engine.
And we build it LinkedIn-first, because that’s where buyers are researching and building confidence. (That doesn’t mean we can’t grow your YouTube or other platforms, too).
Your future pipeline will thank you.
