B2B Content Drives Engagement

Austin Rief shares insights about B2B content strategy, particularly how treating B2B audiences like consumers can lead to significant business success. He contrasts traditional dry B2B content with a more engaging, consumer-style approach.

Key Points:

• B2B Content Evolution:

  • Traditional B2B content tends to be dry and standardized
  • There's an opportunity to treat B2B readers like real people, not just business entities
  • Companies like Industry Drive have proven the model can work ($600M valuation)

• Competitive Strategy:

  • The way to compete is to "treat B2B like consumer"
  • Content should resonate on a personal level, even in professional contexts
  • Example: Milk Road's approach to crypto content works for both consumers and industry professionals

• Market Opportunity:

  • B2B content doesn't need to be complex or tech-heavy
  • Simple but effective content can build valuable audiences
  • The playbook is "simple but not easy"

• Business Model Considerations:

  • Ad-supported B2B content can be profitable but requires careful management
  • Fixed costs need to be controlled to maintain profitability
  • The difference between 20% profit margins and losing 20% can flip quickly due to fixed costs

• Revenue Stability:

  • B2B content isn't as stable as SaaS businesses
  • Unlike SaaS with 110% locked-in renewal rates
  • Requires constant effort to maintain ad revenue: "every day with ads is another grind"

This perspective suggests that while B2B content businesses can be highly valuable, success comes from humanizing the content while maintaining disciplined business operations.