The age of generative AI has led to an explosion of content. It’s also led to an implosion of authenticity. AI is enabling creators to pump out vast amounts of content, and if it sounds a little robotic and impersonal, many are saying that’s okay.

But there’s a group of stakeholders who don’t think that’s okay: your potential customers. When they sense robotic and impersonal content, they lose trust, and that matters because trust is the foundation of B2B relationships — and increasingly it’s the deciding factor among buying groups.

Here we explore how to create authentic content that resonates, builds trust, and strengthens consensus across the full buying journey.

The High Stakes of Authenticity in B2B Marketing

When you think about it, B2B marketing is really just a non-stop trust-building competition. And it shows in the growing pressure B2B marketers face to build trust and prove value.

Forrester’s 2023 Business Trust Survey revealed that 43% of B2B marketers make defensive purchase decisions more than 70% of the time. “No matter how big a game a buyer talks, less than a third of all buyers are risk tolerant,” says Forrester VP and Principal Analyst Ian Bruce.

Bruce maintains that this risk-averse environment is driving the value of trust even higher. “Trust is the remedy to risk,” he says. “B2B buyers aren’t cowardly but rational and persistent. They understand the risks involved in making decisions on behalf of others, and feel the weight of this responsibility. Trust bridges the gap between a risk-averse buyer and a potential vendor”

“Trust is the remedy to risk. B2B buyers aren’t cowardly but rational and persistent. They understand the risks involved in making decisions on behalf of others, and feel the weight of this responsibility. Trust bridges the gap between a risk-averse buyer and a potential vendor.” - Ian Bruce, VP and Principal Analyst, Forrester

There’s also the hidden cost of inauthentic content to consider. In marketing dashboards, inauthentic content manifests as a lack of engagement. What this usually means, though, is that we haven’t generated enough trust, and it could be cause for bigger concern. The disengagement may be a sign that the content is damaging our brand’s reputation and inhibiting our ability to generate demand, leads and revenue — not just now but in the future.

Authenticity is about consistently staying true to one’s mission and values. By giving each piece of content a customer-centric purpose, holding it to a high standard, and aligning it with one or more core values, B2B marketers can take a big, confident stride toward building trust and authenticity.

What Authentic Content Really Means — And Why It Matters

To some people, authentic content is the kind that’s off the cuff, from the heart, not overly polished, etc. And while this type of content can certainly be resonant and effective, in B2B marketing authenticity is really about consistency between your values, voice and actions.

Authenticity matters because audiences are really good at detecting its absence, and they penalize brands when it’s missing. Authenticity affects every stage of the B2B marketing funnel, from brand awareness to post-sale loyalty.

Build Trust Across the Funnel with Human-Centric Content

B2B marketing teams are only as strong as the weakest part of their funnel, so make sure you’re taking advantage of content formats and tactics that tend to work in the part of the marketing funnel you’re focused on.

If you’re not 100% sure what constitutes “good” creative in B2B marketing these days, check out this primer on creativity dos and don’ts for B2B marketers.

Top of funnel

Authentic storytelling is the key to generating awareness. Share your brand story, the impact you’ve made, and how you plan to make an even bigger impact going forward. Make sure that potential customers come away with a clear understanding of your mission and values.

Highlighting your social responsibility and employee culture can also bring potential buyers closer to your brand. Just make sure your claims are backed up with real positive impact because people are pretty good at pointing out when they’re not.

Sparking an emotional connection at the top of the funnel can give you an almost-unfair advantage. Try to feature real, relatable voices in your content. These are the people your audience wants to hear from!

Also try to tell stories that are strategically transparent. That is, they reveal part of your behind-the-scenes process with the goal of enriching or impressing your audience.

Middle of funnel

B2B marketers should prioritize influential voices and customer proof points in the middle of the funnel. People in the consideration stage want information and solutions from trusted sources — and that’s also why thought leadership can be such a powerful attractant in this stage.  

The middle of the funnel is about making it easier for potential customers to envision themselves as your partner. Stories about satisfied customers — particularly personalized stories about customers who came from a similar situation — can initiate a thought process where decision-makers start to sell themselves on your solution.

Bottom of funnel and beyond

The bottom of the funnel consists of two priorities: conversion and loyalty. Here we want to provide transparent, responsive communication and value-based content. We want our content to reinforce trust post-sale and nurture advocates who can help us generate additional opportunities.

Regardless of where you are in the funnel, some things need to stay consistent across all stages. For example, the quality of your content, the transparency of your communication, and the elements of your branding should never fluctuate from one stage to the next.

Collaborate with Influencers to Co-opt and Authentic Voice

Influencer marketing brings credibility and relatability that brands alone can’t manufacture. As with content, ensuring that influencer contributions come off as authentic requires nuance.

It starts with selection. It’s incredibly important that B2B marketers vet influencers based on values, consistency, and audience engagement. Don’t make sacrifices when it comes to selection because any inconsistencies will ultimately reflect poorly on your brand.

Did you know?

87% of B2B buyers prefer credible content from trusted industry influencers over branded sales messages.

Influencer relationships are also built on trust, and people can tell when influencers are adamant about the brands they endorse and when they’re not. Let your influencers speak in their voice; avoid over-scripting.

Lastly, influencer relationships shouldn’t be merely transactional. By forging strategic, long-term partnerships with influencers, you can also deepen the authenticity and impact of your work together. In fact, 88% of B2B marketers saw improved brand reputation from authentic influencer efforts.

Learn more

How to Effectively Leverage Influencers in B2B Marketing

Reach Hidden Buyers by Leading with Trust

B2B marketing is about building consensus, and not just with visible target buyers and end users. There are also less visible members of the buying committee (e.g., legal, procurement), and these “hidden” buyers tend to care less about features and more about trust.

This dynamic is why, especially in large buying groups, lack of trust or familiarity can quietly kill deals. And it’s also why B2B marketers need to create content that resonates across all stakeholders, not just end users.

Did you know?

65% of hidden buyers say they prefer a more human, less formal tone over an intellectual one in the B2B thought leadership they consume.

For example, if your deals seem to stall when people are considering the technical feasibility of your solution, perhaps you can create content aimed at making it easier for the CTOs to evaluate and trust your solution. The key is to align values-based messaging with the stakeholder. In this case, we might want to help the CTO with saving time and reducing risk.

Don’t wait until it’s too late to make connections with hidden buyers. Investing in brand building can help you build momentum early by creating shared awareness across the entire decision team.

Best Practices for Creating Authentic Content at Scale

AI should support your creativity, not replace it. Also, yes, your product messaging matters, but not nearly as much as creating content that highlights shared human values and interests.

Again, authenticity is about consistency, which means staying consistent across channels. You can tailor your tone and messaging to the persona you’re trying to engage, however your brand's values and personality should stay consistent no matter where people find you. People value consistency.

People are also interested in people, so highlight real people in your content. Feature founders, employees, customers, partners, etc. Target their contributions to the specific members of your audience who will benefit from them. You could be the matchmaker who connects your prospect’s CFOs with your CFO, for example.

Lastly, make sure you’re measuring what truly matters. Measure trust, engagement, and resonance — not just reach and revenue.

Trust is the Currency of B2B Marketing Today

The brands that win are the ones that feel human, relatable, and reliable. Authentic content builds consensus and empowers you to close the hidden buyer gap in B2B marketing — so your brand can stay in the game and win more opportunities.

After all, in a world that will feature more and more AI-generated sameness, authenticity may just be your brand’s most powerful differentiator.

Want more expert advice for building trust and building your brand? Check out these tips for boosting brand trust across the full funnel.

The age of generative AI has led to an explosion of content. It’s also led to an implosion of authenticity. AI is enabling creators to pump out vast amounts of content, and if it sounds a little robotic and impersonal, many are saying that’s okay.

But there’s a group of stakeholders who don’t think that’s okay: your potential customers. When they sense robotic and impersonal content, they lose trust, and that matters because trust is the foundation of B2B relationships — and increasingly it’s the deciding factor among buying groups.

Here we explore how to create authentic content that resonates, builds trust, and strengthens consensus across the full buying journey.

The High Stakes of Authenticity in B2B Marketing

When you think about it, B2B marketing is really just a non-stop trust-building competition. And it shows in the growing pressure B2B marketers face to build trust and prove value.

Forrester’s 2023 Business Trust Survey revealed that 43% of B2B marketers make defensive purchase decisions more than 70% of the time. “No matter how big a game a buyer talks, less than a third of all buyers are risk tolerant,” says Forrester VP and Principal Analyst Ian Bruce.

Bruce maintains that this risk-averse environment is driving the value of trust even higher. “Trust is the remedy to risk,” he says. “B2B buyers aren’t cowardly but rational and persistent. They understand the risks involved in making decisions on behalf of others, and feel the weight of this responsibility. Trust bridges the gap between a risk-averse buyer and a potential vendor”

“Trust is the remedy to risk. B2B buyers aren’t cowardly but rational and persistent. They understand the risks involved in making decisions on behalf of others, and feel the weight of this responsibility. Trust bridges the gap between a risk-averse buyer and a potential vendor.” - Ian Bruce, VP and Principal Analyst, Forrester

There’s also the hidden cost of inauthentic content to consider. In marketing dashboards, inauthentic content manifests as a lack of engagement. What this usually means, though, is that we haven’t generated enough trust, and it could be cause for bigger concern. The disengagement may be a sign that the content is damaging our brand’s reputation and inhibiting our ability to generate demand, leads and revenue — not just now but in the future.

Authenticity is about consistently staying true to one’s mission and values. By giving each piece of content a customer-centric purpose, holding it to a high standard, and aligning it with one or more core values, B2B marketers can take a big, confident stride toward building trust and authenticity.

What Authentic Content Really Means — And Why It Matters

To some people, authentic content is the kind that’s off the cuff, from the heart, not overly polished, etc. And while this type of content can certainly be resonant and effective, in B2B marketing authenticity is really about consistency between your values, voice and actions.

Authenticity matters because audiences are really good at detecting its absence, and they penalize brands when it’s missing. Authenticity affects every stage of the B2B marketing funnel, from brand awareness to post-sale loyalty.

Build Trust Across the Funnel with Human-Centric Content

B2B marketing teams are only as strong as the weakest part of their funnel, so make sure you’re taking advantage of content formats and tactics that tend to work in the part of the marketing funnel you’re focused on.

If you’re not 100% sure what constitutes “good” creative in B2B marketing these days, check out this primer on creativity dos and don’ts for B2B marketers.

Top of funnel

Authentic storytelling is the key to generating awareness. Share your brand story, the impact you’ve made, and how you plan to make an even bigger impact going forward. Make sure that potential customers come away with a clear understanding of your mission and values.

Highlighting your social responsibility and employee culture can also bring potential buyers closer to your brand. Just make sure your claims are backed up with real positive impact because people are pretty good at pointing out when they’re not.

Sparking an emotional connection at the top of the funnel can give you an almost-unfair advantage. Try to feature real, relatable voices in your content. These are the people your audience wants to hear from!

Also try to tell stories that are strategically transparent. That is, they reveal part of your behind-the-scenes process with the goal of enriching or impressing your audience.

Middle of funnel

B2B marketers should prioritize influential voices and customer proof points in the middle of the funnel. People in the consideration stage want information and solutions from trusted sources — and that’s also why thought leadership can be such a powerful attractant in this stage.  

The middle of the funnel is about making it easier for potential customers to envision themselves as your partner. Stories about satisfied customers — particularly personalized stories about customers who came from a similar situation — can initiate a thought process where decision-makers start to sell themselves on your solution.

Bottom of funnel and beyond

The bottom of the funnel consists of two priorities: conversion and loyalty. Here we want to provide transparent, responsive communication and value-based content. We want our content to reinforce trust post-sale and nurture advocates who can help us generate additional opportunities.

Regardless of where you are in the funnel, some things need to stay consistent across all stages. For example, the quality of your content, the transparency of your communication, and the elements of your branding should never fluctuate from one stage to the next.

Collaborate with Influencers to Co-opt and Authentic Voice

Influencer marketing brings credibility and relatability that brands alone can’t manufacture. As with content, ensuring that influencer contributions come off as authentic requires nuance.

It starts with selection. It’s incredibly important that B2B marketers vet influencers based on values, consistency, and audience engagement. Don’t make sacrifices when it comes to selection because any inconsistencies will ultimately reflect poorly on your brand.

Did you know?

87% of B2B buyers prefer credible content from trusted industry influencers over branded sales messages.

Influencer relationships are also built on trust, and people can tell when influencers are adamant about the brands they endorse and when they’re not. Let your influencers speak in their voice; avoid over-scripting.

Lastly, influencer relationships shouldn’t be merely transactional. By forging strategic, long-term partnerships with influencers, you can also deepen the authenticity and impact of your work together. In fact, 88% of B2B marketers saw improved brand reputation from authentic influencer efforts.

Learn more

How to Effectively Leverage Influencers in B2B Marketing

Reach Hidden Buyers by Leading with Trust

B2B marketing is about building consensus, and not just with visible target buyers and end users. There are also less visible members of the buying committee (e.g., legal, procurement), and these “hidden” buyers tend to care less about features and more about trust.

This dynamic is why, especially in large buying groups, lack of trust or familiarity can quietly kill deals. And it’s also why B2B marketers need to create content that resonates across all stakeholders, not just end users.

Did you know?

65% of hidden buyers say they prefer a more human, less formal tone over an intellectual one in the B2B thought leadership they consume.

For example, if your deals seem to stall when people are considering the technical feasibility of your solution, perhaps you can create content aimed at making it easier for the CTOs to evaluate and trust your solution. The key is to align values-based messaging with the stakeholder. In this case, we might want to help the CTO with saving time and reducing risk.

Don’t wait until it’s too late to make connections with hidden buyers. Investing in brand building can help you build momentum early by creating shared awareness across the entire decision team.

Best Practices for Creating Authentic Content at Scale

AI should support your creativity, not replace it. Also, yes, your product messaging matters, but not nearly as much as creating content that highlights shared human values and interests.

Again, authenticity is about consistency, which means staying consistent across channels. You can tailor your tone and messaging to the persona you’re trying to engage, however your brand's values and personality should stay consistent no matter where people find you. People value consistency.

People are also interested in people, so highlight real people in your content. Feature founders, employees, customers, partners, etc. Target their contributions to the specific members of your audience who will benefit from them. You could be the matchmaker who connects your prospect’s CFOs with your CFO, for example.

Lastly, make sure you’re measuring what truly matters. Measure trust, engagement, and resonance — not just reach and revenue.

Trust is the Currency of B2B Marketing Today

The brands that win are the ones that feel human, relatable, and reliable. Authentic content builds consensus and empowers you to close the hidden buyer gap in B2B marketing — so your brand can stay in the game and win more opportunities.

After all, in a world that will feature more and more AI-generated sameness, authenticity may just be your brand’s most powerful differentiator.

Want more expert advice for building trust and building your brand? Check out these tips for boosting brand trust across the full funnel.