Is there too much B2B content out there? (original) (raw)

Whenever most of us are in front of a screen trying to root out some actionable insights with the ring of truth or innovation, we’re caught wading through a Wild West welter of B2B whitepapers, blog posts, case studies or webinars vying for our strained attention.

So, is anybody not asking this question: is there already too much B2B content out there?

The short (and probably obvious) answer: Yes!

A longer answer: Also yes, but it’s complicated.

B2B marketers are caught in a trap. On one hand, content is vital to inbound marketing, lead generation, and sales enablement. On the other, the sheer volume of content out there that a marketer is competing against is crushing. Our screens are spewing a hail of craptent (you know, that derivative, soul-draining fluff that pretends to be helpful) that can obscure any high-quality insights.

So, what does this mean for you as a marketer, content creator, or business leader? Let’s unpack it.

The state of the B2B content glut

Recent studies show that the average B2B buyer consumes 13 pieces of content before making a purchase decision. Specifically, buyers engage with eight vendor-created pieces and five from third-party sources.

It’s no wonder marketers tremble with FOMO and want in on that list, so they generate reams of content and spray-and-pray to capture eyeballs. And with the rise of AI-generated content, the floodgates have burst, the levee has broken and there’s scant higher ground available. Tools like ChatGPT and Writer are enabling marketers to produce more content than ever before at breakneck speed.

You know the problem here: Speed hardly ever equals quality. B2B content consumers are swimming in a sea of sameness—repetitive regurgitations that fail to add real value. Apologies for the revolting analogy, but it’s accurate.

“More content!” ain’t the answer

"Even though there's saturation in terms of volume,” says Matt Janaway, CEO of MarketingLabs, “there isn't always saturation in terms of quality."

I’d suggest there’s rarely saturation in quality in any medium or market; as Sturgeon’s Law posits, ninety percent of everything is crap. Churning out more videos, posts or white papers isn’t the solution to standing out in a congested B2B contentscape.

In fact, publishing content for content’s sake can drag your brand down. Think of it as a giant buffet table—right, there’s a ton of food, but half of it is stale, bland, or downright mealy. Anybody want seconds?

Your audience feels the same way. When they encounter tepid, generic content, they’re less likely to engage with your brand again. Worse, they might actively avoid it. Why? Because they figure you aren’t very innovative or focused on their problems, or even smart.

Are you in the cult of craptent?

“Craptent” happens when brands create content for the sake of it—content that lacks value, originality, or depth:

Craptent doesn’t just waste your audience’s time; it squanders your team’s time and resources, too, in flushing away a chunk of your budget. For more ranting on this topic? Check out “The Plague of Craptent”.

How to pierce the glut

The way to rise about the content glut isn’t more content or less content—it’s better content. What are the rules to hew to if you want to produce it?

Be strategic about what you create

Before you even think about hitting “publish,” ask yourself:

If the answer to any of these is “no,” hit pause and rethink your approach.

Focus on depth over breadth

Stop trying to be everything to everyone. Instead of churning out a dozen surface-level pieces, create fewer but more in-depth, high-value content assets that are worthy of the word. Think thought leadership articles, long-form guides, or original research.

For example, instead of publishing a generic post titled “Top 5 Marketing Trends in 2025,” dive into a niche topic like “How AI is revolutionizing ABM strategies for B2B SaaS startups.”

Prioritize storytelling and authenticity

People connect with stories—not jargon or faceless, feckless brands. Use your content to tell real stories about your customers, your team, or your industry. Share behind-the-scenes insights or lessons learned. Done right, you’ll make them laugh or nod in agreement.

Repurpose previous work

Not every new campaign requires net-new content. Instead, consider how you can repurpose what you already have. Turn a webinar into a blog post series, a blog post into an infographic, or a whitepaper into a podcast episode. Got an SEO page on your site? Update it with new keywords, links or content.

Measure what matters

Don’t let vanity metrics (like impressions or clicks) fool you. I’ve had clients who didn’t realize that visit volume can take one’s eye off really relevant indicators. Focus on engagements, conversion rates and MQLs to gauge whether your content is doing what it should.

Ask those in the know

Who can give you good advice on the kind of content that’ll impress prospective customers? Um, prospective customers. Or existing customers. Or the sales and support teams that are on point with them. To serve your industry, keep asking it what it wants. IMHO, not getting thisclose with your audience is the #1 reason for lousy content alignment, meaning it isn’t relevant enough to serve anybody–not your targets, your sales team, or your pipeline.

How AI search is reshaping content strategy

AI-powered search features like Google AI Overviews and Bing AI are upending SEO and content strategies in nearly every segment. Instead of delivering a list of links, these tools generate answers directly—often drawing from multiple sources to synthesize insights. This changes the game in a few pivotal ways:

Your content needs to answer specific questions

With AI search leaning heavily on direct answers, vague or broad content won’t cut it. Your content must address specific queries in concise, clear ways. Think FAQ-style answers, data-rich insights, and “how-to” content designed to show up in AI search responses.

Authority and expertise matter more

AI models prioritize content from trusted sources. That means building domain authority isn’t just a nice-to-have; it’s essential. Publishing original research, partnering with credible organizations, and earning backlinks are more important than ever.

Embrace a conversational tone

AI tools often favor conversational, accessible language. Crafting content in a natural, question-and-answer format can boost your chances of being included in AI-driven responses.

Optimization goes beyond keywords

Forget old-school keyword stuffing. AI searches focus on context and intent. Use semantic keywords and structure your content to guide readers (and AI) through logical, easy-to-follow arguments.

By adjusting your strategy to align with how AI interprets and serves up content, you can stay relevant and ensure your work doesn’t get buried in the melee.

Where do we go from here?

Okay, so there’s too much B2B content out there. But that doesn’t mean you should stop creating content. Instead, stop creating bad content. Commit to doing less but doing it well.

Your audience doesn’t need another bland checklist or generic how-to guide. They need insights that challenge their thinking, content that solves real problems, and stories that make them feel something—whether that’s a spark of inspiration, a sense of camaraderie, or even a well-timed chuckle.

In other words: be the content buffet they actually come back to for seconds.

So, is there too much B2B digital content out there? Absolutely. But there’s always room for more if it’s fresh, relevant, and worth consuming.

As Ann Handley, Chief Content Officer at MarketingProfs puts it, "the key to successful content is to focus on creating content that is ridiculously useful and ridiculously engaging."

Now go forth and create the kind of content that deserves to be part of the mix. Just remember: quality over quantity, every time.