You know that time in between the holidays and new years when work slows down a bit and you take some time to reflect on the past while also looking to the future?
That’s the time when I decided it was time to start a blog and published my first “hello world” post on December 28, 2003. Fast forward nearly 22 years to today and oh so much has changed.
What started as an experiment in easy content creation quickly turned to community engagement with other marketing practitioners and the growth of a niche, yet well known and respected marketing agency that has influenced some pretty interesting outcomes. Like what, you say? For example this little old marketing blog has:
- Attracted millions of visitors each year for many years to our content, our message and brand.
- Earned thousands of media pickups on industry publications, blogs and the likes of Forbes, The Economist, and a teeny tiny mention in the Wall Street Journal.
- Got me on TV news with a local station, Kare 11 as well as an NBC affilate in San Francisco and in news show in Bucharest, Romania!
- Helped earn top visibility on Google (and increasingly ChatGPT) for a wide array of high demand search terms which helped attract so many inquiries at one point I had to turn off the contact form.
- Created interest from multiple book publishers approaching me to write a book, which I eventually did (Optimize) thanks to Shannon Vargo at Wiley and my team.
- Instigated local, then national then international speaking opportunities. I’ve been invited to give over 300 presentations in 20 different countries. I don’t know how many of those were directly sourced from the blog, but many were and more were certainly influenced.
- Been recognized by numerous publications and industry websites including being the only blog to be named the #1 content marketing blog three times by Content Marketing Institute.
- Earned enough credibility to be seen as a publication which I leveraged for years to secure media sponsorships at marketing industry conferences enabling us to send team members to events and get digital and on-site exposure to buying audiences for the price of a few blog posts
- Enabled me to skydive with the Army Golden Knights, the competitive skydiving team that was on-site at a blogger conference in Texas. Thanks, Greg Swan.
- Helped me to be recognized as a B2B marketing influencer resulting in influencer engagements with companies like IBM, Oracle, Adobe and the Digital Marketing Institute as well as numerous collaborations and interviews with other companies.
- Connected with thousands of marketers around the world who have: hired TopRank Marketing, been hired by TopRank Marketing, learned from our content and contributed to our content. Our lists of top marketers like the Women Who Rock in Marketing annual list (14 years and running) have, according to feedback I’ve received from numerous honorees, been instrumental in helping marketers get recognized by their peers, by the leadership at their companies and amongst the marketing industry at large.
- Helped develop a community of marketing professionals and leaders that has been an incredible network to be a part of. I have learned so much from the pros that have given me their time for numerous interviews, quotes and collaborations.
- Connected us with marketing industry influencers who have become advocates and customers. It has also served as a platform for us to shine a light on marketing talent and invest attention in future marketing influencers.
- Helped me develop my writing skills from zero to at least mediocre, which has lead to more connections, relationships and helping people make sense of a marketing world that continues to change, get more complex and demand more from each of us.
- Directly and indirectly sourced millions in revenue for our B2B marketing agency.
But you say, a lot of that is in the past.
Do blogs still matter today?
Blogging has certainly changed and with AI-generated content and the how search engines and social networks algorithms are evolving, we’ve had ample opportunity to adjust with shifts in how our community discovers and consumes content. We’ve integrated our stand alone marketing blog into our agency website for example. We’ve also reduced the number of posts we publish each week to two – but with more depth and thoughtfulness. We’ve also committed to a video podcast to provide our community with exposure to top B2B marketer insights in text, audio and video formats on this blog and across other channels.
As a B2B Marketing agency, blogging continues to be an important investment of our thought leadership and expertise in the community that has sustained us for so many years. More practically, this blog serves as a hub for our marketing from which we engage on numerous channels. We’re doing our best to walk the talk with Best Answer Marketing by providing highly relevant, consumable information in the formats our community wants and where they want it.
Give to Get vs. Give to Build
In the past I used to use the expression, “give to get” to describe why to invest in useful content and market engagement. But recently, I heard a version of that I like more, “give to build” (sorry I don’t recall the source). That is the reason blogging still matters. Because we are giving to build.
Build a community
Build expertise
Build relationships
Build visibility and engagement
Build a business
I don’t think a blog makes sense for every B2B brand today – you can accomplish a lot with all the publishing options available today. But for depth, quality and thoughtfulness in using content as a means of conversation, I think blogging matters more than ever.
So what are some examples of great B2B industry blogs in action? Here are a few completely subjective examples from B2B brands that we work with to inspire you:
Avalara Tax and Compliance Blog
The Avalara blog stands out among B2B brand blogs because of how it simplifies complex tax regulations into clear, actionable insights that are tailored specifically for business decision-makers. Also, the use of interactive tools such as real-time compliance calculators and nexus analysis maps uniquely help readers apply knowledge to their unique business contexts which creates utility in support of readers’ risk reduction and informed compliance management.
Inside Asana Blog
The Inside Asana blog provides a”behind‑the‑scenes” look at company culture, product development, and team dynamics that highlights real stories from employees, design updates, and AI innovation. This positions Asana beyond a tool to more of a living organization with transparent values and a focus on continuous improvement. By blending genuine team narratives and operational insights (e.g., remote onboarding, role spotlights, and AI roll‑outs), it builds trust with other B2B leaders by demonstrating how Asana practices the very work strategies it promotes. What’s not to like about “walk the talk” blogging?
Insperity HR Blog
The Insperity HR blog stands out by delivering practical, expert-driven HR content designed specifically for growing companies. It covers essential topics like compliance, workforce planning, and employee engagement. What makes it special is that with over 100 in-house HR specialists to draw from, Insperity can provide actionable guidance that addresses real-world business scenarios and provide strategic insights that decision-makers can apply immediately.
HubSpot Blog
Of course everyone knows HubSpot and there’s a reason for that. HubSpot’s blog excels at providing useful information that covers the full spectrum of B2B marketing: from content marketing and automation to branding and advanced growth tactics. Their content is easy to navigate, inclusive for all experience levels, and filled with practical templates and real-world advice. With frequent updates and coverage of important trends like AI, the HubSpot blog delivers everything from theory to tools and resources that you can use right now.
Linkedin for Marketing Blog
Our team at TopRank Marketing has been working with LinkedIn to support this blog for many years – so I am more than a bit biased in including it here. That said, the LinkedIn Marketing blog has won multiple awards and especially the attention of millions of marketers. Led by Editor in Chief Tequia Burt, the newest version of the LinkedIn for Marketing blog focuses on video with improved navigation, organization and layout with more behind the scenes and interviews in combination with research and marketing playbooks. It’s a g0-to resource for all marketers, not just B2B and not just those looking for insights about marketing on LinkedIn itself.
For our own B2B Marketing Blog here at TopRank Marketing, we’ve had so many contributors over the past 20+ years and I appreciate everyone that has invested in themselves to create useful content that serves our community while representing the expertise and capabilities of our B2B marketing agency. Out of the 4,800 blog posts we’ve published so far, I’ve only written 2,182. That means there are thousands of other posts that have been written by more than 20 other contributors.
I am thankful to our community for reading, sharing and collaborating with us to create a resource that truly represents, a rising tide lifts all ships.
As long as B2B marketing matters and people matter, so do blogs.
