In this episode of Beyond B2B Marketing, host I sat down with Heike Young, former Head of Content, Social, and Integrated Marketing at Microsoft, to talk about everything from orchestration of multi-channel content to creators to bringing fun to B2B content and of course, creative B2B video for LinkedIn.
Heike had me on the podcast or “Cloudcast” she was managing for Salesforce many years ago and it was great to finally meet her in person at this year’s Content Marketing World conference.
After leading content strategy at both Salesforce and Microsoft, Heike shared why she’s taking a step back from corporate life to focus on creativity, family, and a more focused role as a participant in the creator economy. We talked about how the discipline of integrated marketing has evolved to orchestrate content, campaigns, and channels into a unified experience that connects audiences across organic and paid channels, which I was happy to hear since it lines up so well with the premise behind Best Answer Marketing – creating meaningful content experiences that help B2B brands become the best answer wherever customers are looking.
Our conversation also touched the importance of empowering employees as creators, making customers the heroes of storytelling, and partnering with influencers in more meaningful, collaborative ways. Of course we talked about the role of AI and content, but more importantly, Heike shared her philosophy on creativity (“delete your brainstorming meetings”), her approach to video and personal branding on LinkedIn, and why humor and personality matter more than perfection.
Takeaways from this 9th episode of Beyond B2B with Heike young include:
Why integrated marketing means “all the instruments singing from the same songbook”
How to escape the “content voice” trap and create more resonant, human content
Why employee and customer storytelling outperform branded corporate posts
The difference between transactional influencer campaigns and true creator partnerships
How to build creativity into team culture by giving people multiple ways to contribute
Why AI should enhance-not replace-human creativity and joy in content creation
Tips for building a standout personal brand and video presence on LinkedIn
How to thrive as an introverted extrovert at networking events
Why B2B brands should stop spreading thin across every channel and go deep where it matters most
The mindset shift from “doing more with less” to “creating more impact with focus”
Watch the full conversation between Heike and I here:
Listen to the full conversation with Heike here:
If you’d prefer a text summary of our discussion about the Heike’s creative approach to LinkedIn video and integrated marketing, here you go:
In this episode of Beyond B2B Marketing, I caught up with Heike Young, one of the brightest and most creative voices in B2B content. From her time leading content and social strategy at Salesforce and Microsoft to her rise as a LinkedIn video creator, Heike has become an influential force around what it means to do marketing that feels human. We talked about her recent decision to take a break from corporate life, what she’s learned from working inside global tech brands, and how she’s now using her platform to help others find their creative voice in B2B marketing.
“Integrated marketing means all of the instruments are singing from the same songbook.”
Heike shared how integrated marketing in the B2B world has evolved from simply managing channels to orchestrating entire experiences. At Microsoft, she led a unified approach where content, social, and campaigns all worked together under one strategy. She explained how breaking down silos between paid and organic content helps brands tell a consistent story where the best-performing organic pieces can become the most effective paid ads. For Heike, the notion of integrated marketing is less about an operational framework and more focused on how brands earn continuity, trust, and momentum across every touchpoint.
This was great to hear because Heike’s perspective lines up incredibly well with our Best Answer Marketing framework which architects meaningful, trusted content experiences across every channel where buyers are looking.
“B2B marketers need to get out of content voice land.”
We also talked about the state of B2B content and what she calls the “sea of sameness.” Heike sees too many brands trapped in “content voice“, jargon and buzzword filled language that strips away meaning and connection from marketing content. Her prescription for content voices is to make customers the heroes, empower employees as creators, and collaborate with influencers in ways that go beyond transactional campaigns. (Again, this synchs really well with BAM and the Trust Engine) She believes people, not platforms, are what drive engagement. By elevating authentic voices inside and outside the brand, marketers can move from broadcasting to belonging.
“If it’s not fun for you to create, it won’t be fun for anyone else to read or watch.”
Creativity was a through line in our conversation, especially with the volume of AI-assisted content that is now being published. Heike views AI as a useful tool for efficiency but also suggests that it can’t replace human spark. Her philosophy is that content should be enjoyable to make, not just efficient to produce. That same mindset shows up in her work as a LinkedIn video creator, where she encourages others to show personality, use humor, and give themselves permission to experiment. As she put it best, “It’s the people in B2B marketing that make it amazing.” And that’s exactly why her voice and her vision resonate so strongly with the thousands of people that engage with her videos.
Thanks Heike!
Heike Young is a must-follow on LinkedIn and TikTokfor her entertaining and insightful videos.
Be sure to continue following us here for the newest research report from TopRank Marketing and Ascend2, Answer Engine: The State of B2B Thought Leadership in 2026.
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About the author
Lee Odden has been recognized as a top B2B Marketing professional by Forbes, The Economist and the Wall Street Journal. For over 20 years he's worked with his team at TopRank Marketing to help elevate the B2B marketing industry through creative marketing programs that deliver more authentic, experiential and inclusive content for brands like LinkedIn, Dell and Adobe. Lee is the author of Optimize and has published over 1.4 million words on his agency's B2B marketing blog. As a trusted marketing thought leader, he has given nearly 300 presentations in 20 different countries on B2B content, search and influencer marketing. When not marketing, Lee is probably running, cooking or traveling.
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