When it comes to content strategy for B2B, it’s easy to fall into the trap of chasing viral success.
But what if your entertaining viral content is actually not helping you close more sales?
It almost sounds far-fetched, surely more people viewing your content equals more sales.
We know a semi-famous business influencer who has amassed a huge following with thousands of likes, shares, and comments flooding every post. But he launched a £20 business book, he struggled to sell it – he hadn’t built an audience ready to invest in his expertise – they just wanted to be entertained.
Here’s the truth: Virality doesn’t equal sales. There is a crucial difference between creating content that people laugh at and content that people learn from and are willing to pay for
And it’s why we ask every single client one question:
“Do you want fame or do you want fortune?”
In this post, we’re breaking down exactly why thought leadership content should be your primary focus if you’re serious about generating leads and driving sales.
And why sometimes 100 views are better than a million…
Why Viral Content Can Backfire in B2B
“Can you make this go viral?”
I’m sure this is the phrase that haunts most marketers’ nightmares!
It’s easy to understand why business owners get swept up in the excitement of viral content, but for B2B, the wrong kind of visibility can actually be damaging.
Why?
Because while it attracts a broad audience, it’s not necessarily the right audience. And as you’ll know, we’re big advocates of using content to attract the right customer and repel the wrong fit, so getting more of the wrong eyes on your business might not be the win you think it is.
For example, imagine a financial services firm jumping on a trending TikTok challenge. The video goes viral, but it attracts younger, budget-conscious users, not the high-net-worth clients they’re targeting. Instead of building credibility, the brand now seems out of touch with its ideal audience.
Viral content can create buzz, but without a strategic focus, it can dilute your brand, confuse your target market, and attract the wrong kind of viewers.
Fame vs Fortune Content Strategy: What’s the Difference?
So, what’s the alternative?
Before diving in, it’s important to understand the distinction between seeking fame and building a fortune, because they use very different content strategies and have different goals.
What is a fame strategy?
We like to call chasing virality the fame strategy – it’s focused on reaching as many people as possible without necessarily targeting your ideal audience. It’s about entertainment, shock value, or humour that grabs attention but may not generate qualified leads.
While our expertise lies in helping businesses build authority and drive leads, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with pursuing fame – if that aligns with your goals.
But you will need to focus on a very specific strategy that will lead to more followers and virality. A well-executed strategy will probably allow you to make money via sponsorships or affiliate links, but might not sell your business services.
But what we have found is that most business owners think being visible and famous is essential for success, when it’s really not, and it can often be detrimental to your business goals.
What is a fortune strategy?
On the other hand, a fortune strategy is all about targeted, value-driven content. You’re not aiming for mass appeal but rather speaking directly to a specific audience with content that educates, informs, and builds trust.
It’s all about creating thought leadership content that educates, informs, and positions you as the go-to expert in your field. This approach positions you as a credible expert in your industry, someone who understands the specific pain points and challenges faced by potential clients.
The goal is to walk into an industry-specific conference and have people say: “I love your content! I read your LinkedIn posts every week!” – but walk down the street and have absolutely no one recognise you.
You want to be recognised for your insights, your thinking, and your expertise, not for being a viral sensation.
📖 Read more: Thought leadership vs SEO content: which should you create for your business?
How to implement a (consistent) fortune content strategy?
In our opinion, if you’re running a B2B business that sells a product or service, a fortune content strategy isn’t optional; it’s essential.
But unlike viral content, this approach requires a more focused, repeatable system that builds trust over time.
Think of it as a content engine: start with a core piece, then break it down, repurpose, and repeat.
Step 1: Anchor Content ⚓
At the heart of this approach is anchor content, long-form, valuable content that acts as the foundation for everything else.
Create one core piece of high-value content each week. This could be:
- A detailed blog post
- A long-form YouTube video
- A research report
- A podcast episode
This is your thought leadership asset, something that positions you as an expert and solves a specific problem for your ideal customer.
Step 2: Repurpose Across Platforms Consistently
From here, you can take that anchor content and repurpose it into bite-sized, platform-friendly formats that can be shared.
This reinforces your message and gets it in front of your audience multiple times, in multiple ways, making it more likely that the right people will engage with and remember your brand.
The key here is consistency 🔑
Creating one brilliant post isn’t going to cut it; you need to show up again and again to build trust, which is why we recommend finding a format that works for you and sticking to it
This is the kind of high-level schedule that we recommend our clients use:
| Frequency | Content Type | Where to post |
|---|---|---|
| Weekly | Anchor content (e.g., blog, video, podcast) | Your website, YouTube, and Podcast Platform |
| Daily | Repurposed short-form content | LinkedIn, Instagram, email, Stories, TikTok (if relevant) |
If you’re not sure exactly how to repurpose, then we recommend you read up some more on it here.
It’s not about creating new content every day, but about using what you have already created and strategically repurposing it.
Step 3: Be Strategic, Not Scattered
The beauty of this format is that every piece of content will support the same core message. This repetition builds authority and creates even more content that can be segmented and shared across various social platforms, all feeding into the content marketing engine.
💡 Example:
A cybersecurity consultancy creates a report on “Top 5 Emerging Threats to Financial Firms.”
From that one report, they generate:
- A video walkthrough of the top 5 threats
- LinkedIn posts highlighting each threat individually
- An infographic for Instagram
- An email campaign summarising insights for their subscriber list
With this strategy, each piece of content is crafted to attract the right audience, in this case, decision-makers in financial services, not just any audience.
When your content is valuable, targeted, and consistent, you’ll get fewer views but far more qualified leads.
This is actually the exact format we use to get our clients over 250 leads per week, which you can read more about here.
And while the views you are hitting might not be enough to fill a stadium, it will be enough to bring you in a steady stream of leads that align with your business goals.
How to Make Fortune Content Engaging
Now, let’s address the elephant in the room 🐘…
Isn’t thought leadership content boring?
Not if you do it right. There is no reason that you have to be boring and bland in order to appear professional; in fact, we recommend against it if you can.
The key to successful thought leadership content is to make it both valuable and engaging – a combination that can be surprisingly difficult to achieve.
Often, as experts, we’re tempted to talk about the things we love, the ins and outs of our craft. For example, I could go on for hours about the technicalities of SEO – how algorithms work and how to optimise for search engine rankings. But my audience just really doesn’t care enough about that level of detail – they care about the results.
And that’s where the balancing act comes in. You need to take all your valuable expertise – the methodologies, the frameworks, the insider knowledge – and package it in a way that’s both informative and interesting.
Let’s imagine your content is an amazing gift. The substance inside is valuable, but if it’s presented in a plain and unappealing cardboard box, people might overlook it.
However, your audience is far more likely to take notice if you:
- Tell Stories: Use anecdotes to make complex concepts relatable
- Use Visuals: Carousels, graphics, and infographics to simplify complex ideas
- Include Examples: Reference industry success stories or case studies to illustrate your points
This approach not only draws attention but also ensures that your valuable insights are consumed and remembered.
Ready to Become a Thought Leader in Your Industry?
For B2B businesses, one highly targeted lead is often worth far more than 1,000 likes from random viewers.
The goal isn’t to go viral, it’s to be known for your thinking and be a go-to person in your industry. As a business owner, it’s far more useful than having loads of people liking your content who will never buy from you.
If you’re tired of chasing likes and want to start generating qualified leads from your content, it’s time to pivot to a thought leadership strategy. If you need help creating and implementing a thought-leadership strategy that actually drives sales, get in touch.
We help B2B businesses package their knowledge into valuable, engaging content that positions them as the go-to expert in their industry and drives real sales with our sales funnel building service.
