Talking to people, not pandering to the algorithm
Optimising for likes, reach, and impressions. Posting at “peak engagement times”. It works for consumer brands, sure — but in the world of complex, high-consideration B2B sales, it's a distraction.
Creating content for real people - specifically, the right people is where we keep our focus. The people that matter are the decision-makers and influencers inside our target companies. And, when we measure success, we’re not looking at vanity metrics. We’re asking one question: is our ICP engaging?
Vanity metrics muddy the water
If your content is being liked, shared, and commented on by people who will never buy from you, what does that really tell you? In niche B2B what actually matters is: are your true targets paying attention?
ICP-first content strategy
Our approach starts with a clear definition of the ICP — not just broad job titles, but specific companies, sectors, stages of growth, pain points, and goals. Heck, we’ll throw a photo up of a KDM at one of our top 5 target accounts. That clarity lets us tailor content that speaks directly to their challenges, buying triggers, and day-to-day.
Pay to play, but maximise it
We use paid LinkedIn campaigns to get the right content landing in the right feeds (and repeatedly). But when ad spend is high (and it always is on LinkedIn), you have to milk it for all it’s worth. That’s where an ABM (account-based marketing) approach becomes essential: marketing and sales work together, using LinkedIn demographic reports and first-party engagement data to understand exactly who’s responding and why. Company list uploads segmented by personas. Ensuring sales outreach is prioritised according to which accounts are engaging the most in the campaign. Building re-marketing into the funnel, and choosing content that aligns with a faster audience build.
Quality engagement over quantity
We’re not asking, “Did this post get 10,000 views?” We’re asking, “Did this resonate with the Head of Ops at the five fintech companies we’re targeting this quarter?” If not — why not? What’s missing? What angle didn’t land?
This feedback loop is tighter, clearer, and more actionable than organic social alone. It allows us to A/B test ideas within the actual buying committee. The engagement metrics tell us when we’re getting closer to what matters. This then feeds back into sales messaging, and the upward loop continues.
Timing isn’t a guessing game
“Post at 9am on Tuesday — that’s when LinkedIn engagement is highest!” But for who? In reality, your ICP might be most active at 8pm while catching up after meetings. Or 6am before the day kicks off. With paid campaigns, your content is shown when the individuals in your target audience are active, not when the internet says “everyone” is. You can’t afford to rely on organic when your audience is narrow, high-value, and busy. You need precision, relevance, and repeat visibility.
Marketing and sales: one team
This level of targeting and measurement only works when marketing and sales operate like a single team. That means regular feedback loops: who clicked what, who watched the video, who filled out the form but didn’t book a call. And just as importantly, who didn’t engage — and what we’re going to do about it.
Sales insights inform content strategy. Content performance informs sales strategy. This is a live, adaptive cycle where everyone is feeding into the strategy, spotting opportunities and sharing information. It’s a beauty.
Rant over. Just sayin’ - the algorithm doesn’t sign contracts. People do. Find (target) them. Then talk to them.
Say hi here: hello@cusp.co.nz