Branded Content
B2B branded content is not an article with your logo at the bottom. It's content useful enough to be shared even by those with no intention of buying from you tomorrow.
“If your content loses all value when you remove the logo, it wasn't branded content. It was advertising in a longer format.”
Otto GTM ObservatoryThe removed-logo test
Effective B2B branded content passes a simple test: would it have value even if the company logo were removed? If yes, the content builds genuine trust over time; if no, it's advertising disguised as editorial, recognized as such by a B2B audience, generally savvier than an end consumer.
This type of content generates long-term value because it associates the brand with real competence, not a sales message, building the trust needed even before the sales cycle formally begins.
Anti-patterns
Common mistake: producing content that's essentially promotional material disguised as editorial insight, a format the B2B audience recognizes and quickly discounts in their attention.
Second mistake: measuring branded content success on generic reach metrics instead of qualified engagement (actual reading time, peer sharing within the target industry), losing sight of whether it's really reaching and convincing the right audience.
Practical Application
A company publishes an original research report on an industry problem, with no direct reference to its own product for the first 2,000 words. The report gets spontaneously shared by 40 industry decision-makers on LinkedIn, generating 3 times more qualified traffic to the site than a previous promotional content piece with comparable paid distribution budget.