Spend a minute on LinkedIn, and you\u2019ll come across scores of self-labeled content experts claiming to have insights into the next big \u201chack.\u201d It\u2019s easy to find conflicting claims and advice \u2014 yet rare to find insights that are innovative, yet grounded in proven fundamentals (as opposed to hype).<\/span><\/p>\n Which is exactly why I felt so fortunate to snag an hour of Andy Crestodina\u2019s time to talk content strategy on The ChangeOver Podcast<\/a><\/span>. Andy\u2019s been immersed in digital marketing since 2001, and he literally wrote the book on content marketing: Content Chemistry, now in its seventh edition, should be foundational reading for every content marketer.<\/span><\/p>\n If you attended Experience Inbound<\/a><\/span> in 2024, you certainly remember Andy\u2019s keynote, in which he challenged content creators to think about AI in terms beyond efficiency and productivity, and instead recognize new ways to create better, more differentiated marketing content that stands out and drives results.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n No surprise, talking shop with Andy is like tapping a motherlode \u2014 so you\u2019re getting a two-part podcast covering a wide range of top-of-mind questions and challenges content marketers face right now. In this article I\u2019m sharing key insights from part one of our conversation.<\/span><\/p>\n But rather than read my take, why not listen for yourself, so you can hear directly from Andy as he breaks down his approach to strategic content allocation, the evolution of the blog, and how to create high-value content with limited resources.<\/span><\/p>\n Check out episode 19 of The ChangeOver now, then subscribe on <\/span>Apple<\/a>, <\/span>YouTube<\/a>, <\/span>Spotify<\/a>, <\/span>Weidert.com<\/a>, or your favorite podcast app.<\/span><\/p>\n Our conversation revealed a sophisticated approach to content planning that I’d characterize as strategic content allocation \u2014 treating your limited marketing resources as investments that should be deployed based on proximity to revenue. As a content strategist myself, this approach demands strong alignment between B2B marketing and sales teams.<\/span><\/p>\n Content is a marathon and a lot of brands just don\u2019t have the horsepower in-house to produce a steady stream of weekly articles and videos\u2026 So I think a good beginning for an industrial brand is to analyze who\u2019s in your pipeline right now \u2014 your sales pipeline.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Andy\u2019s advice on execution is refreshingly practical. He recommends creating content specifically designed for prospects already in your sales pipeline \u2014 for example, developing materials that can be used in nurture sequences for proposals that have gone cold<\/strong>.\u00a0<\/p>\n His approach prioritizes the<\/strong> bottom of the funnel, where sales and marketing naturally align<\/strong>. This strategy is inherently more efficient, he explained, because you\u2019re delivering content directly to those most likely to take action. By focusing your limited resources on these high-probability conversions first, you can establish a foundation of content with clear ROI before expanding to more top-of-funnel initiatives<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Ways to implement this approach:<\/strong><\/p>\n This bottom-of-funnel focus is crucial because, as Andy notes, it\u2019s where \u201ccontent just sort of tends to be more efficient anyway,\u201d and where you can most easily demonstrate ROI to stakeholders.<\/p>\n One of the most energizing aspects of our conversation was Andy\u2019s permission to abandon the relentless publishing calendar<\/strong> that burns out so many marketing teams.<\/p>\n Instead of viewing your blog as a never-ending commitment, Andy suggests reconceptualizing it as a structured knowledge base<\/strong>:<\/p>\n If you don\u2019t have the calories and budget to keep a steady stream going, maybe remove the dates from all your blog posts, take the template, and remove the dates so things don\u2019t look as old as fast, and focus on evergreen content only.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n For the content you do create, Andy identified two high-value formats that resist easy commoditization:<\/p>\n These formats are particularly valuable because, as Andy explains,<\/p>\n Original research crushes it in search because it attracts links all day from journalists; and thought leadership crushes it in social because it starts conversations. It’s a point of view. It’s a personal thing. It’s a human thing. And AI can’t compete with either of those.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n These simple, straightforward approaches are accessible to marketing teams of any size and can yield distinctive content that rises above the tide of AI-generated sameness<\/a>, giving your brand both credibility and visibility that generic content simply cannot match.<\/span><\/p>\n If you\u2019re feeling overwhelmed by the proliferation of content channels, let Andy\u2019s perspective liberate your thinking:<\/span><\/p>\n The people who have tried have discovered that you can’t really move an audience from one channel to another. So our job is to go to them.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n But there\u2019s no rule requiring brands to be everywhere<\/em> their audiences are engaged. That\u2019s simply not a realistic expectation. But Andy goes further, suggesting we expand our view of what we mean by channels \u2014 and keep opportunities in mind like podcasts, YouTube channels, trade publications, associations, events, and more.\u00a0<\/p>\n He\u2019s also quick to point out this isn\u2019t new thinking, necessarily; rather, it\u2019s a proven approach from the world of PR, where you find your audience\u2019s preferred sources of information, and make your messages part of that environment.<\/strong><\/p>\n For identifying these channels, Andy recommends tools like <\/span>SparkToro (which we love, too)<\/span><\/a> and shares a clever tip for quick ideas. Even with the free version, he suggests taking a full page screenshot of the free report, uploading the image to ChatGPT, and chatting with the tool about ideas for engagement in the channels it identifies.<\/span><\/p>\n He also advocates for a shift in thinking about how we measure and evaluate channel performance <\/strong>\u2014 one that challenges the traffic-centric metrics marketers have clung to for too long. Rather than obsess about driving website visitors, Andy suggests reframing success around visibility and impressions.<\/p>\n This recognition that brand awareness has its own independent value represents an evolution in how we assess channel effectiveness. Consider, for example, LinkedIn newsletters<\/span><\/a>, where visibility may significantly outweigh traffic as the primary benefit.<\/p>\n How to implement strategic channel selection:<\/strong><\/p>\n My key takeaway from this conversation was the importance of focusing on value over volume<\/strong>. For industrial B2B marketers with limited resources, this means:<\/p>\n Industrial marketers don\u2019t need more content; we need content that matters more. In an era where everyone has access to the same AI tools and template-driven strategies, your competitive advantage lives in the intersection of strategic restraint and deliberate investment.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n It\u2019s not about keeping pace with every trend, but rather about placing concentrated bets on content that directly influences revenue while competitors continue spreading themselves thin.<\/p>\n Catch the full episode for all the insights, and then head over and register for Experience Inbound<\/span><\/a>. This year\u2019s lineup promises a great day of high-caliber, actionable, no-fluff guidance for marketing and sales professionals. Join us on May 19 at Lambeau Field in Green Bay or May 20 at the Harley-Davidson Museum in Milwaukee for a day of insights, advice, and strategies to help you identify your own high-value content opportunities for 2025 and beyond.<\/span><\/p>\nContent Strategy: The Math of Resource Allocation<\/span><\/h2>\n
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A New Blogging Paradigm: From Calendar-Driven to Asset-Building<\/h2>\n
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How to create original research on a shoestring budget:<\/h4>\n
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Channel Strategy: From Omnipresence to Strategic Presence<\/h2>\n
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Final Thoughts: Focus on Value, Not Volume<\/h2>\n
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