New research from TopRank Marketing and Ascend2 reveals a significant disconnect between what B2B (Business to Business) marketers know works and what they actually implement in their content strategies. The study of nearly 800 senior marketing leaders indicates two major opportunity areas where most organizations are leaving potential engagement and effectiveness on the table.
Influencer Collaboration Creates Performance Gap
The research shows a notable effectiveness divide based on influencer collaboration practices. Among B2B marketers who frequently partner with industry experts on their research-based content, 72% report their initiatives as “very effective.” This stands in stark contrast to just 29% of marketers who don’t regularly leverage such partnerships, creating a 45-percentage-point performance gap.
This differential suggests that the combination of original research with credible industry voices creates a multiplier effect that significantly outperforms either approach used in isolation. The study indicates that these partnerships not only enhance content credibility, but also extend reach into new audiences through the established expert networks.
Despite this clear performance advantage, many organizations have yet to implement systematic influencer collaboration as a core component of their thought leadership strategy.
Interactive Content Shows Strong Returns but Low Adoption
The second significant gap appears in the implementation of interactive and experiential content formats. While 78% of surveyed B2B marketers acknowledge that such formats increase repeat engagement with their audiences, only 33% regularly incorporate them into their campaigns.
This 45-point disconnect between belief and action represents one of the largest implementation gaps identified in the research. The data suggests many marketing organizations recognize the value of transforming passive content consumption into active participation, but haven’t operationalized this insight.
For research reports specifically, interactive formats tie with explainer videos (both at 53%) as the most effective engagement drivers, followed closely by infographics at 51%. The study indicates that these formats give audiences reasons to spend more time with the content and to return for additional engagement.
Competitive Differentiation Through Execution
Together, these findings point to substantial competitive advantages available to organizations willing to close these execution gaps. The research suggests that while many marketers understand what drives engagement and effectiveness, significantly fewer have systematized these approaches.
As discovery increasingly happens through AI tools (now used by 32% of professionals to find thought leadership content) and competition for attention intensifies, the execution gap in these two areas represents both a vulnerability for laggards and an opportunity for those ready to implement what the data clearly shows works.
The research was conducted in July 2025 among senior marketing leaders across the United States and the United Kingdom, with respondents representing a cross-section of industries including technology, financial services, manufacturing, and professional services.
Image credit: TopRank Marketing The full report is available here
David Adler is an entrepreneur and freelance blog post writer who enjoys writing about business, entrepreneurship, travel and the influencer marketing space.
New research from TopRank Marketing and Ascend2 reveals a significant disconnect between what B2B (Business to Business) marketers know works and what they actually implement in their content strategies. The study of nearly 800 senior marketing leaders indicates two major opportunity areas where most organizations are leaving potential engagement and effectiveness on the table.
Influencer Collaboration Creates Performance Gap
The research shows a notable effectiveness divide based on influencer collaboration practices. Among B2B marketers who frequently partner with industry experts on their research-based content, 72% report their initiatives as “very effective.” This stands in stark contrast to just 29% of marketers who don’t regularly leverage such partnerships, creating a 45-percentage-point performance gap.
This differential suggests that the combination of original research with credible industry voices creates a multiplier effect that significantly outperforms either approach used in isolation. The study indicates that these partnerships not only enhance content credibility, but also extend reach into new audiences through the established expert networks.
Despite this clear performance advantage, many organizations have yet to implement systematic influencer collaboration as a core component of their thought leadership strategy.
Interactive Content Shows Strong Returns but Low Adoption
The second significant gap appears in the implementation of interactive and experiential content formats. While 78% of surveyed B2B marketers acknowledge that such formats increase repeat engagement with their audiences, only 33% regularly incorporate them into their campaigns.
This 45-point disconnect between belief and action represents one of the largest implementation gaps identified in the research. The data suggests many marketing organizations recognize the value of transforming passive content consumption into active participation, but haven’t operationalized this insight.
For research reports specifically, interactive formats tie with explainer videos (both at 53%) as the most effective engagement drivers, followed closely by infographics at 51%. The study indicates that these formats give audiences reasons to spend more time with the content and to return for additional engagement.
Competitive Differentiation Through Execution
Together, these findings point to substantial competitive advantages available to organizations willing to close these execution gaps. The research suggests that while many marketers understand what drives engagement and effectiveness, significantly fewer have systematized these approaches.
As discovery increasingly happens through AI tools (now used by 32% of professionals to find thought leadership content) and competition for attention intensifies, the execution gap in these two areas represents both a vulnerability for laggards and an opportunity for those ready to implement what the data clearly shows works.
The research was conducted in July 2025 among senior marketing leaders across the United States and the United Kingdom, with respondents representing a cross-section of industries including technology, financial services, manufacturing, and professional services.
Image credit: TopRank Marketing
The full report is available here
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