73% trust bold content

Hey, Paige here!

Before we get into today’s best marketing research… 

In today’s release: 

• 73% of B2B buyers trust bold thought leadership more than ads or product pages (trust is built through perspective, not promotion)

• 75% of decision-makers explored new solutions after reading a strong POV

• ideo posts are shared 203x more than text, and contrarian, human-led videos drive up to 78% more engagement.

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DEEP DIVE

Safe content is killing your pipeline. In 2025, playing it safe is the fastest way to get ignored. If your content isn't making someone feel something or challenge their thinking, it’s probably not moving the needle.

“Providing value” is not enough anymore. Your educational content is already being summarized by AI. So yeah, teaching is good and valuable. But if you’ve gone all in on only educational content, it’s time to add a little spice to the mix 🌶️

The B2B brands that are really winning today are those that challenge assumptions, reframe problems, and show up confidently. Ya know, strong POVs. Let’s call this ‘Challenger Content’. 

The result… Bigger audiences. Deeper trust. Real revenue.

And the best part? The data backs it up. 

The data:

• 73% of B2B buyers trust a company’s thought leadership more than ads or product pages.

• 75% have researched a solution they weren’t even considering because of strong thought leadership.

• 70% of execs have reconsidered their vendor because a bold article shifted their thinking.

• 60% would pay a premium to work with a vendor that educates them through perspective-rich content.

The message is clear: the most effective content isn’t soft—it’s sharp and out of the box. 

Brand wins in the wild

Gong didn’t grow from 12,000 to 180,000+ followers on LinkedIn by echoing best practices. They built a movement around bold, data-backed insights that questioned the norm.

Their “fire starter” posts—like “Everything You Learned About Cold Calling Is Wrong”—weren’t just edgy. They were right. And ya know what happened in response? Lively debate, a rabid fanbase, and a steady flow of qualified leads.

Taking it a step further: Don’t just say it—Show it

Video is today’s delivery system for contrarian thinking.

• Video posts on LinkedIn are shared 203x more than text-based posts.

• 55% of B2B marketers say short-form videos now deliver their highest ROI.

• But only 7% of video ads feature any human emotion — a massive missed opportunity.

• Videos featuring a contrarian expert POV drove 22% more engagement than “safe” messages.

• Human-led, authentic, unscripted moments drove 78% higher engagement.

(Data pulled from recent study, ‘The Art and Science of Video Storytelling’)

If you’re not building bold POV content into short, vertical, expert-led videos, you’re not just behind—you might just be invisible.

Something to try today: Your challenger content test

✅ 1. Pick the hill to die on 😉

What does everyone in your industry believe that needs to be challenged? That’s your entry point.

✅ 2. Build the POV

Back up your contrarian take with data, customer insight, or sharp firsthand experience (this one is my fav).

✅ 3. Say it face-first

Put it on video. Speak directly to camera. Add cultural context or humor if it fits your voice.

Pro Tip: Use vertical video. It saw 41% higher engagement on LinkedIn vs traditional formats.

✅ 4. Publish, then defend

Push it live on LinkedIn, email, or even Reddit. Then stick around for the conversation. Challenger content works best when it sparks dialogue. No posting and ghosting, ya’ll. 

✅ 5. Repeat. 

Challenger content is a strategy, not a stunt. Build a cadence and keep sharpening your stance. Run with a limited test, and see what performs in your industry.

Being neutral isn’t the play

B2B audiences in 2025 aren’t craving comfort. They want to be challenged, surprised, and educated. Safe content won’t cut it anymore. (we’ve won deals challenging assumptions, you can too!)

The path to pipeline now runs through perspective—delivered with boldness, creativity, and a human voice.

The takeaway: Your buyers are watching. Say something worth hearing. Then show them what it looks like.