80% promo, 20% creation?

Time to give distribution the attention it deserves

Author

Paige Peterson
May 09, 2025

Hey, Paige here!

Before we get into today’s best marketing research… 

In today’s release: 

  • Only 19% of companies spend more than 20% of their marketing budget on content—and most of that’s still creation.

  • The #2 priority for B2B marketers in 2025? Not content creation—content distribution.

  • 5 underused distribution channels you should have been using yesterday

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DEEP DIVE

Let’s rip the bandage off:

You don’t need more blog posts.
You need more people to actually see the ones you’ve already written.

In the last year, content distribution went from the 6th to the 2nd biggest content investment area in B2B marketing. You know what that means?

Smart marketers aren’t just hitting “Publish” anymore—they’re building pipelines around getting the content seen.

And those still stuck in the “more content = more results” cycle?
Yeah... they’re the reason LinkedIn is a graveyard of unread ebooks.

You’re spending too much on creation (you’re missing the most important part)

Let’s talk numbers:

  • Only ~19% of companies spend more than 20% of their marketing budget on content (creation and distribution).

  • 79% of marketing leaders now use content syndication vendors to get seen.

  • And the boldest of the bold? They’re flipping their content split to 20% creation / 80% promotion.

TL;DR: You don’t need more content. You need better distribution.

Ask yourself: Are you building a content library, or just a content graveyard?

5 underused distribution channels you should have been using yesterday

Let’s be honest. “We promote content” often means tweeting it once and sending good vibes to the universe. Howa bout we capitalize on the four months of work put into that report instead? 

Here’s what the pros are doing instead:

1. Slack Communities & Dark Social

Why it works: Hyper-targeted, insanely engaged, and no algorithm playing gatekeeper.

The data: Employee-shared content gets 561% more reach than brand content.

The truth: Your LinkedIn post gets buried in seconds. A shared link in a Slack channel? That sparks a real discussion.

🧠 Try this: Join groups like Exit Five or RevGenius. Be helpful. Share smart stuff. Don’t pitch. (No one likes that guy.)

2. Partner Newsletters

Why it works: Someone else already did the hard work of building your audience.

Case in point: Doist built lasting newsletter partnerships by thanking editors who linked to their content—and suggesting more.

Paige says: This is distribution as relationship-building. Not begging.

🧠 Try this: Find the newsletters your buyers actually read. Offer value, not just a link.

3. Niche Content Syndication

Why it works: Ditch the spray-and-pray. Target exactly who you want.

The data: 79% of B2B marketers now syndicate content—most to niche, high-intent networks.

Cautionary tale: Generic syndication = tons of downloads from interns. Niche = decision-makers who convert. Lower vanity metric, higher quality.

🧠 Try this: Syndicate on sites your ICP trusts (e.g. CFO.com if you’re fintech, not BuzzTechBlitz.biz).

4. LinkedIn DMs (Social ABM, But Make It Personal)

Why it works: 50%+ open rates. Higher reply rates than your best nurture email.

Quote to steal: “Sales happen in the DMs.”

What not to do: “Hi [FirstName], thought you’d love this whitepaper!” 🙄

🧠 Try this: DM content that actually helps someone solve a problem. Bonus points if it’s their problem.

5. Influencer & Employee Distribution

Why it works: People trust people, not logos.

Stats you can’t ignore:

  • 8x more engagement on employee content.

  • 276% lift from influencer-shared campaigns (thanks, Dell 👀).

  • Dreamdata saved $200K in ad spend with just 6 employees on LinkedIn.

If you’ve got a team that knows what they’re talking about, unleash them. If not... start hiring better people.

🧠 Try this: Build a simple advocacy program. Offer content snippets. Track who drives traffic—and celebrate them.

Metrics to watch (aka how to know it’s working)

  • Slack/Communities: Lead mentions in convos > impressions. Add a “Where did you hear about us?” field.

  • Newsletters: CTRs of 2–5% = good. Anything higher? Buy that editor a drink.

  • Syndication: CPLs under $60 are solid. Track downstream conversion or time-on-page.

  • LinkedIn DMs: 10–20% reply rates = winning. Anything below 5%? Rewrite your message.

  • Influencer/Employee: Track total reach, engagement per post, and referral lift. Use UTM links or branded shorteners.

Action Plan: Your Mini Distribution Audit

Run through this checklist with your team this week:

  1. What’s your current creation-to-distribution ratio? (If it’s 80/20 the wrong way, we need to talk.)

  2. What 3 distribution channels are you NOT using that your competitors probably are?

  3. How many of your employees are sharing company content this week? (If it’s <5%, fix that fast.)

The big takeaway: B2B content marketing in 2025 isn’t about making more noise. It’s about getting your existing content in front of the right people—consistently, creatively, and where your audience is already paying attention.

That’s it, ya’ll! Here’s how we can help…

✅ Binge our podcast about the future of media in business.
✅ Download the 2025 State of Video Podcasts Report.
✅ Book a video podcast strategy call with Ben from our team.

Keep creating,

Paige Peterson
Newsletter Aficionado, Sweet Fish