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I’ve Been Flattening Our Writing for AI Search. I’m Not Sure It Was Right

I’ve Been Flattening Our Writing for AI Search. I’m Not Sure It Was Right

Key takeaways: We changed the way we write because AI search guidance told us to. We flattened introductions, front-loaded answers and organized content so machines could quote it cleanly. The writing became easier to extract and harder to recognize as ours. That raised a question we can’t shake: Did we improve the reading experience or […]
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How the B2B Content Review Process Kills Good Writing

How the B2B Content Review Process Kills Good Writing

Key takeaways: B2B content isn’t boring because of the topic. It becomes boring during the review process, where each edit strips out the opinions, specifics and examples that make it worth reading. The result of a bloated B2B content review process is drivel that nobody remembers, buyers who see hedging as a warning sign and […]
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How to Measure Thought Leadership ROI

How to Measure Thought Leadership ROI

Key takeaways: Thought leadership ROI goes far beyond likes, impressions and website traffic. The most effective measurement strategy tracks awareness, buyer engagement and revenue together, giving marketing leaders a clear view of the business results. When you also measure the value generated for every hour your experts invest, you gain the evidence you need to […]
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Why More CEOs See Marketing as a Cost Center

Why More CEOs See Marketing as a Cost Center

Key takeaways: The marketing cost-center problem is old, but it’s accelerating. The share of CEOs who see marketing as a cost rather than a profit center jumped from 35% to 60% in one year. The cause is measurement. Only 13% of CEOs feel confident that marketing can show financial benefits, and producing more content with […]
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The Double AI Lie: You’re Losing Time and Your Edge

The Double AI Lie: You’re Losing Time and Your Edge

Key takeaways: AI and critical thinking have an increasingly complicated relationship. Research shows that heavy reliance on AI can reduce critical thinking, weaken independent judgment and make ideas more alike. AI can help with efficiency, but marketers still need to question assumptions, challenge outputs and focus on original thinking. AI has incredible power and potential, […]
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The Lab Results Are Fine: When B2B Marketing Data Hides a Sick System

The Lab Results Are Fine: When B2B Marketing Data Hides a Sick System

Key takeaways: Healthy B2B marketing data can make a broken system look fine. Isolated metrics, such as organic traffic, cost per click and lead volume, can hide problems with buyer intent, sales trust and pipeline movement. When sales cycles exceed historical norms or sales teams stop trusting marketing leads, marketing teams need to look at […]
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Why AI Is Ignoring Your B2B Customer Case Studies

Why AI Is Ignoring Your B2B Customer Case Studies

Key takeaways: When B2B customer case studies bury customer problems and measurable results beneath company background and product details, AI systems can’t identify the information buyers need. As a result, many case studies never appear in AI-generated answers. Most B2B customer case studies make it hard to identify the problem, the solution and the results. […]
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The Thought Leader’s Shortcut: Build a Content Bank From 1 Asset

The Thought Leader’s Shortcut: Build a Content Bank From 1 Asset

Key takeaways: Break one anchor asset into a Content Bank of articles, social posts, carousels, videos and sales tools. Use a content repurposing strategy and employee advocacy to distribute those assets and support a 90-day, multichannel campaign. This allows you to reach buyers throughout their research process. In the last Expert-Led Content Engine article, we […]
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The Trust Gap: Why Human Content Wins in an AI Market

The Trust Gap: Why Human Content Wins in an AI Market

Key takeaways: Human-first content in B2B is grounded in experience, a clear point of view and informed judgment. It helps buyers build trust before they with speak with sales. For years at The Simons Group, our North Star has been “content-first.” It’s how we keep the focus where it belongs: on the message rather than […]
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Stop Asking Experts to Write: The Two-Touchpoint Content Workflow

Stop Asking Experts to Write: The Two-Touchpoint Content Workflow

Key takeaways: A two-touchpoint content workflow concentrates expert involvement into two focused moments that support speed, cost discipline and buyer expectations. By structuring participation around an input session and an accuracy review, organizations share insights while buyers are evaluating options. In addition, this workflow reduces inefficient use of expert time, supports consistent execution and aligns […]
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A magnifying glass image represents how buyers prefer self-service vs. talking with sales reps.

Self-Service That Sells: Smart Moves for B2B Marketers

B2B buyers want control. They prefer to explore, compare and make purchase decisions on their own terms. That’s where self-service marketing comes in. It gives buyers the ability to access the information they need without waiting for a sales conversation. Many B2B buyers now complete most of their research before

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A graphic of parachutes and balloons in the sky and a man hanging onto one represents the challenge of getting leadership to approve your marketing budget.

Get to Yes: Selling Your B2B Marketing Budget to Leadership

If you’re in B2B marketing, asking for a larger marketing budget can feel like a tough sell – especially when you’re wearing multiple hats and working with limited resources. The challenge isn’t just in asking for more money than the previous year. Rather, it’s in showing leadership that the investment

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Stones on a board represent using KPIs and ROI together to measure marketing results.

KPIs and ROI: A Marketer’s Guide to Measurement

B2B marketers are under increasing pressure to prove the value of every effort. What worked last year might not be enough now. That’s why key performance indicators (KPIs) and return on investment (ROI) have gone from nice-to-haves to must-haves. These tools help you show what’s working, justify your budget, and

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An image showing small gears represents alignment in B2B sales and marketing teams.

From Silos to Synergy: How to Unite B2B Sales and Marketing

Many business-to-business (B2B) leaders struggle with sales and marketing alignment, even when they think these teams work well together. The data tells a different story. Forrester found that 65% of sales and marketing staff see a disconnect between their departments’ leaders. That gap creates real problems: lost deals, employee turnover

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An image of a man on a ladder looking through a pair of binoculars symbolizes the importance of content hubs in a zero-click search world.

Content Hubs Matter More Than Ever in Zero-Click Search

Here’s an unexpected truth: As Google answers more questions in search results, B2B content hubs matter more – not less. Basic info gets stuck in zero-click results, but in-depth, well-connected hubs still shine. Think of it this way: If someone can get a quick answer without clicking, they probably didn’t

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A woman standing in front of a presentation screen represents how important it is to share marketing ROI with stakeholders.

Turn Marketing ROI Into a Story That Matters

In B2B marketing, showing the value of your efforts is essential. Tracking numbers is important, but the real win comes when you explain what they mean. Marketing ROI stories help stakeholders see how your efforts support the business. Tailor your marketing ROI message to each audience Understand your audience and

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A woman with her fingers showing a zero illustrates that zero-click marketing isn't just another digital trend.

The End of the Click? A Quick Guide to Zero-Click Marketing

Have you ever typed a question into Google and found the answer instantly – without clicking a single link? That’s zero-click marketing in action. But what does it mean, and why does it matter to you? What is zero-click marketing? Simply put, zero-click marketing is about delivering information or experiences

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A human eye represents insights into digital marketing trends for 2025.

Digital Marketing Trends To Watch for in 2025

As 2025 nears, B2B marketers are asking how to keep up with the fast-changing digital world. Artificial intelligence (AI) and automation offer news ways to work, but the need for real human connection remains strong. The future will belong to those who can balance cutting-edge tech with empathy and creativity.

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A photo of a woman being interviewed represents how customer advocacy programs help drive content.

Fuel Business Growth and Content with Advocacy Programs

Top B2B brands know customer advocacy is the ultimate way to retain customers, win buyers’ hearts and minds and grow their businesses. Brands prioritize advocacy because it works. It’s not unusual for businesses to have strong customer connections. Advocacy programs take these relationships a step further. They turn loyal customers

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