Advice you’d give to yourself before launching the B2B Growth podcast?

B2B content creators struggle to measure real impact beyond vanity metrics. Benji Block, founder of Signature Series and former host of B2B Growth podcast, shares his framework for evaluating content performance. He recommends tracking meaningful comments that spark conversations, monitoring average view duration to gauge content quality, and optimizing click-through rates through systematic thumbnail testing. The discussion covers how engagement metrics connect to business outcomes and the importance of measuring downstream effects like website visits and real-world conversations.

Episode Chapters

  • 00:00: Three Metrics for Content Success

    Discussion of key performance indicators that demonstrate whether a content strategy is effectively building brand awareness and engagement.

  • 00:39: Beyond Click-Through to Business Impact

    Exploration of a three-tier measurement framework covering content discovery, consumption rates, and downstream business engagement effects.

Episode Summary

  • Building B2B Content That Actually Drives Business Results

    Introduction

    Benji Block, founder of Signature Series and former Executive Producer of B2B Growth podcast (5M+ downloads), shares hard-won insights on creating B2B content that resonates with audiences and drives measurable business outcomes. With experience launching over 50 podcasts and coaching 80+ leaders to become standout hosts, Block brings a unique perspective on what separates content that merely exists from content that actually works.
  • The Three Metrics That Matter

    When evaluating content effectiveness, Block emphasizes that metrics must align with your specific strategy. For brand-building initiatives, he identifies three critical indicators that signal whether your content is truly co ecting with your audience.
  • Comments and Meaningful Conversations

    The first metric Block highlights is the quality and quantity of comments across all platforms where content is posted. "Is it starting meaningful conversations?" he asks, pointing to engagement as a key indicator of content that resonates. This goes beyond vanity metrics like likes or shares - it's about whether your content sparks genuine dialogue and interaction within your target audience.
  • Average View Duration

    The second critical metric is average view duration. Block stresses the importance of understanding whether audiences are consuming content fully rather than dropping off after a few seconds. This metric reveals whether your content delivers on its promise and maintains viewer interest throughout. For B2B marketers creating longer-form content like podcasts or video series, this metric becomes especially crucial for understanding content effectiveness.
  • Click-Through Rate and Thumbnail Performance

    Block's third metric focuses on the often-overlooked element of thumbnail optimization. With YouTube now offering A/B testing for up to three thumbnails, he advocates for constant iteration to improve click-through rates. "Every video you post on YouTube, you're going to have to post a thumbnail. You might as well constantly be iterating," Block notes, emphasizing that even the best content needs effective packaging to reach its intended audience.
  • The Complete Content Performance Framework

    Benjamin Shapiro builds on Block's framework by proposing a three-stage content evaluation model that tracks the complete viewer journey. First, are people finding and clicking on your content? This addresses the "thumbnail-title conundrum" that determines whether your content gets discovered. Second, what's the consumption rate once viewers engage? This aligns with Block's emphasis on view duration. Third, and perhaps most importantly, what downstream business effects are you seeing? This includes everything from website visits to real-world conversations that stem from your content.
  • Beyond Vanity Metrics to Business Impact

    The conversation reveals a crucial shift in how B2B marketers should think about content success. Rather than focusing solely on download numbers or view counts, both experts emphasize the importance of engagement that creates compounding effects over time. Whether it's comments that lead to sales conversations, content consumption that builds trust, or community engagement that strengthens brand loyalty, the metrics that matter are those that co ect content performance to actual business outcomes.
  • Key Takeaways for B2B Marketers

    For marketing leaders looking to build content strategies that deliver results, Block's insights offer a practical framework. Start by aligning metrics with your specific goals - brand building requires different measurements than direct response campaigns. Focus on creating content that people actually consume fully, not just click on. Invest time in optimizing how you package and present content, including thumbnails and titles. Most importantly, track the complete journey from discovery through consumption to business impact, ensuring your content strategy creates lasting value rather than momentary attention.
Related Podcasts by Category

Up Next: