Why B2B Doesn’t Have to Be Boring—and How to Inject Personality Into Your Content

B2B Marketing Has a Personality Problem

Let’s face it: most B2B content blends in. Corporate LinkedIn posts read like press releases. Whitepapers feel like compliance docs. Videos? Polished, but forgettable.

It’s not because the people behind the content aren’t creative—it’s because somewhere along the way, B2B adopted a false binary: that you can either be professional or interesting, but not both.

That’s no longer true (if it ever was). The most effective B2B brands in 2025 are building loyal audiences not by playing it safe—but by showing up with clarity, character, and real personality.

Your audience is full of humans. Your content should reflect that. Let’s break down how.

Tone First, Templates Later

Before you redesign your visual identity or launch a new campaign, get real about your tone. Ask yourself: does your brand sound like a person or a process?

Personality doesn’t mean being flippant or casual. It means being confident and clear. Swap jargon for sharp insight. Drop the safe intros and start with a take. Write how you talk—not how you think a brand is supposed to sound.

A distinctive voice is what makes your audience lean in. Everything else flows from that.

Visuals That Actually Stop the Scroll

If your audience scrolls past your content, it doesn’t matter how brilliant it is. Visuals are your first handshake—and most B2B brands are offering the same limp one.

Use illustration, motion graphics, real behind-the-scenes footage, or bold design choices that actually reflect your company’s point of view. Even your slide decks can carry personality—if you let them.

Remember: personality isn’t about decoration. It’s about identity.

Stories Beat Specs (Every Time)

A product sheet can inform. A story can persuade. In complex buying cycles, it’s not the features that stick—it’s the narrative.

Tell the story of a real customer challenge (not just a quote at the bottom of a case study). Share the lessons behind a product decision. Interview your engineers about the weirdest problem they solved this quarter.

When you ground your content in lived experience, it becomes more than educational—it becomes memorable.

Your Format Isn’t Sacred

Most B2B content sticks to familiar formats: blog posts, case studies, webinars, whitepapers.

But what if your next best-performing piece of content is a 45-second video clip from a customer Zoom call? Or a comic strip based on a common sales objection? Or a podcast episode hosted by your product manager?

When you break your own format rules, you make room for delight—and discoverability.

Tactical Ways to Make It Happen

For individual marketers:

• Rewrite your last post or video script with a “friendlier” voice—imagine explaining it to a smart colleague over coffee.

• Test a new format this month: a voice note, a sketch, a carousel, a lo-fi video. Low stakes. High learning.

For teams:

• Create a “personality pass” step in your review process. Ask: Does this sound like us? Does this sound like a human?

• Celebrate team members who take smart creative risks—and share wins internally.

For leaders:

• Let your internal creators show up with their own voices. The best advocates for your brand may not sit in marketing.

• Stop requiring polish over point-of-view. Raw + real beats perfect + predictable.

Your Brand Has a Voice. Use It.

The brands that win in B2B aren’t just trusted—they’re liked. They sound different. They feel alive. They don’t try to hide the humans behind the content—they highlight them.

Your company is full of personality. The question is: will your content show it?

Prompt this into GPT-4: “Give me 5 creative ideas to make my B2B content more human and engaging.”