Many B2B companies write off general media channels—like local newspapers or mainstream news sites—because they think, “That’s not where our buyers are.” But here’s the truth: businesses are made up of people. And people read the news.
Repurposing your B2B content for broader audiences isn’t a pivot—it’s an upgrade. It builds trust and brand awareness in public view, which accelerates sales cycles and makes your brand harder to ignore.
B2B vs. B2C used to be a clear dividing line. Different audiences. Different goals. Different playbooks.
B2B marketing traditionally spoke to the rational brain—leaning on jargon, data, and logic to appeal to decision-makers chasing efficiency and ROI. B2C, on the other hand, spoke to the heart. It used storytelling, humor, and emotional hooks to win over consumers in the moment.
But today, those lines are blurring.
Whether you’re selling to a business or an individual, one truth remains: people make decisions. And people respond to authenticity. Especially in B2B, where trust and relatability can be a rare (and valuable) differentiator.
Strip away the acronyms, and every buyer is still a human being, moved by the same emotional triggers and expectations as any consumer. The challenge for marketers isn’t just to inform—it’s to connect in ways that resonate beyond the boardroom.
So, how can you put the human first in your B2B content?
Marketing to consumer audiences using your B2B content as a foundation is easier than you might think — especially if you focus on editorial ideas that speak to their lives and challenges, not just their company’s bottom line.
Start by identifying the emotional thread in your B2B content.
Rather than spotlighting product features or efficiency gains, shift the focus to the real-world impact. What tension does it ease? What freedom does it create? Zero in on the benefit, not the pitch. Use psychological cues like social proof, authority, or urgency to ground your message and make it relatable.
A smart way to do this is by zooming out from the product and focusing on the trend it's part of. What larger shift is your offering tapping into—hybrid work, automation, economic pressure, the need for flexibility? Frame your content around that trend, then connect it to how someone can work smarter, reduce stress, or gain more control over their day.
When you lead with themes like ambition, burnout, or workplace identity, you create an entry point that resonates beyond job titles or industries. That’s how you make B2B content feel personal and emotionally engaging —without sounding like a sales pitch. When done well, it can do two things at once – for example, inform and entertain.
Cut the jargon
If you’re trying to market to a Procurement Lead, think about what might get them to stop scrolling and spend time with your content when they’re on their commute home and their brain is fried after a long day.
Use punchier headlines, shorter sentences, and everyday language
Think Hemingway instead of the Harvard Business Review. Studies show that shorter sentences make writing easier to read. Plus, they make content more accessible and inclusive for all readers.
Before: "How a scalable, end-to-end SaaS ecosystem leverages AI-driven synergies to enhance operational outcomes."
After: "How one burned-out manager reclaimed 5 hours a week — without working weekends."
Shift the lens. Instead of showcasing how your product helps your customer’s business as you would in B2B, could your editorial show off the expertise of your subject matter expert? Or do you have first-party data you could leverage without being promotional? This can set your brand apart in the media! AARP nails this every year, generating media stories around Thanksgiving by using their traffic trend data to show when people should avoid traveling, building brand affinity in the process.
Highlight personal outcomes (e.g., saving time, feeling financially secure, looking smart at work). A good example of how brands can flip their narratives based on the audience is Vivian Health, a marketplace for healthcare jobs.
For B2B content, they target healthcare employers and the profession at large, with an editorial that might showcase a report on how the scope of a nurse practitioner differs state-by-state. But for B2C, they might shift focus to the individual, with stories on how nurse practitioner pay differs by state or nursing shortages. Both share useful information for people looking for out-of-state jobs.
Like Marshall McLuhan once said, “The medium is the message.” Showing up on more B2C channels and communicating in more B2C ways shows consumers that your brand wants them to succeed as an individual, rather than just making the business look good.
Short-form content isn’t just a B2C trend—B2B audiences want it too. Finally.
The trick is to break down your long-form assets into digestible, scroll-stopping pieces. A white paper becomes a series of blog posts. A blog post becomes a LinkedIn carousel or a quick-hit social post. More mileage, less lift.
Take Stacker CEO Noah Greenberg, for example. He wrote a deep-dive blog explaining why Stacker’s distribution model is defensible—even against billion-dollar competitors. But on LinkedIn, he teased it like you would to a friend:
Same story. Different packaging. Bigger reach.
Don’t just stick to trade outlets. Republish and repackage your content for consumer-friendly platforms—Instagram, TikTok, YouTube Shorts. That 45-minute webinar? Trim the jargon and highlight the moments that make someone say, “This tool changed my life.”
Even better, give your content a second life in national and local media outlets where your audience goes to unwind, not just work. These channels build trust and credibility beyond the boardroom and traditional marketing channels.
Your best insights shouldn’t be buried in a gated report or collecting dust in a PDF. Submit them to platforms like Stacker Connect, where editorial pros help you optimize your stories for broader reach. These stories get picked up by national and local outlets people trust, and your media dashboard will thank you for the spike in visibility and share of voice.
Reframing your B2B content for B2C distribution isn’t about dumbing it down. It’s about letting it breathe in the real world—where your future customers already are.
In a world where everyone’s competing for attention, the B2B brands that win will be the ones that know how to speak human. Reframing your content for consumer-facing channels doesn’t dilute your message—it multiplies your reach. Because at the end of the day, it’s not B2B or B2C. It’s B2P: Business to People.
Tamara Sykes is a strategic communicator specializing in content strategy, PR, and brand storytelling. As Head of Client Content Strategy at Stacker, she helps brands achieve earned media success through journalist-crafted content strategies. With expertise in digital PR, media partnerships, and audience engagement, she’s passionate about elevating brand visibility and driving meaningful impact.
Photo Illustration by Stacker // Canva