B2B marketing insights for
those targeting a niche
Insights, learnings and stories from the world of B2B marketing and communications, direct from Velo’s B2B agency team
B2B Marketing in manufacturing
Manufacturing marketers face a distinctive challenge: turning deep technical detail into compelling marketing without losing the accuracy that specialist buyers depend on. They are navigating long buying cycles, complex procurement processes, multiple stakeholders across engineering, operations and procurement, and products or services where specification matters as much as story. All of this while proving that marketing can contribute commercially in environments where sales has traditionally led and marketing has played a supporting role.
That means learning about specification-led buying, technical messaging, industrial and engineering audiences, compliance-aware content, channel and trade media strategy, product launch and product marketing, distributor and partner support, sales enablement for technical sales teams, sector and niche positioning, and how brand and demand generation work together across long, relationship-driven buying journeys.
Our insight articles explore the pressures and opportunities facing manufacturing marketers, helping teams working in health and safety, precision engineering, industrial automation, energy and utilities, and scientific and lab technology market complex products and services more clearly, more confidently and more effectively.
AI & MarTech for B2B, B2B Marketing in manufacturing
Found by AI: From specification to shortlist: how manufacturers can lift their AI search visibility
Found by AI is a three-part Velo series on how B2B buyers now use AI to choose suppliers. Each sector is found in a different way. Manufacturers have to unlock what they already know. Technology firms have to prove what they claim. Professional services firms have to earn the right to be cited. A design engineer needs a seal rated to 200°C […]
ABM, B2B Audiences, B2B GTM, B2B Marketing in manufacturing, B2B Marketing in Professional Services, B2B Strategy
How to build trust in your brand when targeting the defence sector
Most B2B marketing runs on proof: named customers, published outcomes, a case study for every objection. Defence marketing rarely gets that version of the game. Contracts stay classified. Customers stay unnamed. Case studies still exist, but they carry more weight when built to fit those limits rather than despite them, and the real competition usually starts before […]
B2B Content, B2B Marketing in Insurance, B2B Marketing in manufacturing, B2B Marketing in Professional Services, B2B Sales Enablement
How B2B marketers can prepare winning sales decks
Most sales decks fail because they’re built like brochures: complete, generic and impossible to adapt mid-conversation. This piece sets out a framework built on SPIN selling and five fast-moving elements, context, clarity, contrast, character and call to action, for decks sales teams can actually flex in the room.
ABM, B2B Marketing in manufacturing, B2B Marketing in Professional Services, B2B Sales Enablement, B2B Strategy
How does running ABM campaigns in the defence sector differ from other B2B markets?
Defence buying doesn’t behave like other B2B categories: decision-makers are hard to identify, cycles run in years and switching a qualified component can cost more than it’s worth. This piece sets out what ABM actually looks like in defence, from manual stakeholder research to the trade-show playbook that gets you noticed.
B2B GTM, B2B Marketing in manufacturing, B2B Marketing in Professional Services, B2B Strategy
If AI data centres are where the money is, how do you position your products and services as relevant?
The real AI opportunity isn’t the software, it’s the infrastructure behind it: the power, cooling, land, construction and compliance work that data centres depend on. This piece sets out how suppliers in adjacent markets can sell outcomes and technical proof to get noticed by infrastructure buyers.
ABM, B2B Content, B2B Marketing in manufacturing, B2B Marketing in Technology
Why your technical team might be your best marketing asset
Sherlock Holmes may have been the smartest person in the room, but even he needed Watson to help make his conclusions shine – and it’s the same with tech teams and marketing. Like Holmes and Watson, Woody and Buzz or Jake and Amy (IYKYK), unlikely companions always make for the best stories. And so it […]
B2B Marketing in manufacturing, B2B Marketing in Professional Services, B2B Marketing in Technology, B2B Search, SEO & GEO
Fancy a brew? LinkedIn’s 360Brew algorithm is why your content reach has changed
For months, our company posts have been pulling 75–80% less reach than they were, and personal posts swing from solid to invisible with no obvious pattern. We’re not alone. AuthoredUp’s analysis of three million-plus posts found 98% of users saw reach decline year-on-year, with median impressions falling around 47%. For larger accounts (50K+ followers) the drops hit 62% on reach and […]
B2B Marketing in manufacturing, B2B Marketing in Technology, B2B Marketing Leadership, B2B Sales Enablement
Sales and marketing alignment is a myth. Here is what works instead.
Why the real goal is empathy, and the practical approaches that reduce friction. Let’s start with the word itself. Alignment. It sounds sensible. Two teams moving in the same direction, not interfering with each other, broadly coordinated. The kind of language that fits neatly into strategy documents. But that is not how B2B buying works. B2B […]
AI & MarTech for B2B, B2B Campaigns, B2B Content, B2B Marketing in manufacturing, B2B Marketing in Professional Services, B2B Marketing in Technology, B2B Search, SEO & GEO, B2B Video
How to improve your discoverability in LLMs with YouTube videos
LLMs pick up many of the same signals as SEO, but visibility now extends well beyond your own site, and YouTube carries particular weight with tools like Gemini. This piece sets out how to write titles, descriptions and transcripts that machines can actually parse, and build authority YouTube alone can’t earn.
B2B Advocacy, B2B Content, B2B Marketing in manufacturing, B2B Marketing in Professional Services, B2B Marketing in Technology, Customer Experience
Case studies under NDA: how to build credibility when you can’t name names
Practical ways to create compelling content when confidentiality is a genuine constraint Have you ever brought something from Amazon without checking reviews, or booked a hotel without checking TripAdvisor? These days, it’s unlikely. Reviews have become the lifeblood of sales, building customer trust, credibility, and product or services validation. That’s why in B2B marketing, case […]
B2B Campaigns, B2B Content, B2B Marketing in manufacturing
Video is key to making Performance Max work
Performance Max (PMax) is Google’s AI-driven campaign type that serves ads simultaneously across Search, YouTube, Display, Gmail, Maps, and Discover from a single campaign. You provide the budget, the conversion goals, and your creative assets. Google’s machine learning then decides which combinations to serve, to which audiences, and when. The quality of what you put […]
AI & MarTech for B2B, B2B Campaigns, B2B Content, B2B Marketing in Insurance, B2B Marketing in manufacturing, B2B Marketing in Technology, B2B Marketing Leadership, B2B Sales Enablement
AI slurry all over LinkedIn? Humans make the best posts
LinkedIn is full of long, lifeless lists, samey headlines and advice that could have come from anyone. This piece argues that authenticity beats algorithmic optimisation: personal connection requests, real engagement and posts that admit to still working things out, rather than polished perfection, are what actually earn attention.
B2B Advocacy, B2B Campaigns, B2B Content, B2B Creative, B2B ESG, B2B Marketing in manufacturing
How Manufacturing Marketers should approach 2026
When your value is invisible until something goes wrong The best health and safety equipment never makes the news. Precision-engineered components that perform flawlessly for twenty years earn no headlines. Medical devices that work exactly as designed don’t generate case studies about dramatic turnarounds. In manufacturing sectors where success means nothing goes wrong, marketing faces […]
AI & MarTech for B2B, B2B Marketing in Insurance, B2B Marketing in manufacturing, B2B Marketing in Professional Services, B2B Marketing in Technology, B2B Search, SEO & GEO
How easy is it to influence how you appear within AI search models, and how can you monitor it?
Google might still be the Goliath of search, clocking over 8.3 billion visits a month, while ChatGPT attracts a (comparatively modest) 1.8 billion+. But let’s be honest, what’s more revealing is the rate at which this gap is closing. The real picture is even closer when you add in Claude, Perplexity and other AI tools […]
ABM, B2B Audiences, B2B Campaigns, B2B Marketing in manufacturing, B2B Marketing in Technology, B2B Research
Targeting Health, Safety, Environment and Compliance Leaders – A B2B Marketing Persona Deep Dive
When safety, compliance and operational continuity are non-negotiable, Health, Safety, Environment and Compliance (HSEC) leaders aren’t just part of your audience — they’re your gatekeepers to trust and long-term business. They sit at the intersection of people, process and policy, with remits that stretch from PPE procurement to incident investigation. Their goal is simple but […]
B2B Content, B2B Marketing in manufacturing, B2B Marketing in Professional Services, B2B Marketing in Technology
Why is B2B content like preparing the perfect pancake?
Why Is B2B Content Like the Perfect Pancake? One of the most effective ways to create digital content that excites and engages is to align it with something you love. Not only does this keep your enthusiasm high, but it also makes your content more compelling for the reader. So, in the spirit of Pancake […]
B2B Marketing Agency Selection, B2B Marketing in manufacturing, B2B Marketing in Professional Services, B2B Marketing in Technology
Why use a pitch when selecting an agency? It puts too much pressure on a client’s brief.
When looking for a new agency, common practice is to invite selected agencies to generate initial ideas, explain their approach, and share relevant experience around the problem you’re seeking to solve. Typically, most pitches involve an initial brief. This brief is crucial for the agency, as it provides the basis for deciding whether to participate […]
B2B Marketing in manufacturing, B2B Research, B2B Search, SEO & GEO
How to leverage Google’s Search Generative Experience (SGE) in B2B marketing
It may feel like the landscape of digital marketing is ever-evolving. The reality is, it is – and keeping up to date is crucial for B2B marketers. There was a lot to take in at this year’s BrightonSEO conference (catch up on our key takeaways here) back in April, but something we’ve been keeping […]
B2B Creative, B2B Marketing in manufacturing, B2B Marketing in Professional Services, B2B Marketing in Technology, B2B websites
B2B Web Design Trends for Technology, Professional Services, and Manufacturing Brands
As part of our drive to embrace AI (Artificial Intelligence), this article was generated to write up the discussions in our internal Sector Inspector deep-dive workshops. In these sessions, our team works together to investigate, explore and understand a specific challenge. Through it, we drive deeper agency-wide knowledge into our sectors. Modern B2B websites […]
B2B Audiences, B2B Marketing in manufacturing
Need a B2B persona for targeting Facilities Managers or Buildings Managers?
Knowing your audience is the first step in constructing strong B2B marketing campaigns. You need to understand their motivations and pain points, but also how you can pragmatically reach them. This series of articles provides deep dives on the audiences we target most regularly here at Velo. Many sizable organisations manage their facilities themselves. These […]
B2B Audiences, B2B Marketing in manufacturing
Need a B2B persona for production managers in an industrial setting?
Knowing your audience is the first step in constructing strong B2B marketing campaigns. You need to understand their motivations and pain points, but also how you can pragmatically reach them. This series of articles provides deep dives on the audiences we target most regularly here at Velo. In most manufacturing and industrial plants, customers with […]
B2B Audiences, B2B Campaigns, B2B Content, B2B Marketing in Insurance, B2B Marketing in manufacturing, B2B Marketing in Professional Services, B2B Marketing in Technology, Customer Experience
Is there more to marketing effectively across EMEAR than just translating your marketing? Yes.
Is there a country called EMEAR? Has anyone ever said they live or work in EMEAR? Does everyone that lives in France have the same habits, preferences and challenges as people that live in Germany? Of course not. So why do so many B2B marketers treat EMEAR as if it is all one homogeneous zone? […]
B2B Audiences, B2B Campaigns, B2B Marketing in manufacturing, B2B Marketing in Technology, B2B Strategy
What are the lessons for B2B marketers trying to create a new market for their product? Lessons from the BSRIA briefing on Air Quality.
After attending BSRIA’s Briefing on Air Quality, I wanted to share the lessons I observed for marketers taking products to market in Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) which apply to anyone bringing a product to a niche market. From HVAC to building services, many Velo clients — including BSRIA — are active in this space. And […]
B2B Content, B2B Marketing in manufacturing, B2B Marketing in Professional Services, B2B Marketing in Technology, Customer Experience
How can you increase the number of your B2B case studies that get signed off?
As a B2B marketer, one of your key goals is to use thoughtful storytelling to create success stories that demonstrate your product or service’s power. Particularly for B2B marketers in the technology and professional services sector, success stories are key as a sales enablement tool. They are also essential for reinforcing credentials within the […]
B2B Branding, B2B Marketing in Insurance, B2B Marketing in manufacturing, B2B Marketing in Technology, Customer Experience
Why should B2B Customer Advocacy Programs be more than just stories?
We know customer stories are powerful. Customer experiences engage, influence, educate, and entertain others like them far more than promotional content. In a world where more and more buyer research is conducted online, success stories are a valuable part of the B2B marketer’s tool kit, offering tangible authenticity to a company’s claims when developed […]
B2B Content, B2B Marketing in Insurance, B2B Marketing in manufacturing, B2B Marketing in Technology, B2B Research
If you target a niche, should B2B influencers be part of your strategy?
When influencer marketing is mentioned, the mind moves to Instagram, YouTube or TikTok millionaires pumping out content every day that appeals to the masses. Luxury lifestyles, fast fashion, excited gamers in their bedrooms – none of these is akin to the reality of B2B marketing to a niche. Look a little further, particularly on […]
AI & MarTech for B2B, B2B Content, B2B Marketing in manufacturing, B2B Marketing in Technology
An overview to ChatGPT and how it can help B2B marketers
CAVEAT: This article was published in Feb 2023 when ChatGPT was announced. The technology evolved rapidly. As a B2B marketing agency, we are always on the lookout for innovative and efficient ways to help our clients in the Professional Services, Technology, and Industrial sectors achieve their marketing goals. A recent survey conducted by Microsoft, where […]
B2B Content, B2B Marketing in Insurance, B2B Marketing in manufacturing, B2B Marketing in Technology
How to build a thought leadership strategy for a B2B niche audience
When marketing to a niche, you need to understand that niche. Is it clear how macroeconomics affect your audience? Do you get the value chain in the industry? What about who the decision-makers are, your customers’ pain points, and the challenges driving market demand? B2B businesses at the moment are obsessed with thought leadership. And they should […]
B2B Marketing in manufacturing
Marketing trends industrial companies should care about in 2023
The effects of Covid were felt almost immediately among B2B industries. Manufacturing companies in particular were hit pretty hard, with around half reporting technology infrastructure and budget-related difficulties. More than anything else, the pandemic identified the urgency of digital transformation. Many businesses had to scale quickly to facilitate remote working and operate online. But enough […]
B2B Audiences, B2B Campaigns, B2B Marketing in Insurance, B2B Marketing in manufacturing, B2B Marketing in Professional Services, B2B Marketing in Technology, B2B Strategy
Why should you target the 95% of your audience that are not in the market?
Over the years, there have been many B2B marketing studies that changed the industry’s thinking. You’ll be familiar with their headline results but often keen to know more, and to review the original source. This series of articles provides an overview of the research and how they apply for B2B marketers targeting a niche. Not […]
B2B Marketing in manufacturing, B2B Marketing in Professional Services, B2B Marketing in Technology
Velo presents… Leftover Turkey Quiche
The festive season is around the corner, as is that one question (almost as expected as bad cracker jokes) whilst sat round the dinner table… ‘‘what do you do again?’’. We know it’s not always easy to explain to family and friends but rest assured we get your values and know the impact your work […]
B2B Content, B2B Marketing in manufacturing, B2B Marketing in Professional Services, B2B Marketing in Technology
Top 5 Festive B2B Marketing Ideas
With the festive season fast approaching, many businesses may be looking into next year to see what 2023 has to offer. In some ways, work may be slowing down and your competitors are looking to take some well-deserved time off. However, this may be a great opportunity for your business to exercise some festive marketing activities […]
B2B Branding, B2B Creative, B2B Marketing in manufacturing
What are the best resources to help B2B marketers keep up with the latest developments in the industrial sector?
An essential resource list of news sites, blogs, podcasts, trade associations and more for marketing professionals working in industrial marketing. Staying up to date with all the changes and developments in the industrial and B2B manufacturing space can be a real challenge for marketers. To help, we’ve pulled together a list of the best resources […]
B2B Branding, B2B Content, B2B Marketing in manufacturing
How industrial b2b companies can attract more sales ready leads through more effective marketing
We’ve written previously about how industrial B2B marketers need to be more structured in their thinking, developing content and communications that arouse, attract, engage, and inform prospects to take positive action. This process involves thinking more like a publisher, being much more open and being present in the right places at the right time when […]
B2B Branding, B2B Campaigns, B2B Marketing in manufacturing
What are the 5 main challenges for B2B industrial marketing?
Industrial manufacturing still forms a dominant part of most national economies. Including food, drink, transport, and pharmaceuticals, it can be as high as 70% in GDP terms and is responsible for millions of jobs. Although markets are currently buoyant in terms of demand, many are facing unrivalled challenges in terms of raw materials shortages, price […]
B2B Marketing in manufacturing
‘THE’ hot topic of 2020 in the manufacturing industry: Covid-19 recovery and what it means for b2b marketing
A running theme across the sector is that manufacturers will need to ‘thread the needle between uncertainty and opportunity’ this year. Trade association Make UK has reported the UK manufacturing sector is set to take one of the biggest hits from COVID-19, with industry output expected to fall by 55% in Q2 of 2020. 37% of […]
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