By Lois Atherton, Senior Client Manager
In today’s B2B landscape, trust is scarce, attention is fleeting, and buyers are more sceptical than ever. We are used to seeing polished product messaging, technical content and templated case studies but many B2B marketers fail to see the key to building a strong content strategy is right in plain sight – their people.
In a market where differentiation is often tricky and relationships matter more than reach, human-centred content isn’t a nice-to-have, it’s essential. A people-focused content strategy unlocks credibility, trust, and long-term brand value. Here’s why, and how to make it work.
What does a people-focused content strategy look like?
At its core, a people-focused strategy puts your team, not just your product or services, at the heart of your storytelling. It features real experiences, voices, and perspectives from across your organisation that may include:
- Behind the scenes content showcasing day-to-day life in your organisation
- Project updates direct from the people delivering them
- Team members reflecting on organisation culture or company ambitions
It goes beyond polished LinkedIn updates from leadership. It’s about turning internal knowledge, stories, and passion into a differentiator that drives results.
The strategic business benefits
1. Builds brand trust
Buyers trust people more than brands. Human-led stories foster emotional connection and make your business feel approachable and real. Whether it’s a short video explaining a new product feature or a blog on solving a complex challenge, these moments create more credibility than impersonal whitepapers or data sheets.
2. Improves talent attraction and retention
The employer brand is part of your business brand. When prospective hires see your team speaking authentically about their work and values, it builds alignment and affinity. Internally, giving people a voice fosters pride and belonging which are both key drivers of retention.
3. Accelerates sales
People-focused content builds belief earlier in the sales funnel by showcasing expertise, culture, and real-life problem-solving. When buyers feel like they know your team, they trust faster which shortens the sales cycle.
4. Drives organic reach
Content that features people, especially employees, often gets 3-5x more engagement than branded posts. Empowering employees to share their own experiences also turns them into authentic amplifiers of your brand message.
From theory to practice: What it looks like
A people-first content strategy doesn’t require overhauling everything. It means being intentional about surfacing and scaling the human stories already inside your business.
Content examples:
- “5 Questions With…” – quick interviews with team members across functions
- Project spotlights – feature the team that brought a product or feature to life
- Day-in-the-life pieces – especially valuable for talent attraction
- Cultural moments – capture moments of mentorship, showcase your values-in-action, or team growth
- Internal blog takeovers – let team members write or co-create posts
Challenges to expect and how to solve them
“Not everyone wants to be on camera.”
Start with written formats or audio snippets. Content doesn’t need to be perfect, just real and authentic to your organisation.
“This isn’t core to our marketing KPIs.”
Reframe internal stories as a brand building tool. Track their impact on reach, engagement, talent attraction, and sales enablement.
“We don’t know where to begin.”
Start small. This could be spotlighting one employee per month or featuring one team’s reflections on a recent project. Build momentum from there.
Conclusion: Lead with humans
In a crowded B2B market, real connection wins. Buyers want to know the people behind the product. Potential employees want to see your culture in action. Partners want to believe in your mission.
A people-focused content strategy is not just good storytelling, it’s good business. It humanises your brand, builds trust, and strengthens every part of the funnel from awareness to advocacy.
The strategic advantage? Your people are the content, and they’re your most compelling differentiator.
Curious about how a people-first approach could work for your brand? Let’s have a chat.
