B2B content marketing agency top 8 list + vetting guide
By Afton Brazzoni
When you’re under pressure to produce content, you need the right players on your team to hit your targets and keep your sanity. However, building that team is easier said than done. From flaky freelancers to corporate machines where your account is just another number, finding the right B2B content marketing agency can feel like an impossible task.
Yet, outsourcing is a necessity for many B2B companies that understand the value of publishing high quality content, but don’t have the budget for another in-house hire. According to Semrush’s State of Content Marketing 2023 Global Report, 48% of companies surveyed outsource some aspect of their content marketing.
Bringing external help on board doesn’t have to be a painful process. When you understand how to properly vet B2B content marketing agencies, you’ll be able to confidently evaluate the best B2B agencies for your company and make the right choice.
In this guide to hiring a B2B content marketing agency, we’ll cover:
What is a content marketing agency?
6 criteria you can use to vet your next agency partner
8 of the top B2B agencies in the content marketing space
What is a content marketing agency?
B2B content marketing agencies are external partners that support your company with their expertise and the deliverables they provide. These agencies can range from large, full-service operations to small, boutique firms focused on a specific aspect of content marketing such as long-form writing or short-form video.
Unlike working with a freelancer, when you work with a B2B content marketing agency, you typically have the support of a team that might include an account manager, content creators and even the CEO or founder of the company. This gives you the benefit of multiple resources, and tried-and-tested systems and processes for driving results.
The best B2B marketing agencies in the content space don’t just create content. Rather, these agencies become your strategic marketing partner, producing content that is highly original, nails your brand voice, brings value to your audience and contains zero fluff. They help you build trust with your B2B buyers and drive sales.
Of course, due to the crucial role your B2B content marketing agency plays in your overall marketing success, it’s important to choose wisely. Let’s walk through a few criteria to help you do exactly that.
6 criteria for hiring the right B2B content marketing agency
Your marketing budget isn’t the only factor that will dictate what kind of agency you should hire. Nor is experience in your industry — that can be learned, especially if your content writer knows how to think like a reporter. (It’s an unpopular opinion, but we stand by it).
So, here’s what else you can look for to separate the best B2B agencies for your company from the rest of the pack.
1. Asks the right questions
Your agency should show a deep level of interest in learning about your brand and audience. They need to go full Indiana Jones on this dig. Their client onboarding process should include conducting thorough research that will help them create content that resonates, rather than flops.
If a B2B content marketing agency is not curious and inquisitive, chances are they’re just going through the motions — and that’s not going to get you exceptional results. Find out upfront how they’ll get to know your company and your target market well enough to create content that sounds like you and drives action from your audience.
2. Outcome-oriented
The initial conversations with your agency should be about your goals, not about tactics. You want a partner with a strategic approach that will ensure all of your content marketing activities support business objectives.
Do you want to grow your B2B company’s email list? Increase your demo requests? Create an entirely new category in your market? Work with a partner who gets what you want to accomplish and is willing to put in the work to help you make it happen. Steer clear of agencies that aren’t goal-oriented.
3. Committed to quality
You want your brand voice to sound unique and clear — not like everyone and their cat on the internet. You also want your content to be attention-grabbing, not coma-inducing. These may sound like obvious hallmarks of quality content, but while they’re simple concepts, they’re not easy to achieve. A high level of skill and experience is required.
A seasoned B2B content writer, videographer or podcaster (depending on your preferred medium) will understand how to create engaging content while still prioritizing the nitty gritty details of your complex offerings (cybersecurity software, we’re looking at you!). Asking for work samples can help you assess the calibre of an agency’s content.
Always strive for quality over quantity. Churning out content is a recipe for mediocre results. Bonus points if your agency comes up with creative ways to repurpose a thoughtfully crafted piece of flagship content to get you more bandwidth out of it, as opposed to starting from scratch every time.
4. Well versed in SEO best practices
Since short articles like blog posts under 1,500 words top the list of content types produced by B2B marketers (beating out 13 other kinds of content), we should discuss SEO. If your B2B company is going to dedicate the time and financial resources to have a blog on your website, your blog content should be properly optimized for search. In other words, it should be working to drive organic traffic to your site.
Your B2B content marketing agency should have at least a basic understanding of SEO and how to write search engine-optimized content. And we’re not talking about a keyword checklist. We’re talking about E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness), which is part of Google’s Search Quality Rater Guidelines. Semrush has an excellent article on this that dives deep into the topic.
5. Keeps you in the loop
Nobody likes to be ghosted. On the flip side, you’re busy and you’re not interested in hand-holding an agency that’s being paid to make your life easier. There must be a balance of communication. A seasoned B2B content marketing agency will seek and find this harmony.
We can’t overstate the importance of working with an agency that prioritizes outstanding customer service. The best B2B marketing companies know that service is equally as important as creating compelling content. And savvy clients understand the significance of choosing an agency that’s pleasant to work with and will go the extra mile.
6. Delivers on time
This is another critical factor to consider when it comes to service. It may sound obvious, but never tolerate a B2B content marketing agency that misses deadlines habitually. You don’t have time to chase an external partner for work that they should be proactively delivering to you via an organized system.
Now that we’ve covered how to properly vet a B2B content marketing agency, it’s time to meet some of the best B2B marketing agencies in the business.
8 of the top B2B agencies in the content marketing space
This B2B marketing companies list is curated by category and is in no particular order. Each agency on the list has a specific area of expertise. This is meant to be a guide — you should still do your homework to find the right fit.
1. Scribe National: top boutique content strategy and writing studio
Location: Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Year founded: 2019
Employees: <5
Scribe National partners with B2B technology and leadership companies to create high-quality messaging, strategies and content that build credibility and trust, and drive sales. This boutique content studio’s journalistic approach and research-driven process are central to getting results from long-form written content like customer stories, ebooks and blog posts.
What clients say: “Thanks to Scribe National, blog posts are the number one reason my business is landing new customers.”
2. Flying Cat Marketing: top SEO agency
Location: Barcelona, Catalonia
Year founded: 2020
Employees: 11-50
Flying Cat Marketing helps global SaaS brands hit their annual recurring revenue goals faster, with strategic search engine optimization. The B2B content marketing agency maps out the full potential of each client’s B2B market and designs an SEO marketing strategy to have the greatest impact on organic traffic.
What clients say: “Within two quarters, we were able to drive an additional 80K visits to our website.”
3. Maven Media Group: top video content agency
Location: Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Year founded: 2019
Employees: 2-10
No matter how big or small the video project, Maven Media Group is up for the challenge. With an in-house media team, this B2B marketing agency in Canada can provide the strategy, production and ongoing project management needed to develop high-quality video content.
What clients say: “Exceptional service and production. Highly recommend.”
4. Fame: top podcast content agency
Location: London, United Kingdom
Year founded: 2019
Employees: 51-200
Fame starts and grows the world's most profitable podcasts for growth focused B2B businesses. The agency defines strategy, finds and books guests, trains hosts, produces the audio, promotes the show and much more.
What clients say: ““The team has been great, and we would love this partnership to continue for a very long time!”
5. Sculpt: top social media content agency
Location: Iowa City, Iowa, USA
Year founded: 2012
Employees: 11-50
Sculpt helps leading B2B brands level up their social media programs so they can create demand, lift share-of-voice and outpace competitors. The agency believes in doing B2B social the right way — the way that empowers their clients’ employee advocates, nurtures prospects, and builds audiences that care, share and convert.
What clients say: “An agile team that pivots according to our needs…Sculpt consistently brings refreshing solutions to the table.”
6. Switchback Creative: top web development and design agency
Location: Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Year founded: 2014
Employees: 2-10
Switchback Creative is a small digital agency full of curiosity and creating interesting stories for brands. The agency crafts custom web solutions — never using templates — to build fully responsive, user friendly web experiences.
What clients say: “What a fabulous team to work with. Switchback really listens, while at the same time bringing solid expertise and impressive creativity to the table.”
7. Disruptive Advertising: top advertising content agency
Location: Pleasant Grove, Utah, USA
Year founded: 2012
Employees: 51-200
Disruptive Advertising partners with clients to understand the why behind their business, the goals they aspire to and the impact this will have on their customers and business. The agency translates this into a unique full-funnel performance marketing strategy.
What clients say: “We have been working with DA for a while now. They have the knowledge, skill, and work ethic to take your digital marketing to the next level!”
8. Foundation Marketing: top content distribution agency
Location: Toronto, Ontario and Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
Year founded: 2014
Employees: 11-50
Last but not least on our B2B marketing companies list, Foundation Marketing helps B2B brands plan, create and distribute content that shapes culture. This B2B marketing agency in Canada knows how to ensure that every piece of content their clients create gets spread and shared.
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We’ve now covered everything from, “What is a content marketing agency?” to a list of the best B2B marketing companies in the content space. And, you have solid vetting criteria to help you choose the right agency partner for your needs.
Do you need long-form B2B marketing content that establishes credibility and generates leads? If you’re looking for a team of seasoned pros to support you, get in touch with us to find out how we can help.
