Before I begin, let me start by saying do as I say, not as I do. This post is, in many ways, aspirational and something I am trying to bring to my own practice.
For more than a decade, gated content has been a central component of B2B demand generation. We built prospect databases, tracked downloads, and passed MQLs to SDRs and sales teams on a weekly cycle. It worked—for us. But here’s the reality: our prospective customers never thanked us for the follow-up calls and nurture sequences tied to that whitepaper download. Instead, they felt trapped. Buyers today are fatigued, flooded with options, and increasingly resistant to being treated like entries in a spreadsheet.
The shift we’re facing is bigger than campaign mechanics—it’s about trust. Prospects don’t want to be harvested; they want to be understood. Authentic relationships, not lead traps, are becoming the real differentiator. Content should work as a trust-building asset, not a transaction. That means rethinking how we approach community, conversation, and transparency. Instead of forms, personalization can come from relevance, empathy, and credibility. Think open libraries, ungated research, and community-led events that create value without demanding an email address first.
Are you part of a marketing group currently measured by flow of MQLs and Opps? For the past 20 years, this has been the case for me.
So where to start? Ungating all content overnight isn’t realistic—or even smart. I believe this is a longer-term evolution that requires balance. A practical first step is to selectively remove forms for high-value pieces: a webinar, a guide, or a playbook. Double down on quality so that what you publish truly resonates. Then, shift some of the dollars once tied up in form-fill campaigns toward community-building: podcasts, YouTube channels, niche events, or targeted amplification that actually meets buyers where they are. Keep the gates where intent is clear—demos, contact requests, or bottom-of-funnel brand searches.
The tradeoffs are real. You’ll likely see fewer raw leads and slower list growth in the short term. But the upside is far more powerful: deeper trust, stronger engagement, and a pipeline driven by buyers who want to hear from you, not avoid you. It also means rethinking metrics—moving from counting MQLs to measuring engagement, influence, and revenue contribution. These are the numbers that reflect how buyers actually buy today.
Looking forward, the winners in B2B marketing won’t be the brands that cling to gated PDFs. They’ll be the ones that invest in authentic, long-term relationships—brands that buyers see as trusted advisors instead of gatekeepers. Authenticity becomes the moat, and trust becomes the growth engine.
Gated content isn’t dead today, but its dominance is fading. The challenge for marketers is to experiment with ungating, to start small, and to learn what it unlocks. So here’s the question: what’s one piece of content you’d ungate today to begin building more trust with your audience?
Practical Strategies for B2B Technology Companies 