In B2B marketing, building brand awareness is both critical and complex. Unlike B2C, where emotional appeal and viral content can drive instant visibility, B2B awareness often develops through lengthy sales cycles, multiple stakeholders, and considered decision-making processes.
Still, many B2B marketers lean too heavily on vanity metrics: impressions, likes, followers, and traffic spikes that look good but rarely move the needle in meaningful ways. If you’re reporting on awareness using only these shallow indicators, you’re missing the whole picture.
Here’s how to measure brand awareness the right way, so you can demonstrate real value and make better strategic decisions.
Why vanity metrics are not enough
Vanity metrics refer to numbers that give the illusion of success without providing actionable insight. In a B2B context, these include:
- Impressions: Your LinkedIn post reached 20,000 people, but how many remember your brand, or know what you do?
- Followers: You gained 500 new followers this month. Are they ICPs (ideal customer profiles) or just non-engaged browsers?
- Likes and shares: These indicate engagement, not awareness. They don’t tell you whether the audience retained your brand name or value proposition.
These numbers might satisfy a monthly report, but they rarely answer the question: Is our brand becoming more recognized and trusted by the right audience?
Better metrics for measuring brand awareness in B2B
1. Unaided and aided brand recall
Use surveys to test how often your brand is top-of-mind:
- Unaided recall: “When you think of enterprise project management software, what brands come to mind?”
- Aided recall: “Have you heard of [Brand]?”
Tracking improvements here tells you whether your brand is making a lasting impression.
2. Share of Voice (SOV)
SOV compares your brand’s presence to competitors across key channels:
- PR coverage
- LinkedIn mentions
- Industry podcast appearances
- Media articles
Tools like Meltwater or Brandwatch can help you monitor and benchmark your share in relevant conversations.
3. Branded search volume
Increased search volume for your brand name or branded terms signals growing curiosity and awareness. This is especially meaningful in B2B, where prospects often do independent research before reaching out.
You can use tools like:
- Google Search Console
- Google Trends
- SEMrush or Ahrefs
4. Direct traffic and referral sources
If people are typing your URL directly or coming from specific thought leadership pieces (e.g., a guest article or conference panel), they likely already know your brand. Monitor these trends in Google Analytics or HubSpot.
Bonus: Segment direct traffic by company size or industry using reverse IP lookup tools (like Clearbit) to ensure you’re reaching your target market.
5. Social listening with context
Don’t just count mentions. Analyze the content and context of conversations. What’s being said about your brand? Are B2B influencers tagging you? Are prospects asking questions? Are competitors referencing your content?
Positive sentiment and association with expertise are more valuable than raw volume.
6. Content engagement from target accounts
Are key accounts engaging with your thought leadership? Are your webinars, whitepapers, or case studies being downloaded by companies in your ABM list?
Integrate tools like Demandbase or 6sense with your CRM to see which companies are becoming aware of your brand, and whether awareness is turning into intent.
Final thoughts: from awareness to affinity
For B2B marketers, awareness isn’t just about visibility. It’s about credibility. You want to be known and trusted, especially early in the buyer’s journey.
By going beyond vanity metrics, you’ll gain a more accurate picture of your brand’s actual presence in the market and the insights needed to grow it strategically.
Remember: The goal isn’t just to be seen. It’s to be remembered, respected, and ultimately chosen.