• Middle of the Funnel Content: How to Say It Once and Share It Often for Better Lead Nurturing

    Middle of the Funnel Content: How to Say It Once and Share It Often for Better Lead Nurturing

    Nurturing leads in the middle of the funnel (MOFU) means finding clear, consistent ways to communicate the value of your product. Luckily, you’ve already got your audience’s attention and they’re now considering purchasing from you — they just need some more info. That’s where smart content comes in. Let’s check out a common marketing struggle:

    Dear Matter,

    I’m the owner of a custom dog food service that caters to pups used to a certain standard of living. We’re doing a lot of lead nurturing and I’m still never sure people get what we do. If I have to answer another question about customizable kibble, I’m going to roll over and play dead. How do I take this dog food dilemma off my plate?

    Sincerely,

    Batty About Rich K-9s

    Dear BARK,

    We might suggest skipping the dog park for your next lunch break. But before lunchtime rolls around:

    If you’ve been spending way too much time going over the basics of your business with leads in the middle of your sales funnel, let us show you what an explainer video, an infographic or an email workflow can do for your business.

    Yours,

    Matter MKTG

    MOFU is the time when your audience is hungriest for information about your product. Still, very few people have an appetite for long, dry lists of tech specs — your content should always tie any product features back to a unique value proposition (sure, you might use only the highest-grade ingredients in your custom kibble, but the important thing is what that means for your furry friend’s quality of life). This way, your prospects can justify choosing you over the competition.

    Explainer videos, infographics, and email workflows all help educate your audience on your business’s differentiators and can be used on their own or in conjunction with each other to guide your prospects further along the sales funnel.

    Explainer Videos: Build Confidence and Break Down Complexity

    78% of us prefer to learn about a product by watching a video, which makes explainer videos the perfect way to introduce new tech or break down a complex challenge your product is solving. Not only that, but they look great while doing it (convincing your audience that your business is capable, polished and maybe even kind of cool).

    These are typically 2-3 minute videos that make the most of your audience’s limited attention span. Ideally, they live on your website or somewhere your audience can easily find longer, more in-depth content that backs up the storytelling with the really nitty gritty details (like an ecommerce site).

    Infographics: Make Key Info Scannable and Visually Impactful

    Here's what our impact looks like today infographic

    Some things are easier to understand when you see them mapped out for you. Infographics take advantage of our brain’s naturally high capacity for visual processing and help you get your message out to a 30% larger audience than written content alone. They’re ideal for things like comparisons, processes, timelines, stats – all the kinds of information that get lost in a wall of text.

    A thoughtfully designed infographic can answer five FAQs in one glance, helping a hesitant lead get the clarity they need to move forward. It can be used to help your customers understand complex processes in a few short steps, supporting written content in a blog or an email, backing you up in a presentation or speaking for itself on social.

    Email Workflows: Help a Busy Lead Stay on Track

    Selling to your local pet store or handling other B2B transactions? An email workflow may be the best way to connect with busy prospects that would appreciate you taking the follow-up off their plates (77% of B2B buyers prefer that you get in touch via email).

    Unlike the mass of spam we’ve all gotten used to deleting each time we open up our inbox, emails originating from a workflow are personalized to touch on pain points and themes specific to the recipient. This series of messages is automatically sent out to leads based on their behavior, creating an ongoing sequence of relevant education and outreach.

    You can use a workflow to introduce your company, answer common questions, share testimonials and say everything you need your audience to know, without trying to cram it all into one piece of content. It gives you a chance to create the ideal buyer’s journey by introducing new information to your leads in digestible amounts at a rhythm that builds curiosity without overwhelming.

    The Takeaway

    In the middle of the funnel, you should focus on delivering a concise, straightforward message about what buyers can expect from your product, how this makes you different from every other business out there and why that makes you a good choice for them. Clear, reusable content will help you stay top of mind with that messaging, so that your already-interested leads don’t fall through the cracks. In other words: nail your MOFU message once and your content can take it from there.

    Spending too much time crafting that perfect message? We’ll help you find the right words and turn them into content that keeps the momentum going. Let’s make it happen.

    Maia Laperle

  • Can You Hear Me Now? Coming to Terms with Disability

    Can You Hear Me Now? Coming to Terms with Disability

    My freshman year of college, out on my own and in charge of my health for the first time, I didn’t realize you had to take an allergy pill every day for it to be effective. As a result, I had the worst allergy season of my life. Sometime that spring, amidst pollen-related sinus issues and the miscellaneous other effects of living in a dorm, I stopped hearing well out of my left ear. I chalked it up to congestion, sinus pressure, the spring concert—never stopping to think about what it could mean in the long term. I thought it was temporary or one-time damage, and so I didn’t spend any more time or energy concerning myself with my hearing (or lack thereof).

    I’ve never been able to hear properly out of my left ear again.

    Over the years, small moments like this piled up. My expensive in-ear headphones didn’t cut it, even when cranked up as high as they would go. My ENT chalked it up to a chronic inflammatory condition I’d already been diagnosed with. When waiting tables, I’d have to ask guests to repeat their orders. Restaurants are loud, you know?

    I thought my partner was mumbling all the time—annoying but normal. In retrospect, it’s easy to understand the old adage about boiling a frog; how you don’t notice the water is dangerous until it’s too late.

    When I noticed the water was boiling, it was because the pandemic had hit. Everyone started wearing masks. Without even noticing, I’d come to rely on reading lips to supplement what I wasn’t able to hear. It only hit me when it was no longer an option.

    There’s one moment that really sticks out: when I walked up to the counter at a coffee shop, and I assumed the barista, who was wearing a mask, was busy or hadn’t noticed me yet because I hadn’t heard them say “what can I get for you?” We stood and stared at each other for several minutes before I realized what was going on.

    My hearing loss is hereditary, not caused by an illness or a fondness for loud music. My great-grandfather wore hearing aids for most of his life, something I’d thought of as more a product of his age than anything else. When my audiologist asked about family history, though, I flashed back to NFL games with the subtitles on, and my great-grandfather turning his hearing aids down when the house full of grandchildren got too loud.

    This distinction is important—an estimated 20% of the population worldwide will experience some level of hearing loss in their lives. In most cases, a single incident causes the damage. Hereditary, or degenerative, hearing loss is different. The sense continues to dull over a period of months, years, or decades.

    Because I left my own hearing loss untreated for so long, my brain experienced what’s called “neuroplasticity,” where it re-assigned now-unused hearing pathways to other senses or activities. This means that my hearing aids, while absolutely helpful and important, are overwhelming after a few hours. I spent much of my first months after getting them exhausted from suddenly having to re-re-wire those pathways back to hearing.

    People with disabilities—whether debilitating, manageable, or otherwise —fight a constant battle against shame. The world is not built for anything outside of “normal,” which means, intentionally or not, those who fall into that category are othered just by existing in public spaces. Once, I sobbed to my mom on the phone after a yoga class where I couldn’t hear the instructor well enough to follow along. Masks with windows for lip reading were a cute novelty and weren’t used by the general public. Sometimes, in restaurants or other crowded places, because I’m unable to pick up on every part of a conversation, I’m forced to tune out. I miss out on connections and chatter.

    Despite all of this, I am lucky: I can afford hearing aids, I have largely adapted my communication styles and living environment to my needs, and the ability to work from home has made connecting with colleagues much easier than it otherwise would be. I don’t have to wear hearing aids when taking meetings on my computer, which saves me from daily processing exhaustion. The water, once boiling, is back to a manageable simmer.

    Because of my disability, I spend a lot of time thinking about how others move through the world. I encourage you to do the same, not just for Global Accessibility Awareness Day, but as often as you can manage. This includes taking a look at how you yourself move through the world—your daily struggles, no matter how small, and what makes your life easier— to make sure you’re extending the same courtesy to those around you.

    Reagan Myers

  • What Defines a Tier-1 Media Hit in PR?

    What Defines a Tier-1 Media Hit in PR?

    There will be some publications that never lose the glossy label of tier-1 media. It will always be a good day when you have positive coverage on The Today Show or in Fortune. But the media landscape is changing – for better or worse; access to prestigious media powerhouses is shrinking. There are fewer reporters, more sources, and more news than ever before.

    The rise of independent media: Why traditional coverage isn’t the only goal

    Over the past few years, we’ve seen many reporters opt to not return to established media conglomerates and instead launch their own platforms. Recently, Alex Konrad, previously a Senior Editor at Forbes, announced the launch of his own media company – Upstarts Media Company – covering startup news. After Protocol shut down in 2023, Enterprise Editor Tom Krazit launched his own tech media platform, Runtime. Adam Bryant, who wrote for the New York Times’ Corner Office for over 8 years, now develops several sought-after LinkedIn newsletters.

    When developing a strategic media campaign, defining what constitutes a high-quality piece of coverage isn’t always straightforward, and success looks different for each company – varying based on industry, audience, and business goals. Yes, an interview on CNBC’s Squawk Box will always be a tier-1 media hit. But it could also mean a feature article in a key industry trade, a LinkedIn newsletter with over 100K subscribers, a popular Substack, or a leadership-focused podcast.

    What makes a media hit “Tier-1”?

    Traditional tier-1 media are defined as influential, credible, prestigious publications with a large, global audience. Usually, these outlets have a variety of channels, including editorial, video, and social media. This would include heavy hitters like The Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg, BBC, Reuters — all of whichare considered the pinnacle of tier-1 media. However, a strategic media campaign should go beyond those high-caliber outlets, targeting a diverse mix of publications to drive high-impact coverage.

    For example, a financial services company that has just launched its new flagship platform secures two media opportunities: a 45-minute episode on a popular fintech podcast that delves into the user impact of the platform and includes all its key messages, and a two-sentence quote in an Axios article on a trending fintech news story. Is the Axios article more impactful than the podcast, or do they both serve a critical purpose in driving awareness and highlighting your company’s momentum?

    Technically, they both meet the criteria of a high-impact “tier-1” media hit:

    • They are influential and credible publications within individual sectors.
    • They have a large following — whether it’s global or within a specific industry.
    • Coverage in these publications reaches a new, aspirational audience or expands into an existing market.
    • Your competitors are receiving consistent coverage in these outlets.

    Audience alignment is the new definition of Tier-1

    Every PR pro has a list of ‘dream’ coverage, and every CEO does too. A segment on CNBC, a feature in Forbes, and episode on Bloomberg Tech, but it shouldn’t stop there. Media strategies aren’t one-size-fits-all—especially when a business operates in a niche industry or is looking to connect with a very specific audience. Determining what an impactful, tier-1 media hit is should be personalized to the needs of the company and aligned with its business objectives.

    And, sure, we’d all love to have features in the Business Insiders of the world every week, but they aren’t the end-and-be-all for high-value coverage. In niche markets, an industry publication with a smaller audience may still be considered impactful because of its influence over a target audience. Publications like Supply Chain Dive, Healthcare IT News, or Chain Store Age may not have the massive readership of a national outlet, but their impact within that industry sector is significant and meaningful to the audiences that matter most—typically business decision makers.

    Let’s talk about your tier-1 media strategy

    Navigating the changing media landscape requires a fresh perspective. If you’re ready to redefine what tier-1 means for your brand, let’s connect.

    Rachel Peck

  • Top Cybersecurity Trends from RSAC 2025: Takeaways for Tech Marketers

    Top Cybersecurity Trends from RSAC 2025: Takeaways for Tech Marketers

    And just like that, another RSAC is in the books! Over 40,000 industry professionals gathered in San Francisco for the biggest annual cybersecurity event of the year, the RSA conference. The energy was electric, as always, from showcasing new product innovations to highlighting timely research and mingling with customers and prospects. In addition to the 60 thousand steps, 10 iced coffees and 5 stress balls, I walked away with interesting takeaways from both a cybersecurity and PR/marketing perspective.

    What’s all the buzz about?

    Many reporters gave great overviews on what the biggest vendor news/trends were from the event. Rather than recite everything from the professionals, see below for my perspective on trends that I believe will drive the news cycle moving forward.

    Agentic AI & its use cases:

    Two years ago, when I last attended the event, generative AI was gaining momentum but still talked about in mostly conceptual terms. Fast forward to 2025, and agentic AI use cases are everywhere. As James Rundle aptly put it, “you can’t swing a cat [at RSA] without hitting an artificial intelligence agent.” We’ve hit the implementation boom — but in many cases, with minimal safeguards. One major concern is identity management. As SailPoint CEO Mark McClain pointed out, “AI agents must be treated in a category of their own.” Too often, they’re lumped in with machine identities. But agentic AI mimics human behavior, while machines just execute fixed tasks, they need different guardrails. I suspect many questions to follow around how enterprises should govern, authenticate, and ultimately trust these agents at scale.

    Data visibility & intelligence:

    We live in a data-driven world, generating over 400 million terabytes every single day. But even with all this data, organizations still struggle to turn it into actionable insight. Automation alone can’t do the heavy lifting. If data isn’t high quality, if teams lack visibility, or if insights aren’t accessible, then even the best tools fall short. Enterprises are faced with unprecedented volumes of data, yet keeping up with monitoring and analysis is harder than ever. More tech. More data. But is any of it actually usable? Across the show floor and in conversations, one theme kept coming up: the need to move from reactive data handling to proactive intelligence. Security teams are grappling with unifying fragmented data environments and reducing noise to enable faster, more confident decision-making. Visibility isn’t enough, the real differentiator will be context.

    Nation-State Threats & Geopolitical Tension:

    In the lead-up to RSAC, the federal cybersecurity space saw no shortage of turbulence, nation-state attacks surged, while internal disruptions like layoffs at CISA, FEDRAMP restructuring, and political backlash against figures like Chris Krebs sent shockwaves through the industry. The result? A noticeably quieter government presence at the conference. Regulatory discussions were minimal, and many officials from agencies like CISA and the NSA were largely absent. As Politico’s Maggie Miller and Dana Nickel pointed out, this year’s RSAC felt different, more muted on the federal front. That said, nation-state threats were still a major topic. But rather than broader policy or structural response, the focus shifted to specific threat actors and attack tactics.

    Marketing Trends

    Every year, companies try to outdo themselves, and more importantly competitors, with eye-catching booths to drive foot traffic and spark conversation. From adoptable puppies and life-size video games to monster trucks, there was no shortage of overstimulation from colorful visuals and over-the-top displays. Custom hats were also everywhere this year, but it’s fair to wonder—how many will actually be worn after the conference? The best swag isn’t just memorable; it aligns with the brand story and sticks around long after the event wraps. The vendors that stood out the most correlated their creative execution with company messaging. While attention is great, engagement is the real goal.

    Creative swag: Let’s be honest: most conference swag ends up forgotten in a drawer. But this year, a few giveaways managed to break through the noise—not just by being flashy, but by being functional and on-brand. Varonis stood out with a smart, subtle tactic: they left door hanger notes on hotel rooms booked through an RSAC room block, each with an AirTag holder attached. Bring it to their booth, and you’d get a free AirTag—while supplies lasted. It was simple, useful, and tied directly to their core value prop: visibility and control. Just like knowing where your keys are, Varonis wants you to always know where your data is.

    Interactive booths: I’d be lying if I said the adoptable puppies weren’t my favorite booth, but Tufin did an excellent job connecting fun with knowledge. They brought in my new favorite magician, Danny Orleans, who seamlessly wove in company differentiators and messaging into a short, engaging performance. I didn’t walk away with the big prize (still a little salty), but I did leave with a magic trick and a clearer understanding of what Tufin is all about.

    Punchy phrasing: Illumio took the cake for most clever slogan with their “Finding Bad Actors Faster Than the Hallmark Channel” merch. Beyond the creative tagline, they nailed the balance between humor and message as it directly ties back to what they do: microsegmentation and breach containment. It didn’t just grab attention, it reinforced the brand in a low-effort, high-impact way.

    Ready for 2026?

    Whether you were in San Frrancisco or followed the headlines from afar, the marketing and industry trends from RSAC 2025 will surely impact the cybersecurity sector in the months ahead. Curious how the Matter team can help you tap into these insights? We’d love to connect—reach out below and let’s chat.

    Meg Cafferty

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  • Five Important Conversion Metrics in Paid Media for B2B Marketing

    Five Important Conversion Metrics in Paid Media for B2B Marketing

    In the B2B world, paid media isn’t just about traffic or impressions — it’s about generating real, measurable outcomes that contribute to pipeline and revenue. But with long sales cycles, multiple decision-makers and a highly targeted buyer journey, measuring success isn’t always straightforward.

    In order to cut through the noise, we’ve put together five of the most important conversion metrics every B2B paid media marketer should track to optimize campaigns and prove ROI of paid efforts:

    1. Cost Per Lead (CPL)

    What it tells you: How much you’re paying for each lead generated from your campaigns.

    Why it matters: CPL is a foundational metric that helps you measure the efficiency of your spend.  For B2B, leads are the gateway to sales, but not all leads are created equal. A low CPL might look great on paper, but if the leads aren’t qualified, it’s just wasted budget. Use CPL in conjunction with lead quality scoring to ensure you’re not just chasing volume, but attracting the right audiences at the right time in their customer journey.

    Pro tip: Segment CPL by source, campaign, and audience type to uncover which efforts are driving the best ROI.

    2. Marketing Qualified Leads

    What it tells you: How many of your leads meet predefined criteria such as job title, company size, engagement level, or intent signal, that make them more likely to convert down the funnel.

    Why it matters: Not every lead is ready to talk to sales. MQL metrics help you gauge if your campaigns are reaching the prospects who are most likely to convert down the line. Engaging and tracking those MQLs over time through the nurture process and sales funnel helps ensure your campaigns are generating interest from the right kind of prospects — those who are engaged, have intent, and fit your ideal customer profile.

    Pro tip: Collaborate closely with your sales team to define what constitutes an MQL. A clear, shared definition avoids misalignment and improves handoff efficiency.

    3. Lead-to-Customer Conversion Rate

    What it tells you: The percentage of leads that ultimately convert into paying customers.

    Why it matters: This metric gives you a zoomed-out view of campaign effectiveness and sales alignment. It helps you understand not just how many leads you’re generating, but how valuable those leads are in terms of actual revenue impact.

    Pro tip: Track this metric by campaign type, creative, audience segment or channel to identify which initiatives are truly moving the needle.

    4. Cost Per Opportunity (CPO)

    What it tells you: The average amount spent to generate one sales opportunity (Sales Qualified Lead or SQL).

    Why it matters: While CPL focuses on the top of the funnel, CPO dives deeper—connecting paid efforts to actual sales potential. This is a more meaningful way to evaluate ROI in a B2B context.

    Pro tip: If your CPO is too high, consider whether targeting, messaging, or lead nurturing needs adjustment.

    5. Pipeline Contribution

    What it tells you: The total dollar value of pipeline generated from your paid media leads.

    Why it matters: This is the ultimate B2B metric. It links your media spend directly to business impact and helps justify marketing investments to stakeholders.

    Advanced move: Track pipeline velocity alongside contribution to see how quickly leads are moving through stages.

    Final Thoughts

    In B2B paid media, vanity metrics won’t cut it. If you’re serious about proving performance and driving growth, focus on the metrics that tell a story from click to close. CPL, MQLs, lead-to-customer rate, CPO, and pipeline contribution together give you a clear, strategic lens into what’s working—and what’s not.

    Need help setting up the right tracking or measurement framework? Have questions about  how to nurture your leads once you have them? Talk to our experts!

    Jeanne Martin

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