Ahrefs has established itself as the undisputed godfather of B2B video marketing on YouTube. Their approach stands in stark contrast to typical B2B video strategies and offers invaluable lessons for companies looking to generate meaningful results from the platform.
Most B2B organizations approach YouTube as a repository for corporate content, webinar recordings, and product demos—virtually guaranteeing failure. Ahrefs, however, has fundamentally understood what YouTube truly is: a platform where viewers seek specific content and expect a creator-led, educational experience. This understanding has led to three foundational elements that power their success:
For over three years, Ahrefs has maintained an almost unheard-of consistency in their video publishing schedule. This long-term commitment demonstrates their serious resource investment and patience - qualities notably absent in most B2B video strategies. While many companies chase quick results with promotional content that expires within weeks, Ahrefs has built a library of educational videos with extended relevance, creating compound returns on their content investment.
Perhaps the most remarkable aspect of Ahrefs' strategy is having Sam Oh as their consistent host. As one podcast guest noted: "Find me another B2B channel where you've had someone who basically almost week and week out for the last three to five years has been consistently posting videos." This consistency in presenter creates the personality-driven connection that YouTube demands - something most B2B companies fail to prioritize. Viewers form relationships with people, not corporations, and Ahrefs has recognized this fundamental YouTube dynamic.
Ahrefs has mastered the delicate balance of providing genuine educational value while naturally incorporating their product. Their videos are never explicitly promotional—instead, their product is seamlessly integrated into educational narratives that prioritize viewer outcomes. As Joe mentioned in the video "Their product feels like more of a sponsor... a smart sponsor of their videos. Whereas for most companies, the main point of the video is the product."
When visitors land on Ahrefs' YouTube channel, they're greeted not with a generic corporate welcome video but with a comprehensive two-hour SEO course. This powerful introduction immediately establishes authority and provides substantial value—a strategy every B2B company should consider emulating. Long-form educational videos perform exceptionally well on YouTube, particularly in specialized fields. By offering this "complete guide" upfront, Ahrefs creates immediate value for new visitors while generating significant watch time - a critical YouTube algorithm factor.
Ahrefs' channel features meticulously organized playlists targeting specific user segments:
This organization creates "bingeable" content series that encourage extended viewing sessions. Rather than producing a single video on topics like "blogging for business," they develop extensive series (41 videos in that example) covering every educational thread their audience might need.
Ahrefs built their foundation on search-optimized educational content—videos specifically designed to rank for relevant keywords in both YouTube and Google searches. Only after establishing their subscriber base did they carefully experiment with browse-based content that relies on emotional hooks rather than search intent. This strategic progression reflects their sophisticated understanding of YouTube's dual discovery systems and should serve as a roadmap for B2B companies developing their own channel strategies.
Based on Ahrefs' proven approach, here's a practical implementation framework for B2B organizations:
Most B2B companies should consider splitting their YouTube presence into separate channels:
This separation creates clear value propositions for subscribers and prevents educational content from being diluted by promotional material - a key lesson from Ahrefs' success.
Focus your initial efforts on creating:
These evergreen formats continue generating views long after publication, creating far greater ROI than time-sensitive promotional content.
Ahrefs demonstrates that video quality should be:
Their early videos prove that content quality outweighs production value - starting with basic equipment but excellent information still delivered results, though today's competitive environment warrants somewhat higher production standards.
Maximize your video investment by:
Ahrefs' distribution strategy ensures their videos receive significantly more views than those limited to YouTube alone, providing an example of how content integration can maximize ROI.
Perhaps the most important lesson from Ahrefs' success is their commitment to playing the long game. Their content strategy reflects patience and consistency that few B2B companies match - qualities that have created almost insurmountable competitive advantages. The average B2B marketing leader faces immense pressure for immediate results, often preventing the consistent investment required for YouTube success. By contrast, Ahrefs has maintained unwavering focus on educational value delivery for years, allowing compound growth that occasional campaigns simply cannot replicate.
A final critical insight: Ahrefs demonstrates that B2B YouTube success doesn't require millions of views. The value of reaching the right decision-makers far outweighs raw view counts. By creating genuinely educational content that demonstrates expertise, Ahrefs has transformed YouTube from a promotional channel into a powerful sales enablement tool - one that builds trust with prospects before they ever engage with sales teams. For B2B companies willing to embrace this educational-first approach, consistent creator presence, and long-term mindset, YouTube offers unprecedented opportunities to establish thought leadership and drive meaningful business results in ways that most competitors have yet to discover.