“Content is king”
How many times have you heard this expression in the last few years? Counting them would be a feat.
But this is not just a meaningless mantra. The famous phrase uttered by Bill Gates way back in 1996 contains one of the key concepts of marketing in our era: creating quality content to respond to the real new zealand whatsapp number data 5 million needs of your audience is now essential . And it applies to both B2C and B2B.
Content is the lifeblood of inbound marketing and is designed to attract, engage, inform, and convert visitors into leads and, subsequently, customers.
It doesn't matter if the other side is a direct consumer or the marketing manager of a large company, content marketing can bring significant results in any case, both in terms of lead generation and ROI. So much so that investments in B2B content marketing are constantly growing and the creation of valuable content has become increasingly important in companies' communication strategies.
B2B Content Marketing: Objectives and Characteristics
Ok, I need to create quality content, but what is it actually for?
According to a study by Content Marketing Institute and MarketingProfs, “B2B Content Marketing – 2017 Benchmarks, Budget and Trends, North America” , the main objectives of companies that have implemented content marketing in their strategy are:
Lead Generation
Brand Awareness
Engagement
Simply put, content marketing can help you acquire leads, increase brand awareness, and build relationships with customers and prospects.
Here comes the problem of how to speak to our interlocutor. Communicating to the companies we are addressing is the first step in designing a good B2B inbound marketing strategy.
What you need to keep in mind is that in B2B it is often not just one person who makes decisions . While in B2C the consumer coincides with the decision maker of the situation, when dealing with large companies the decision-making processes are more complex and follow
different paths.
New Call to Action
In general, we can say that if in the B2C context the contents must be more engaging and entertainment-oriented, for B2B an educational approach is more effective, which transmits competence and reliability. In both cases, we want to produce contents that respond to the needs of users, but it is essential to decline this communication in appropriate formats and channels.
5 Channels to Manage with B2B Content Marketing
1. Website
It may seem obvious, but the website is always the hub of a brand's communication. It is the main touchpoint with which potential customers come into contact with companies , as well as the business card of the company itself. A well-designed website is essential, but it is not enough.
To get the most out of this channel, both in terms of lead generation and sales, other requirements are also needed, first and foremost:
SEO Optimization : All pages of the site must be optimized for search engine positioning. Identify the keywords for which you want to be found and
build the site based on the search terms used by users. Using the wrong keywords will not only prevent you from appearing among the first search results on Google, but, more importantly, will prevent your target from finding you.
Responsiveness : today a self-respecting website must be mobile friendly. The contents (texts, images, videos) must adapt to screens of all sizes, always keeping in mind that the use of mobile devices is constantly growing.
2. Blog
The company blog is one of the most useful tools for B2B content marketing. The blog is a direct communication channel between the company and its target audience and using the inbound methodology it is possible to exploit it to the fullest to attract only those who are truly interested in our products or services.
Blog articles can accompany users throughout the sales funnel , from the awareness stage to the purchase decision, acting as a bridge to more in-depth long-form content (ebooks, whitepapers, etc.) and increase lead generation. Thinking of implementing a B2B content strategy without a company blog would mean missing out on many opportunities.
3. Social media
A good B2B content marketing strategy cannot fail to include social media. Choosing the most suitable platforms on which to share blog content and promote your products or services will depend on the sector in which you operate and the interlocutors you are addressing, but LinkedIn is certainly the most used channel for B2B.
LinkedIn is the professional social network par excellence and unlike Facebook, Instagram and Twitter it has a decidedly more business-like slant. You don't share memories or personal photos, you don't make friends but useful contacts for purely work purposes, and the advanced search tools allow you to create relationships with highly profiled contacts.
Regardless of the platforms you choose, it is always a good idea to take into account an advertising budget: if you want your content to be viewed by a large enough audience, you need to start considering social media as a paid tool in all respects . The targeting options available on the various platforms are increasingly advanced and, if done with awareness, social media campaigns can bring significant results.
4. Email Marketing
Email marketing is probably one of the most used techniques by B2B marketers. Emails are the oldest online communication channel around, but they have certainly not lost their effectiveness.
In fact, email marketing tactics have evolved significantly. Thanks to marketing automation, it is possible to create specific workflows to interact with the contacts in the database in a personalized and continuous way. In this way, relationships with leads and customers can be cultivated, creating customized content to maintain interest over time and increase the probability of purchase.
5. Digital PR
Digital PR refers to all the activities that have the purpose of promoting a company and its products/services by cultivating online relationships . The practices that can be implemented are different, but they have the common goal of spreading positive news by fueling
word of mouth.
Among the most common actions we find guest posting and the publication of articles on external portals. The first step is to identify the most authoritative and followed websites and blogs in the sector in which you operate, contacting them to understand if they are willing to host our articles on their portal.
The main advantages of guest posting are:
increased visibility and increased traffic to the site;
building relationships with other industry bloggers;
brand strengthening;
ability to attract new potential customers.
B2B Content Marketing: Conclusion
B2B content marketing can be very useful both for capturing the attention of new potential customers and for cultivating relationships with existing customers. By sharing interesting, informative and useful content for your target audience, you can demonstrate your expertise and authority, increasing trust in your company and, consequently, the likelihood of closing deals.
Choosing the most suitable channels for your business activity should not be random and having a B2B content marketing strategy is essential to achieving your goals .
New call to action
