The main reason why so many B2B content strategies fail is because people don’t recognise
the difference between B2B and B2C content marketing.
Targeting businesses using a B2B content strategy is different than creating a B2C content strategy, B2B involves creating content to target the decision-makers of companies and B2C involves targeting broad audiences depending on your product or service.
With up to 82% of B2B marketeers deploying content marketing strategies, failing to understand the difference between B2B and B2C is the key reason why so many B2B content strategies fail.
Creating and executing the right strategies will deliver continuous traffic, brand trust, brand awareness and drive more conversions. After working with many of our clients and analysing strategies from across multiple sectors we would like to share some of the best strategies you can implement to create a more successful B2B content marketing strategy for your business.
Gather, understand and analyse data
When developing a content strategy that delivers continuous momentum, gathering data and measuring the content is what will help define how successful your content strategy becomes over time. Over time you will be able to tweak and update your strategy to ensure you keep delivering great, engaging and consumed content.
Create content is one thing but measuring ROI of your content efforts will keep you focused and relevant. Through understanding which blog posts drive the most traffic, which lead generation campaigns deliver the most subscribers and which emails convert to sales will help you create more winning content to develop a even impactful marketing strategy next time.
Here are a few useful analytics tools you can use to measure your content ROI:
HubSpot
CRMHot
JarBuzz
Sumo
MonsterInsights
Google Analytics
Buffer
Segmentation is key
Email is the most effective method you can use to engage with a B2B audience. In fact, 53% of B2B marketeers claim that email is the most effective way to generate B2B leads.
The key to building a successful email marketing strategy and creating more personalised emails is to use email-list segmentation.With list segmentations, you’ll be able to create specific groups in your email list in turn allowing you to create targeted emails for each group with personalised messages or calls to action.
For example, if you have a list segmentation that collects the job title of your subscribers, you can create an email campaign to target decision-making roles at a company, to deliver your message and promote them effectively.
Going beyond just a blog post
Creating useful blog posts, ebooks, infographics and social media content are all important parts of a content-marketing strategy however this will not set you apart from the competition.
It’s time to get Original!
Give back to your community and followers
Creating content too that’s too promotional or hard selling will eventually lose the trust and faith your readers have in you or your business, and you’ll eventually lose your influence. This is amplified in the B2B content marketing space as decision-makers and influencers are looking for guidance and support first not the hard-sell.
Keep in mind that you’re targeting a highly educated audience, who, most of the time are experts in their field.
Creating truly helpful content is the best way to build authority and trust. This type of trust building is always the best way to sell your services/products over a longer period of time because you’re simply showing how valuable and helpful you actually are.
Real story-driven content
You’re not targeting a business, you’re targeting an individual and they’re just like us.
The key decision-makers you’re trying to engage with are people just like you and I, they're tired of reading the same old robotic content on every blog or ebook out there. So, be unique and add a bit of humour by telling your real stories and experiences.
Another common mistake is using technical writing styles and filling content up with overly complicated vocabulary, hoping to come across as "professional" to their audience.
To summarise
A B2B content strategy wouldn’t be complete without knowing who you’re trying to reach through your content.
Most importantly: Use the right platforms to create and promote your content. Always keep an eye on your competition, don’t be afraid to steal a few tricks from the content strategies of your competitors and other successful brands in your industry.