From Awareness to Conversion: The Power of B2B Content Marketing.
Communication and marketing professionals know that content marketing, a technique that many B2B companies have come to use, is difficult to do without today. This guide is designed to provide all the information you need to determine an effective content marketing strategy for your business.
What is content marketing?
According to Hubspot, "Content marketing is a marketing strategy that relies on the creation and distribution of valuable, useful, and informative content to communicate with audiences and develop company visibility."
This method seeks to attract as many visitors as possible to a website or landing page (such as a contact form). Because the "lead" is editorial rather than promotional in nature, a visitor or potential customer will feel more comfortable "consuming" this content for free, even if they have to leave their contact information to do so.
The type of content (white papers, magazines, videos, etc.) does not matter. What matters is that the target audience finds relevant and memorable answers in it.
One thing is certain: the higher the quality of the content offered, the more the company's image will benefit. Indeed, before reaching the site, potential customers go a long way: they compare different content; they are looking for information that best meets their needs; they are introduced to articles, manuals, and other easy-to-understand formats. Thus, providing them with a variety of content that answers specific questions will be a good key to an effective content marketing strategy.
Content marketing: what are the challenges for B2B?
As you've probably figured out by now, content is a major component of a proper content marketing strategy. However, B2B vs B2C content marketing goals can be different, and buying cycles are sometimes much longer, so you need to think strategically and adapt this technique depending on its use.
One of the main differences is the nature of the content itself. In B2B, you should favor editorial content that is related to the company's area of expertise, provides relevant information to potential customers, and emphasises the company's internal competencies.
You should start by providing a clear and detailed answer to the following question: What content is for which audience, in which format, and through which channel?
What content: Regardless of whether you work in B2B or B2C, the content marketing strategy should be tailored to the target audience. For example, a potential customer at the beginning of the search cycle will better absorb short content such as infographics or videos, while a customer at the end of the search cycle turns to more in-depth content (white papers, case studies, webinars, industry reports, etc.) to be sure to make the right decision (about making a partnership, purchase, or investment).
For which audiences: Researching your target audience is a great starting point for working on your content marketing strategy. We recommend surveys and audience analysis using tools such as Google Analytics, as well as the persona method, to identify typical customer characteristics.
What format: The same content can be presented in different forms (a white paper shortened to a blog article; a video made into an infographic, etc.). The idea is to adapt the format to the chosen channel.
Through which channel to promote: what is applicable for B2C is also applicable for B2B. Email, social media, and blogging are great entry points for content, regardless of format. It's worth prioritising short and illustrated content for social media and longer content for websites or blogging.
Content marketing: how do you calculate the return on investment?
According to Demand Metric, content marketing costs 62% less than traditional advertising and generates nearly three times as many leads.
As with content marketing and any other digital marketing action, it's important to remember that the ROI is long-term. It's also important to clearly define key performance indicators and expected results: number of website or landing page visits, traffic or conversions, social media user engagement, etc.
The goal of content marketing is to help you attract and retain an audience. Thus, the more quality content you produce, the more likely you will be identified as an expert in your field, and the more search engines will put you at the top of search engine results pages. Content marketing is an additional opportunity to reach your business goals!
Looking to supercharge your B2B lead generation and email marketing efforts? Learn more about AnyBiz! Our team of experts knows the ins and outs of B2B marketing, and we're here to help you achieve your goals. Whether you're looking to boost your website traffic, generate more leads, or improve your email open rates, we've got you covered. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help your business succeed!