A guide to understanding B2B content marketing
B2B content marketing strategies aim to expand your business and build your brand’s reputation. A B2B content marketing strategy is more focused and targets specific business entities. On the other hand, business-to-consumer (B2C) marketing targets a general audience. To get the most out of your B2B content, it’s important to understand your audience, review your content offerings, and ensure you are including all aspects of the sales funnel in your strategy.
To promote B2B content effectively, you should choose between paid and organic promotion, and create compelling content that will capture the attention of your audience. Popular channels for B2B marketing include social media, websites, emails, and guest blog posts, with most B2B marketers opting for a mix of paid and organic content promotion.
B2B Content Marketing vs B2C Marketing: What's the Difference?
Providing fellow businesses with useful products and services, such as consulting services, is the core of B2B content marketing. Material produced for B2B clients must be relevant, actionable, and engaging while targeting the decision-makers of the company. A business-to-business client is often busy and may not have much time for a pitch, so it’s critical to demonstrate to them the benefits and methods in which your goods or services may meet their needs.
Typically, B2B content takes on a more professional and authoritative tone, emphasizing data and claiming industry expertise. Documents like white papers, case studies, and reports establish credibility and position a company as a thought leader. In a B2B transaction, data can be necessary to prove the expertise and worth of the goods or services being promoted. For example, when searching for the best content marketing agency, a business will not pick just any agency to partner with, but rather one that has accomplished great results with previous clients.
On the other side, B2C marketing is focused on informing customers about your goods or services. B2C marketing concentrates on advertising certain goods to consumers, like apparel or tech gadgets. While sometimes focusing on specific demographics, B2C marketing typically targets a broader audience than in a B2B marketing content strategy. The tone in this type of content is generally more casual and relatable to establish a connection between the business and consumer.
In B2C marketing, social media is seen as the top priority in the strategy. In the current world, influencer collaborations are also used in many B2C content marketing strategies. Combining all of the above with visually appealing material pulls in the consumer audience. Success in B2C marketing is measured through website traffic, mentions on social media platforms, and key conversion rate metrics.
The Nuances of B2B Content Creation
When developing content for B2B clients, it is critical to target specific individuals or certain levels inside the organization. For example, if you’re selling desks to a company with 20 or more employees, the ultimate decision will be made by the office manager or an upper-level employee. This means that your material should be targeted to specific job titles, such as someone who would be listed as the “Marketing Director” on LinkedIn.
B2B clients also take longer to make a decision since they frequently investigate your company and compare it to others before providing a response. They also may have several others who need to approve the purchase, making the sales process a bit longer. As a result, it’s critical to generate content that highlights the advantages of your product and adds value to the client to make their decision even easier.
Effective Strategies for Promoting B2B Content
To effectively promote B2B content, it’s important to choose the right channels, promote consistently, utilize SEO, and use a combination of paid and organic promotion.
Promotional Channels
B2B content can be promoted through various channels, including social media, websites, emails, and guest posts. Some of the most popular social media channels for B2B content promotion include LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram. LinkedIn is the most popular with 93% of B2B content marketers utilizing it. Email marketing is also a popular option, with -again- 93% of users preferring it over other methods.
Paid vs. Organic Content / SEO
Most B2B marketers prefer a mix of paid and organic content promotion. Paid promotion refers to sponsored ads or listings, while organic promotion is achieved through ranking higher on search engine results. A paid strategy on LinkedIn, for example, can work well, while an organic strategy on a blog can help improve your search engine rankings. Search Engine Optimization (SEO) will ensure that your content ranks well for relevant keywords B2B decision-makers use in their online searches during their buying process.
Creating Consistent Content
B2B content must be posted consistently and that can best be accomplished through the use of a calendar. Finding the best days and times to post based on your specific audience will help keep your business at the forefront of their search. Being consistent does not require new content each time. Some of the best performing content can be repurposed or even re-posted to aim for a larger reach.
Boost Your B2B Content Marketing Strategy with inSegment
Many B2B companies rely on traditional marketing methods and word of mouth to grow their brand. An effective content marketing strategy can take your business to the next level and help you achieve quick and measurable results. Simple strategies like creating white papers or writing guest blogs can be done with minimal effort. Taking on a consistent social media presence can require more planning and strategy, but will provide you with a great ROI.
The best content marketing agencies, like inSegment, enhance your B2B marketing strategy, boost your search rankings, and drive results for your business. When you’re searching for the best content marketing agency to partner with, look for the one with great results. Get in touch with us today to learn more about how you can achieve those great results.