B2B content marketing: why it is a winning strategy.
The Michelin brothers knew what they where doing when they released their first guide for motorists in 1900. 116 years later it is still a fantastic example of how content marketing can deliver outstanding brand equity; in their case, associating car tire manufacturing to the finest cuisine in the world.
So what is content marketing? The initiative of creating and distributing valuable content to attract a clearly defined audience. A few years back Seth Godin said that content marketing is all the marketing we have left. Online ad blockers were created for a reason: consumers don’t want to be told when they need to interact with your brand. With content marketing budgets growing exponentially each year, it seems that Godin’s predictions about “permission marketing” where more than accurate.
Recent studies* show that 74% of clients believe that their design agencies could supply more added value communication, sharing learning and showing what is new out there. Instead, we often spend valuable time and effort promoting our portfolios or latest triumphs. Brands that generate relevant content are perceived as personal and trustworthy. And if done consistently, over time your brand can develop a more human tone of voice and an approachable presence.
How you do it
Go where the people you want to talk to are! Find the perfect platform to share your expertise, and then do it. Regularly. Have a conversation with your target audience about what they really want to know.
How you actually do it
Develop your buyer persona. Understand your customer’s interests and needs. This will help you identify the perfect medium or platform to initiate the conversation. Then, start generating useful content, without expecting anything in return.
Over time the acquired audience will come to you as the expert you will have proven to be, rather than the one you have claimed to be through more traditional advertising channels. Content being the first touch with a customer will establish familiarity and might lead to sales later down the line.
Show you know your stuff
Infographic, webinar, blog, interview, video, podcast, testimonial, case study.
I am currently obsessed with InVisionapp’s B2B content marketing strategy. The product they offer is a platform for prototyping UX / UI projects. To support their brand they have created a phenomenal blog and become a relevant content generator within the design industry. It features very interesting free webinars with valuable advice from industry figures, weekly digest pieces on design, and fantastic looking newsletter. They claim to have 1 million subscribers to their blog, which would suggest that their strategy is working, right?
If you are re-evaluating your marketing efforts, it might be worth thinking about content generation as part of your strategy. And remember: just because you are manufacturing car tires, doesn’t mean you have to write about that.
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*Source: by Up to the Light, in association with DBA, Report: What Clients Think 2016 © Up to the light
