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What is B2B Content Marketing?

B2B Content Marketing is the strategy of using content to expand your business' audience, establish a strong identity, and ultimate tool in generating leads and driving sales by making an impact on other businesses. What sets it apart from other content marketing types is that B2B content marketing is exclusively by businesses for businesses only.
Creating quality content is a demand for a B2B's marketing success.
It can be a tough job but if you're not paying enough attention to your content marketing now, you're pushing it deeper below your priority list and this will cost you problems.
You have to have a content plan and focus on which type of content works best for your business. Which type of content formats should you invest in? Which type of content you posted has the best ROI (return of investment)?
There is no standard guide to follow. Your type of content depends on your business, industry, your buyer's content consumption habits, and your product or service complexity. Concluding that usage does not automatically mean it is working effectively. 

Before we dive into the types of B2B marketing content, here are some tips on how to do B2B content marketing properly:

1. Identify your target audience – know who will crave your content before creating one.
2. Develop new ideas consistently - new ideas come up fast when you start doing your content marketing but when you already spent years in the industry, ideas can run out too. The best trick is to identify which topics have been circulating in your industry and your target audiences. 
3. Use social validation on which content to produce – post some short content (infographics or news) about a topic and if it reaches an engagement that reaches your standard, then produce a blog about that topic. This is like a trial and error approach on which content your audiences are more interested in.
4. Promote your content – competition is always on fire and depending solely on organic reach will burn your strategy to ashes. Promote your content on every platform possible.

Now, here are the types of B2B Marketing content you can choose from:

1. Blogs

You likely already know how important blogging is as part of your Marketing Content strategy, so we won't dive in there.
Let us just delve into the benefits you can take advantage of in posting blog contents:
• Increase in website traffic
• Support to convert traffic into leads
• Establishes credibility
• Improves SEO ranking
• Regular blog posts attract more traffic and leads plus continuous SEO ranking improvement
• Increases close rate meaning great ROI (return of investment)

Create a solid content calendar based around your reader's interest (check out Trello board).  This can help you monitor how often you post a type of content and to ensure you are producing valuable information. Remember that quality always tops quantity.

2. Buyer's Guide

This type of content exists to guide or assist businesses and individuals through their buying decisions. It includes information and comparisons someone needs to consider in solving their problems. This prevents bombarding them with a salesmanship blurb approach but educating them instead and letting them make an informed decision and not pressure them how good of a product or service you have.
The buyer's guide includes product specifications, comparison to similar products, and client testimonials.

3. Case Studies

Creating case studies acts as evidence for potential clients that your product or service works effectively. This gives a real-life touch to your marketing. Think of it as an extended testimonial of how your product helped a client but unlike the traditional ones. Case studies focus on the explanation of the details of the story.
If your brand needs a nudge of credibility, create case studies content.

4. eBook

An eBook allows you to create detailed insight into your expertise. Doing it correctly will increase your brand reputation and generates new leads. There are varieties of eBook file types such as epub, PDF, mobi, and HTML5 but you don't need to create content using all these formats. You just have to choose one that suits your content.
Best to create eBook content that is focused on problem-solution. Research what challenges your industry is facing and offer a solution – no hold barred type. The bigger the problem, the valuable the solution must be.

5. Email

Email is always the top tool in lead nurturing. It does not just effectively deliver content to readers, but it also supports to earn and hold a buyers attention. You just have to trigger their interest by crafting emails that speak to their buyer's or business' needs and solutions.

6. Infographics

A visual presentation of certain key ideas or research on a specific topic. It usually looks like a poster that lets viewers intake the idea in one sip. Infographics use clip arts, graphics, elements, and images whenever possible because studies found out that people tend to process visuals easier than written texts.
Keep in mind that infographics are data-driven so ensure your facts are straight. Do your research and start by using the right information. Create shareable infographics to help your brand exposure.

7. Research

This is the type of content that is professional and where humour can't exist. Straightforward facts and information –  with no emotion and personality, nor persuasive elements needed. Usually targets subject matter experts who want evidence.
This type of content can be effective since it demonstrates how up to date your business is with the latest in your industry.

8. Videos

Interactive video content is a must-try. Provide high quality, informative and entertaining videos. Figure out what type of video matches your brand – tutorial videos, how-to videos, product demo videos, interviews, Q&A's, hacks, etc.) – which must target your audience as well. Don't be afraid to do a trial and error on which works best for your brand. 

9. Webinars (online seminars) 

Host your own webinars or use a third-party webinar. The advantage of presenting your own material to your audience is they will likely forgive you when you make a mistake. While hosting a third-party webinar, your audience can indulge with new and unknown presenters with a fresh approach and materials.
Webinars are a great opportunity to share expertise in an interactive class-like manner. Even if your product or service is high-end, with engaging webinars, deals have a higher probability of closing.

10. White Paper

This is a content piece that consists of facts, logic, and stories to promote a specific product or service in a seamless, low-key, and non-pushy manner.
White papers can be effective because they are the most read content pieces that circulate.
The only hindrance is that white papers are expensive to produce.

Conclusion

There is plenty of creativity you can apply to your B2B content marketing. Just make sure your contents are highly actionable, engaging and direct, and focused on specifics and has profiled audiences.

Contact us for more insights at www.elephnatintheboardroom.com.au