In the world of digital marketing today, it seems like every company is directing much of their efforts to attracting new customers, and we talked about this a bit in our last blog here.
But today we’ll be diving into B2B content marketing and how to create content that is engaging and exciting for your customers. So, let’s get started.
First things first, let’s quickly discuss the difference between B2C and B2B marketing tactics. To keep it simple, with B2C marketing, you are selling to a consumer, whereas with B2B, you are selling to a business. Additionally, when you are selling to a consumer, you are oftentimes focusing on targeting their emotions, and on the flip side, when selling to a business you should be aiming at their logic. So, obviously your marketing approach will have to vary a bit. However, this doesn’t mean there can’t be a little bit of crossover when it comes to strategy – it just needs to be implemented properly.
A few digital marketing trends that are becoming more popular include videos, interactive content, and personalization. What’s even better – all three of these trends can be applied to B2C and B2B marketing. As one site says, “Businesses that sell primarily to consumers in particular are creating dazzling ads and rich media communications. But some companies that sell to other businesses are also creating videos to post on YouTube, as well as interactive content on their site. Some of these B2B companies are launching engaging, personalized email campaigns to make a sale and maintain a robust social media presence, to promote their brand.”
The truth is, while B2B may mean business to business, the people who work at companies are consumers too and they’re probably sick of reading dull, lifeless content. So, we’re sharing a few tips on how to avoid that and create content that interesting, personalized, and engaging.
Incorporate visual elements and videos. A study conducted by Cisco predicts that by 2021 video will account for 82 percent of online traffic. What’s so great about video is it switches things up from boring old text and more importantly, humanizes the content. To see a face and hear a voice not only livens things up, but it is also one of the best ways to add a degree of interactivity. Try playing around with a bit of humor – puns are always a great place to start! If you’d like to add a bit of personalization to your visuals and videos, make an effort to send them to companies in need of your specific product or service.
Share some knowledge. When it comes to marketing, it’s not always just about helping to make a sale. Instead and a lot of the time, it’s about education. This vital to the buying process and helping your targets make more informed decisions will keep you top of mind, especially in the world of B2B. Entrepreneur.com says, “The result can be strengthened ties between B2B companies and their customers, and increased customer retention.” If you can share something of value besides just getting in their faces saying “Buy This!!” or “Buy That!!” you will be able to position your company as reliable, knowledgeable, and in the end, you’ll build a loyal following.
Offer interactive support content. One area that is often overlooked is support system content. This is such a great place to integrate material into your website, emails, etc. and can help customers get the support they need in an interesting, but still helpful way. “Interactive content such as calculators, templates, and Q&As can help…These assets increase user ‘stickiness,’ which keeps them engaged, and you can use a similar strategy to help your support agents find answers quickly. B2B support teams, moreover, can use interactive content to personalize customer outreach and make it more engaging.”
By following these tips and implementing your own integrative content, your customers will not only be more interested, but also appreciative of the fact that their interactions with your company are immediate and human-like.
At RenderTribe, our RenderLab process helps you identify the unique pieces that fit in your overall marketing strategy and align your plan with overall business objectives. We help build the foundation for measurement, expertise, and the tactical execution needed to support the plan.
Let us help you grow your bottom line. Contact us today. B2B Digital Marketing Agency
