B2B content should not merely convey information; it should provide value, establish trust, and engage your audience on a deeper level. To achieve this, consider the following approaches.
Is Your Content Purposeful, Targeted & Adding Value?
All thought leader insight comes from senior level marketing thought leaders who have participated in Frost & Sullivan Brand & Demand closed-door Virtual Think Tanks.
THOUGHT LEADER Insight
In the ever-evolving world of B2B marketing, content remains a cornerstone for connecting with your audience, building brand authority, and driving conversions. However, success in B2B content marketing requires more than just churning out blog posts and whitepapers. In this article, we'll explore four top B2B content strategies that can help you stand out in the crowded digital landscape.
four
for the
funnel
INTRO
4
B2B Content Strategies to Drive Demand
1
Craft narratives that educate and entertain while subtly conveying your brand's message. Stories are memorable and relatable, making your content
more engaging and shareable.
EDUCATIONAL STORYTELLING
Incorporate quizzes, assessments, calculators, and interactive tools that encourage engagement and provide personalized experiences.
INTERACTIVE CONTENT
Address the specific pain points and challenges of your target audience. Offer practical solutions, tips, and insights that showcase your expertise.
PROBLEM SOLVING CONTENT
Encourage your customers to share their success stories and experiences with your products or services. Authentic user-generated content
builds trust and credibility.
USER GENERATED CONTENT
For every initiative we’re doing, we map out in a lucid chart what the journey is from brand to loyalty. Then, we outline every piece of related content or interaction we want the customer to have.
– Kim Kaminski, Chief Marketing Officer, NS1
THOUGHT LEADER INSIGHT
Is Your Content
Strategy to Gate,
Ungate or Lower
the Gate?
2
The decision of whether to gate your content (i.e., require user information before granting access) is a strategic one. Understanding when and how to gate your content can significantly impact your lead generation efforts.
GATED
UNGATED
HEIGHT
THOUGHT LEADER INSIGHT
Time has changed. The buyer behavior and the way content is consumed has changed. The focus needs to be on how are you adding value to your buyer. And, you can’t make it hard to get.
– Sunita Kishnani, Chief Marketing Officer, Softude
Is Your Content Capturing a Specific Audience or Trying
to Boil the Ocean?
3
One common pitfall in B2B content marketing is trying to reach everyone at once. Instead, focus on a targeted approach that hones in on specific accounts and personas.
When you create content
that captures a specific audience, you tailor your messaging and content style to resonate with the interests and needs of that particular group. This relevance increases the likelihood of engagement and conversions because your audience can relate to the content.
RELEVANCE
Trying to "boil the ocean"
by appealing to a broad, undefined audience can be a waste of resources. It's more efficient to focus your efforts on a well-defined target audience. This approach allows you to concentrate your resources where they're most likely to yield results.
EFFICIENCY
When you aim to capture a specific audience, you can
set clear, measurable goals and KPIs. This enables you
to track the effectiveness of your content strategy more accurately. In contrast, a broad approach can make it difficult to measure success
or make data-driven improvements.
PERFORMANCE
Targeting a specific
audience allows for content personalization. You can create content that speaks directly to your audience's pain points, aspirations, and preferences. This personal touch can foster a stronger connection and loyalty among your audience.
PERSONALIZATION
THOUGHT LEADER INSIGHT
Every brand should be guided by much more precise targeting and incorporating intent data with propensity to buy. That will then elevate
all content that is produced.
– Anna Koh, Chief Marketing Officer, Cyfirma
The traditional marketing funnel has evolved in the B2B landscape. The future funnel is more dynamic, nonlinear, and customer centric. It reflects the changing behavior of B2B buyers and emphasizes ongoing engagement and nurturing.
While You’re Focusing on the Present, Do You Have a Future Funnel?
4
Successful funnels prioritize personalization. Leveraging customer data, artificial intelligence, and machine learning, companies can tailor their marketing and sales efforts to individual preferences. This can include personalized content, recommendations, and communication channels.
CUSTOMER CENTRIC
The future funnel strategy must incorporate multiple marketing channels and provide a seamless omnichannel experience. This means that customers can engage with your brand across various touchpoints (e.g., website, social media, email, mobile app) and receive consistent, coherent engagement.
OMNICHANNEL REACH
Data and analytics will continue to play a central role in future funnel strategies. By collecting and analyzing data at every stage of the funnel, businesses can gain valuable insights into customer behavior, preferences, pain points, and the effectiveness of their marketing efforts.
DATA DRIVERS
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THOUGHT LEADER INSIGHT
I’m advocating for the future funnel, so making sure that
we’re still complementing a lot of that middle and bottom
of funnel content with broader thought leadership. That
will then attract a bigger audience of new customers
and hopefully pull them into the funnel over time.
– Kari Homan, VP Brand, Content Marketing & Social Media
Zendesk
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