B2B marketing uses many channels to increase profits, customers, and company growth. Here are three types of content that B2B marketers incorporate today.
B2B marketing uses many channels to increase profits, customers, and company growth.
For example, email marketing is one method which greatly increases revenue for many B2B firms. And while this is just one channel, different types of content can be paired up with it for even greater success.
Here are three types of content that B2B marketers can incorporate into their digital marketing strategy today.
1. Blog posts for B2B content marketing
Blogs are not strictly B2C (business-to-consumer). And while B2B marketers can see results with list or how-to posts, that’s not the end-all-be-all for B2B marketing blogs.
In fact, there’s a whole host of blogging options available to appeal to your target audience: It just depends on who you’re targeting and what your goal for blogging is.
For example, do you want your blog posts to increase product sales? Do you want people to sign up for your emails? Or do you want to show your expertise on a specific topic or industry?
You must define your goal as it shapes the kind of blog posts to write.
You can write a monthly feature where you interview past (happy) customers. Or interview other professionals in your industry (this helps expand your network too!). Or you could provide company updates; highlight outstanding departments in your business or give a look at the behind-the-scene of the company.
You also don’t need to post a ton to see results. 1-2 times a month can be enough to start. As you define and redefine your B2B marketing goals, increasing that number to 1-2 times a week may be beneficial.
Blogging may seem daunting at first, but it’s much easier with a well thought out strategic marketing plan in place.
2. Customer case studies
Case studies are absolutely fantastic to use in your B2B marketing plan. Customer case studies are even better.
These type of case studies highlight customers you’ve worked with who are happy with your product or service. You also discuss the ways your company solves problems and what sort of results you bring.
Customer case studies can be written every quarter, once a month, or several times a month. They’re anywhere from 1-4 pages in length and they can be used everywhere. Including:
- Highlighted in blog posts
- Showcased on your website
- Used in sales pages for products
- Used as a lead magnet in email marketing
- Incorporated into email signatures
The best part is customer case studies show future customers exactly why they should be buying your product. They’re amazing proof of your credibility and authority in the B2B space.
3. White papers
White papers are more intense than case studies. They can be between 6-10+ pages in length. In the case of B2B marketing, they’re used as a method to promote a product or service to persuade customers to use and/or buy your product or service.
White papers use facts, quotes, and graphics to illustrate a point. A great white paper mixes facts with storytelling to give useful information about a problem or solution. They’re used before a sale but are in no way a sales pitch.
You can use a white paper to explain the benefits of your product. Or as a highlight to a business issue your product solves. And to reflect which problems your product handles successfully. Similar to case studies, white papers explain:
- What you do
- How you do it and
- Why it matters
They can be used on your website, in your emails as an excerpt, lead magnet to sign up for your newsletters, or point to the direction of your services. And of course, they can be written for any new product you create and solutions they solve.
B2B marketing doesn’t have to be stiff or generic. But it does need to produce results. Depending on your business and sales goal, one type of content may be more useful for your strategy than others.
Blogging, customer case studies, and white papers all offer unique ways to market your products and connect with other businesses to increase profits. But you have to set these goals first before making any B2B marketing decisions.
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