Why Content Marketing Is Important for B2B Brands
Data from Hubspot shows that in 2021, video content was the most shared content type used in content marketing strategies. Amazingly, almost 70% of content marketing services agencies reported it was their primary form of media!
However, video content is far from the only type of content businesses can create for their content marketing strategy. The content types are endless, from infographics and white papers to case studies, webinars, and podcasts.
Regardless of the content you create, the point is, content is still king. (Yes, we’ve been saying this for years, but it’s still true.) Business-to-business (B2B) companies must create quality content to find new customers.
But content marketing does more than just find qualified leads. So let’s get into why content marketing is essential for B2B companies.
What Is B2B Content Marketing?
B2B content marketing is when companies create and distribute different content formats for the following purposes:
- Expand audience
- Build trust
- Create demand
- Educate clients
- Establish authority
- Find leads
- Generate interest
While deeply connected, content marketing differs from social media marketing in that social media marketing drives engagement through interactions, and content marketing directs potential customers to the company’s website.
How Is B2B Content Marketing Different Than B2C?
B2B digital marketing is about generating leads and forming relationships since the buyer’s journey can take several months as they work through the sales funnel. It’s similar to inbound marketing, where you create content that aligns with your target audience and fosters long-term relationships.
On the other hand, B2C digital marketing focuses on brand awareness and sales. The goal is to quickly reach and convert the target audience into paying customers. Since the buying journey is much quicker than with B2B sales, there isn’t as big of a focus on relationship building.
Why Is B2B Content Marketing Important?
Want to increase your B2B sales? Create good content. Various studies have proven its success time and time again. So let’s explore more in-depth why having a solid content marketing plan for your company is key.
Cost Effective
Content marketing is a much more cost-effective way to increase your business’s online visibility than other digital marketing efforts, such as email marketing.
Although search engine optimization (SEO) doesn’t end with content marketing, it plays a vital role in boosting organic traffic. Keyword targeting, link-building with backlinks, and regular posting will improve SEO through content marketing.
Ergo, it’s a no-brainer why content creation makes up a significant portion of a business’s marketing budget – it has an excellent ROI.
Help B2B Buyers With Purchasing Decisions
As a business, you’re a thought leader in your industry, and content creation is the perfect way to share your knowledge with B2B buyers.
Think about creating long-form how-to articles or instructional videos. Additionally, you can get inside your customers’ heads to figure out their pain points – and then show them how your product or service tackles them as the perfect solution.
Essentially, each piece of new content you create has the potential to develop trust, establish credibility, and demonstrate to decision-makers why they should buy from you.
Long-Term Results
Evergreen content is content that always stays relevant, increasing your content’s longevity. You can maximize your content by cross-posting it on various social media platforms over time, and it will always stay fresh. Way more bang for your buck.
You can also share this valuable content with your sales team, which they can use with customer outreach. Even your customer support team can use these pieces of content to help with customer inquiries.
And if you’ve done your job right and your evergreen content ranks well, it will continue to direct clients to your website.
Generate High-Quality Leads
Your business should absolutely use content marketing to generate leads. Once you know your buyer persona, you can create content that leads them through the buyer’s journey. Your content will encourage potential clients to continue the sales funnel, eventually leading to more conversions.
Then, follow analytics and metrics to tweak the content you create or when you share social media posts. This way, you can maximize how many potential customers you reach. For instance, if you find your LinkedIn posts falling flat, change your content or choose another platform to post on.
Further, according to the Content Marketing Institute, content marketing is also the most significant driver in demand generation. 83% of marketing teams said it was the most effective strategy to generate demand, with SEO and paid advertising trailing behind.
Stay a Step Ahead of Your Competition
Even though the data shows that high-quality content is best for lead generation, many businesses still aren’t living up to what customers want.
When you don’t put effort into the strategy, you’re basically handing customers directly to your competition. So instead, analyze what your competitors are doing and outpace them with an even better approach. For example, if you notice their informational videos are performing well, invest in creating high-quality videos of your own. (And ideally, ones that are better!)
All in all, create engaging, educational, personable, and shareable content.
Build Connections & Create Trust
Through thought leadership, you can create brand awareness, which, in turn, builds trust. When customers trust your word, not only will they buy from you, but they will become return customers. They will also tell others about your product or service, bringing even more clientele to your door. Developing a positive reputation for your business is priceless.
Create Organic Website Traffic
Your content marketing efforts should always keep in mind the long-term goal: to generate leads through search traffic growth. Thus, your content should consistently send people to your website, increasing organic traffic.
While paid advertising can help you in the short term, it’s an expensive long-term strategy. When you invest in creating high-quality educational content, you will spend far less while maximizing exponential growth.
Start Building Your B2B Content Marketing Strategy
If you’re looking for professional advice or assistance with your B2B content marketing campaigns, let’s have a chat! This is exactly what we do best at Eraser Farm. Contact our team to learn more about our services and how we can help.