Using content is a cost-effective way to achieve organic reach. While many blogs discuss content strategy based on sales funnels and KPIs, it’s beneficial to also consider it from a detailed sales-enablement perspective. This blog draws on my experience in Content Marketing for a B2B IT Professional Services company, highlighting effective content strategies
Table of Contents
- What is B2B Content Marketing Compared to B2C
- Why is Content Marketing Important for B2B Companies?
- Ways to Use Content Marketing for B2B
What is B2B Content Marketing Compared to B2C
The main difference between B2B Marketing and B2C Marketing lies in the budget and decision-making process. B2B sales typically involve larger amounts, ranging from hundreds of thousands to millions. Due to these larger budgets, there are multiple decision-makers involved in the approval process. As a result, content strategy for B2B marketing tends to be more diverse compared to B2C.
Why is Content Marketing Important for B2B Companies?
As highlighted earlier, companies with larger budgets and more stakeholders involved in decision-making seek assurance in their investments. Providing accessible content that addresses clients’ questions and concerns at every stage of the marketing funnel can significantly aid in closing deals.
Additionally, the costs of content creation are often more manageable compared to most PPC marketing campaigns. Moreover, well-curated content can not only support but also enhance the effectiveness of PPC campaigns.
Ways to Use Content Marketing for B2B
When creating a content marketing strategy there are multiple ways to use content to improve the position of your company.
Technical Content: Show Your Expertise
I’m a big fan of show, not tell. When you create highly technical content you poise your company as not only knowledgable, but experts within your industry. This type of content can be difficult to create, but with support from your employees, can be the most valuable.
From my experience in IT Professional Services Technical Content:
- Improved our website domain authority
- Allowed us to pursue certain technical partnerships (AWS. Azure Partner Program)
- Empowered our employees to be ambassadors of our company (and the industry)
Business Content: Make Your Business Case
Business content should be practical and tailored for C-Suite decision-makers. When your clients are from different industries, it is crucial to address and answer their less technical questions during their research phase. Do not shy away from showing clients plainly how things can be done in-house. Through thorough research, clients often discover that in-house solutions can be more costly when accounting for technology, expertise, and tools.
From my experience in IT Professional Services Business Content:
- Was easier to create as we could employ Content Writers for quick turnaround.
- Targeted and mastered more popular keywords (Cloud Services, DevOps Services)
- Great Sales Enablement content that also worked in PPC campaigns
Recruitment Content: Show Company Benefits and Stability
A key goal of recruitment content is to show, not tell, of your company’s benefits to would-be employees. Yes, your company invests in yearly education for employees, but is it for the benefit of the employee? Create a blog with a success story of an employee who succeeded in in their education.
From my experience in IT Professional Services Recruitment Content:
- Improved quality of resumes submitted
- Presented the company as stable with lower turnover
- Improved internal recommendations for open positions
Bringing the Strategy Together
Content marketing for B2B can be much more daunting than B2C. Use your content to show in detail, rather than tell, of your expertise and confidence. Position yourself as a subject matter expert in your industry and highlight your company as an excellent place to work. With a well-crafted content strategy, you can enhance various aspects of your company’s health.