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06 / 11 / 15 /
WHEN OPPORTUNITY KNOCKS DATA DOES IT CONTENT JOURNEY
Open the door The right numbers 8 essential tips
JANUARY / 2020
Volume One / Issue 9
THE
CONTENT
ISSUE
EDITOR’S
NOTE
Firstly, Happy New Year! I’m delighted to kick off 2020 with
this year’s first issue of The Knowledge, which shines a light on content.
Content is the building block of any B2B marketers now have the
successful marketing campaign. It’s opportunity to harness the knowledge
also constantly evolving, bringing and tools at their disposal and leverage
new and exciting ways to capture the content to create strategies that
interests of relevant audiences the provide meaningful results.
world over. Gone are the days when
one lonely press release carried the Ultimately, businesses need to
weight of unfair expectations and adapt to focus on quality over
marked the height of sophistication. quantity and create content that
The marketing industry is starting to supports every stage of today’s
recognise that content is a holistic non-linear customer journey.
organism – the once siloed pieces are
working together as one to survive and
thrive in a competitive landscape not Francesca MacKenzie
unlike a battlefield. Editor
02
Content marketing is
the only marketing left.
Seth Godin
THE knowledge
03 THE CONTENT ISSUE
EXPERIENCE
IS KING
The production and distribution of Ten years ago, content was recognised When content marketing is done right,
content has been ingrained into what as siloed bits and pieces. A press it creates an end-to-end experience
we do as marketing professionals release here, a newsletter there. for the customer, much like a UX or CX
from the word go. After all, what Then, content slowly evolved into blog experience, but with arguably more
is marketing but using words and posts and white papers, tweets and moving parts to manage and more
pictures to convince and entice? What infographics. The types of content lateral thinking required to bring the
are words and pictures but content? at our disposal have multiplied and experience to life. Within an optimised
become more sophisticated, but many content experience, each piece of
Content marketing is therefore not a of us still think of them as separate content is useful as a standalone item
new concept – far from it. But what is entities that will somehow add up to but is also connected, working as part
new is our understanding of it: we’re more than the sum of their parts. If of a whole to guide a buyer sequentially
finally figuring out how to centralise you’re writing white papers, guest blog through the stages of their journey, no
content strategy, management and posts, Instagram captions and all the matter how complex or unique that
creation within our organisations, and rest, then that’s your content strategy journey may be.
why that matters. In traditional B2B all done, right?
spaces with long-established ways
of working, this change has been a Well, not quite. When it comes to
long time coming and will always be content marketing, actual content
a process. But when content is so creation doesn’t start until fairly late on
intrinsic to marketing across the board, in the process. Before B2B marketers
it is only a matter of time before content- can even think about putting pen to
centred thinking becomes the norm. paper (or finger to ‘record’ button),
they must ensure that they’re armed
with a carefully considered, integrated
content strategy that makes all the
effort worthwhile.
04
Exceptional
customer
experiences
are the only
sustainable
platform for
competitive
differentiation.
Kerry Bodine
THE knowledge
05 THE CONTENT ISSUE
WHEN OPPORTUNITY
KNOCKS, OPEN THE DOOR
Research from SEMrush indicates that Clearly, content marketing is a Marketing professionals are missing
“content marketing B2B” is currently growing opportunity which many B2B an opportunity to optimise the
the third-most expensive content marketing professionals are already customer’s content experience.
marketing-related keyword to bid on.1 capitalising on. But this is the moment CMI’s research further suggests that
Content marketing is a hot topic in when we must ask ourselves, are we most B2B marketers are using their
B2B spaces, even the most monolithic doing enough right to truly maximise budgets to achieve top-of-funnel goals:
ones: “Storytelling” has been picked content’s potential? 75% prioritise generating more quality
out as one of the Top Trends for 2020 leads and 71% would like to attract
by Innova Market Insights, which Consider this: according to research more traffic. Meanwhile, only 56%
offers insights and reporting for the from LinkedIn and the Content are concerned with improving brand
heavyweights of the B2B food and Marketing Institute, B2B buyers reputation and a mere 45% would like
beverage industry.2 would say it’s their responsibility to to improve customer engagement and
self-educate on potential solutions loyalty.5 These priorities reveal that
before even talking to a sales many of us are looking at the problem
representative: only 12% want to meet backwards: improving engagement
in person, while 71% would prefer to and loyalty through measures like
conduct their own research wherever reputation management is one of the
possible.3 However, a different study most effective ways to attract new
from the Content Marketing Institute quality leads and traffic, and to keep
indicated that in-person events offer doing so over time.
B2B marketers the highest chances
for securing and converting leads.4 So
even though B2B buyers don’t want to
be there, in-person events are where
they convert the most. What’s wrong
with this picture?
1. SEMrush, The State of Content Marketing 2019 Global Report
2. Food Ingredients First, “Storytelling: Winning with Words” leads Innova Market Insights’ Top Trends for 2020,
https://www.foodingredientsfirst.com/news/storytelling-winning-with-words-leads-innova-market-insights-top-trends-for-2020.html
3. LinkedIn Marketing Solutions, Content Marketing: Unlocking Sales and Marketing Performance, https://business.linkedin.com/
marketing-solutions/content-marketing/unlocking-sales-and-marketing-performance/3qc
4. Content Marketing Institute, 2020 B2B Content Marketing: What the Successful Do, https://contentmarketinginstitute.com/2019/10/
success-differentiators-b2b-research/
5. Ibid.
06 6. INFLUENCE, The power of earned media on the technology sales cycle,
https://influenceonline.co.uk/2019/04/16/the-power-of-earned-media-on-the-technology-sales-cycle/THE knowledge 07 THE CONTENT ISSUE
GOOD THINGS
TAKE TIME
It’s not easy to deliver a content Not to mention, the competition for Does all your organisation’s content
campaign that’s effective over the attention is fierce in B2B spaces. perform equally well? Of course it
long term. It takes drive, determination Buyers are inundated with so much doesn’t. In many cases, only a small
and consistent effort, because it’s content on a daily basis that they’re portion of content generates the lion’s
all too easy to lose momentum. This forced to be selective. B2B marketers share of traffic and engagement for a
is where B2B marketers need to may begin to wonder, “how can we given brand. That’s why B2B marketers
be patient: it can take years to see maximise engagement as early on as should avoid churning out reams of
sustained uplift across metrics. possible, so we don’t need to rely on content and instead focus their efforts
Even the most optimistic might find more content to push a lead through on creating fewer pieces of higher
themselves staring down a blank page, the funnel?”. It’s this mindset that can quality, and then distributing those
wondering if it’s really worth writing misdirect B2B marketers and can pieces effectively. It might well be more
yet another piece of content which few again lead to an over-reliance on worthwhile to then repurpose those
people will read. top-of-funnel content. key pieces of content and redistribute
them over time than to invest in creating
Instead, B2B marketing professionals new-but-similar content.
should focus on quality content over
quantity, designed to support every
stage of the customer journey.
This is what forms the foundation
of a truly integrated approach to
content marketing.
08Content marketing is
really like a first date.
If all you do is talk
about yourself, there
won’t be a second date.
David Beebe
THE knowledge
09 THE CONTENT ISSUEAUDIENCE FIRST,
BRAND SECOND
What makes for a great date? Or, what •
Establish your credibility. For a shining example of B2B content
makes for a great piece of content? done right, look no further than The
Here are three points to consider: B2B buyers seek relationships built Txchnologist by GE. This online
on trust. To win trust, you need to magazine offers a wealth of fascinating
•
Keep it relevant and useful. demonstrate expertise and authority. reports on science and technology
Use content to position yourself as news and innovation, most of which
This one is a no-brainer. B2B a thought leader within a key niche is only tangentially related to GE’s
content consumers are not looking that matters to your buyers. Your own product offering. GE’s branding is
for products – they’re looking for content should be accurate, minimal across the magazine, which
solutions to their problems. Keep well-researched, in-depth and is powered by the Tumblr social media
your audience at the heart of your insightful in order to have an impact. platform. This savvy move gives The
content by always considering what If you want to be seen as authentic, Txchnologist posts the look and feel
their problems and needs are, first it’s crucial to offer content that’s of Tumblr posts, which are a familiar
and foremost. This will give you the not always tied to blatant promotion source of fun and learning for many
authentic, emotive driver you need but has intrinsic value on its own. content consumers, particularly
to make a connection. growing numbers of millennials and
•
Stay connected and consistent. Gen Z. What GE ends up with is high
quality, high value content that always
Ensure that your content expresses keeps audience preferences in mind.
the same key beliefs and values
across the board, so every
individual piece is always
on-brand. But make sure you’re
not just rewriting the same piece
over and over again. Instead, create
connections between content
pieces through the reiteration of the
biggest-picture ideas, consistent
tone of voice and design, and
sequential positioning of content
pieces along a customer journey.
10DATA
DOES IT
Now we’ve looked at the broader Instead, why not wade into the data? Data provides B2B marketers with
values that drive good content, we Craft reader personas based on an opportunity to deliver dynamic
need to get a little more granular. everything from basic demographic personalisation, so that different visitors
It’s time for data to do the talking. information right through to the topics to a website can land on different
Before B2B marketers can offer the that readers are interested in. A variety content pages, based on their reader
right kind of content to a receptive of data sources should be included persona. Dynamic personalisation,
audience, they need to have a deep in any analysis, from first-party intent enabled by the latest tech tools,
understanding of that audience – not data that tracks behaviour on owned can customise every interaction a
only what motivates and inspires them, channels to third-party intent data that visitor has on a website, which can
but also how they behave from moment tracks searches on external websites. be followed up by tailored emails
to moment and click to click. Oh wait, It’s also important to know which and intelligent pop-ups. A highly
did we say audience? We meant formats and devices specific reader personalised approach like this is
audiences, plural. groups prefer. of course rooted in Account Based
Marketing (ABM) principles. ABM-
It’s vital to segment audiences into At first, there’s an opportunity to oriented marketers are primed to
reader personas, which are similar to discover unexplored segments or take the lead in developing integrated
buyer personas. According to CMI’s unaddressed topics which can boost content strategies, because of the
2020 report, so far only one in three B2B a content strategy immediately for a inherent need for holistic campaign
marketers focus on improving the quality quick win. But the bigger reward is alignment which they are already
of their data for audience segmentation.7 in creating a more sensitive, relevant addressing in their day-to-day activities.
Without fully optimised data, there is a and responsive content strategy which
risk of misunderstanding an audience, speaks to new, returning and former
missing some of them entirely, or lacking buyers in a way that resonates with
the insight to personalise content efforts them over a long period of time.
most effectively.
THE knowledge
11 7. Content Marketing Institute, 2020 B2B Content Marketing: What the Successful Do,
THE CONTENT ISSUE
https://contentmarketinginstitute.com/2019/10/success-differentiators-b2b-research/It is a
capital
mistake
to theorise
before one
has data.
Sherlock Holmes
12COOL STORY,
BRO
Data provides insight, which forms We won’t get into the ‘how’ of great Very long format pieces are now also
the basis of strategy. Then comes storytelling – we’ve already done entering the spotlight. According to
the need for actual content creation. that, in a previous issue. But, at this SEMrush, long reads of 3000+ words
How do businesses leverage data to juncture, it’s important simply to note get 3x more traffic, 2x more shares
create compelling content that’s both that the way we consume media is and 3.5x more backlinks than articles
effective and engaging? This is where changing. People are now keenly aware of average length.8 This is likely due
storytelling comes in. Good storytelling of when they’re being advertised to, to the perceived value which longer
techniques are essential for crafting and they don’t like it. There is a far content pieces deliver, compared to
authentic, captivating narratives that greater need for content which informs bite-sized blog posts.
help customers to understand the and entertains, which is why longer-
‘why’ of a brand and its products, and format content pieces often hold more
to see the clear differentiation of the value than brash, commanding advert
company’s value proposition. campaigns. Advertorial content is
becoming much more popular, as seen
at American Express. The financial
giant has recently commissioned a
series of advertorials in UK newspaper
The Independent. These pieces are
positioned as ‘how to’ guides for small
business owners and are by-lined as if
written by a journalist.
THE knowledge
13 8. SEMrush, The State of Content Marketing 2019 Global Report
THE CONTENT ISSUE14
START YOUR
CONTENT JOURNEY NOW
There’s no time to waste. Here are
8 key tips to get you on your way:
1. Have an aligned, integrated 2. Get the right team in place 3. Craft the right tone of voice
content strategy
A good writer should only be one No matter what types of content you
Research from CMI shows that a cog in a well-oiled content machine. publish, it’s essential that you tell your
documented content marketing You can’t create great content without stories in your own, unique brand voice.
strategy is a key indicator of future editors, graphic designers, AV teams Take some time to consider what this
success.9 Having a holistic strategy and kit, SEO support, media relations should sound like and its key attributes.
that’s aligned across your marketing professionals and analytics experts. Is it more casual or more formal? Which
function enables you to curate content Right now, 35% of B2B marketing values does it attempt to convey?
and avoid repetitive or inharmonious teams have 2-5 members, while 32% Putting in the effort to shape the tone
assets. It also allows you to improve have no full-time content person.11 from the start is what prevents your
existing content and tailor it to meet As the content landscape continues content for joining the vast, forgettable
the needs of different teams. Further to evolve, those without the manpower hordes that already exist online.
research from CMI and LinkedIn shows will soon be left behind.
that 81% of marketers in highly aligned
companies collaborate with sales in
using content, while only 25% of low
aligned companies do.10
9. Content Marketing Institute, 2020 B2B Content Marketing: What the Successful Do,
https://contentmarketinginstitute.com/2019/10/success-differentiators-b2b-research/
10. LinkedIn Marketing Solutions, Content Marketing: Unlocking Sales and Marketing Performance,
https://business.linkedin.com/marketing-solutions/content-marketing/unlocking-sales-and-marketing-performance/3qc THE knowledge
15 11. Content Marketing Institute, 2020 B2B Content Marketing: What the Successful Do, THE CONTENT ISSUE
https://contentmarketinginstitute.com/2019/10/success-differentiators-b2b-research/4. Assemble your toolkit 6. Repurpose what you already have 7. Leverage diverse content formats
Martech has come a long way, Audit your existing content. Identify Think beyond the blog post, the white
and there are now plenty of tools out what needs updating and what could be paper and the press release. Potential
there that can help you do content transformed into another format. Could content formats are many and varied
better and eliminate some of the you pull together a visually engaging these days, from webinars and live
pain points along the way. Tools like infographic from that technical white streams to podcasts and polls. Such
BuzzSumo and AnswerThePublic can paper to share on social? Does that formats can offer high-quality,
help you generate ideas to write about, hero piece of longform content break cost-effective alternatives which offer
while sales enablement tools, like down into blog posts that are easier greater opportunities for engagement
Showpad, can help you collate content to digest, with a narrower focus? and better positioning.
in a way that’s useful for salespeople According to SEMrush, 51% of content
out in the field. And those are just a marketers think that updating and 8. Future-proof your content strategy
few examples. repurposing existing content is the most Always keep in mind what’s coming
efficient content marketing tactic they next for content. If you can position
5. Create a content calendar tried in 2019.12 yourself now as the best provider in
It’s always useful to visually map out an as-yet-untapped channel, you’ll be
your content distribution plan, so you streets ahead when the competition
can see at a glance what topics and finally catches up. Spaces such as
types of content are being leveraged voice search and platforms such as
when, and rearrange them with ease. YouTube are creating new opportunities
Content calendars provide a much- to play, where trial and error is still
needed structural framework which essential for progress.
can nevertheless be flexible enough to
accommodate news and trends on an
ad-hoc basic.
16 12. SEMrush, The State of Content Marketing 2019 Global ReportThere are three objectives for content marketing: reach, engagement,
conversion. Define key metrics for each.” Michael Brenner
THE knowledge
17 THE CONTENT ISSUEIS IT
WORKING?
It’s all very well to create a great Basic metric considerations should BDB’s Senior Content Manager,
piece of content based on insight and include the likes of traffic, organic Azra Ahmed, believes that content
distributed over relevant channels to search rankings, scroll depth, levels of analysis is most meaningful when
reach the right people. Any content social engagement and so on. There testing and optimising are a standard
marketer who’s doing all that might is, however, a risk of staying too basic. part of the process:
be tempted to pat themselves on the These days, it’s not enough to measure
back. But hold on a second! Last but how many likes a social post received, “B2B marketers can take advantage
not least, it’s essential to track and for example. What B2B marketers really of social platforms like Twitter,
measure the success of content, in need to know is where those likes come where organic reach is still possible,
order to affirm ROI. from and how many of them align with to ‘audition’ content ideas, testing
specific pre-developed reader and which topics drive shares and
As the team at Honda have learned, buyer personas. engagement. These learnings can
measuring ROI requires different then be used to develop longer form
metrics for different types of content at In larger, more traditionalist B2B pieces of thought-leadership content
each stage of the customer journey.13 organisations, it’s the content which can be distributed through
And as CMI’s research reveals, 80% of marketer’s role to move the C-Suite measurable channels.
B2B marketers use metrics to measure away from these old school metrics
content performance, 65% have by showing the power advanced data And then, of course, highly optimised
established KPIs and only 43% measure truly holds. With the right analytics landing pages are essential
content marketing ROI. Clearly, if ROI and measurement, B2B marketers destinations for any content journey.
cannot accurately be measured, then can prove to their teams that content A/B testing can help B2B marketers
complete metrics are not yet in place. marketing builds a subscriber base, identify what resonates with their
attracts and nurtures qualified leads visitors and craft landing page content
and generates profitable sales, that truly drives conversion.”
including post-purchase sales.
13. Festival of Marketing, What’s hot and what’s not: Making your content strategy agile to stay ahead
18 of trends, https://www.festivalofmarketing.com/2019-sessions?utm_source=InternalEmail&utm_
medium=Email&utm_content=FOM20EM2&utm_campaign=FOM20THE knowledge
THE CONTENT ISSUE
If you can’t measure it,
you can’t improve it. Peter Drucker
19JOURNEYS IN
EVERY DIRECTION
The customer journey is no longer Historically, content marketers have Change remains the only constant that
linear, and content marketing is no tried to force customers into linear B2B marketers can rely on. Content
longer achieved piece by piece. In journeys from email to website to marketing is evolving just as rapidly
2020, content experiences must guide checkout, but this isn’t working. It’s as the technology which enables it
and follow customers in the spaces vital to put control into the hands of and the buyer aspirations it seeks
where they are most comfortable, customers and position content in to fulfil. The only route to success
reaching out to them with precisely the non-linear pathways, where customers is to adapt and evolve alongside it.
message which will resonate in any will stumble across them at their own B2B marketing professionals must
given moment. leisure. And it can’t just be any old always seek to try new things, engage
content. B2B marketers must provide with new trends and throw out old,
useful content that is accessible in inefficient ways of working. Developing
varied, intuitive formats. an integrated content strategy is a
vital part of becoming truly integrated
and agile across every organisation.
More and more, keeping integration
and alignment at the heart of strategy
is proving the key to success for B2B
marketers working across departments
and diverse markets.
20©2020 B2B|IMG Published by Barrett Dixon Bell. All enquiries: weareb2b@bdb.co.uk
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