Content Strategy for B2B marketing
A content strategy in B2B markets starts from business objectives and from the target: how to build it and how to measure what really works.
~7 min read
CONTENT MARKETING
The content strategy for B2B markets is a strategy that aims to plan, create and distribute content to address the needs and pressing problems of your customers, encouraging them to build a relationship with the brand and to want to know more about the company. It is part of B2B marketing communication.
In short: through this continuous process, the goal is to reach business objectives by leveraging content.
No time to read? Ilaria explains it all in under two minutes ;) ↓
Before looking at how to build this kind of strategy, however, it is important to define the concepts clearly.
What we mean when we say “content”.
Let us start with definitions, that is, with what we mean by “content”.
By “content” we refer to concepts that can be very different from one another, from technical white papers to TikTok videos.
In any case, however, it always contains relevant information in a given context and for a given target audience, with a form shaped by the medium through which it is delivered.
Today content is essential for companies as a way to attract potential customers without relying on traditional, more pushy advertising and sales techniques.
(Digital) content, in fact, allows potential customers to discover a company and its products/services organically, often while looking for answers to their questions and needs.
The conversion funnel is still essential, of course, but the force that pushes people to move through it is not only advertising and calls from salespeople, but the power of the content in a B2B content strategy to solve problems and help them find real solutions, delivering added value.
How to build a good content strategy for B2B markets.
A content strategy for B2B has the potential to generate organic leads and to help a company stand out from the competition. For exactly this reason, it should not be underestimated.
However, if improvised it can do damage, making the company come across as unprofessional and unable to meet the needs of the target, among other things.
That is precisely why, before you start tweeting or posting content on social media, you need to do your homework.
Among the most important starting points we find:
What is missing from their products or services? How does the product offered by our company fill a gap in the market?
Not only that: the questions asked by users under the competition’s content, for example, as well as product and service reviews, are sources of interesting data, even if they are often underestimated.
In addition, surveys, interviews and questionnaires are very useful tools for understanding the target of a content strategy for B2B.
It is important to remember that aiming at a market segment that is too broad is the same as aiming at no one!
From the who you derive the where and the what for your content strategy.
Once you have identified the business objectives and your target, you will be able to establish the most suitable formats and distribution channels.
For example, a channel widely used in content strategy for B2B is the social network LinkedIn for companies, but it is not the only possible choice. If the target is more present on Instagram or Facebook, it is better to focus on these social networks!
Furthermore, you should not underestimate the SEO strategy, the SEM and, depending on the company, the target and the sector, also less traditional channels, such as podcasts.
For the former, you usually set up the development of corporate blogs to create informative posts capable of ranking the site for the right keywords and SERPs and, at the same time, offering valuable informative content.
The topics to cover, of course, also depend on the audience.
Once you have identified its problems, questions and points of curiosity, it will be much easier to write a valuable editorial calendar for your content strategy for B2B!
To create a company editorial calendar for content, the Parklab experts recommend:
Content creation is an equally important step, which should not be underestimated.
First of all, even though you should try to optimise time and resources by producing as much content as possible in one go, it is essential to keep performance under control.
You need to monitor factors such as:
This is only an indicative list, but one that allows you to gather enough information to adapt the content strategy to what REALLY works.
For example, if a particular type of content or a specific topic tends to always perform well in terms of views and shares, you can consider turning it into a series and creating more similar content.
Or, if a piece of content achieves above-average conversion rates, you can consider promoting it further with ads or sponsored content.
On the other hand, if a type of post clearly does not work, it is better to remove it and not waste time!
The content strategy for B2B markets is a strategy that leverages content to reach business objectives.
For exactly this reason, it is important to start from the definition of these objectives and from sharing them with the team.
Not only that: every strategy worthy of the name starts from the target.
Studying the target and the competition makes it possible to answer fundamental questions, such as its problems and needs and the channels it uses to get information.
Based on this information, it will be possible to identify the channels to use, the topics to cover and to create a real editorial calendar for the B2B content strategy.
Finally, it is good practice to analyse what works and what does not, in order to pair the calendar, which must be designed for the long term, with the ability to respond efficiently to the target’s preferences, adapting what has been created based on the information that can be drawn from it.
In marketing, and therefore also in the B2B content strategy , it is important to remember that studying and aiming at the right target means having the chance to truly target your content, winning over your audience and reaching your business objectives.
Frequently asked questions
What is a content strategy for B2B?
It is the strategy that plans, creates and distributes content to address the needs and pressing problems of customers, encouraging them to build a relationship with the brand. It is part of B2B marketing communication and works towards business objectives through content.
Where do you start when building a B2B content strategy?
From the analysis of business objectives, shared with the team, and from a careful study of target customers: who they are, what problems they have, where they look for information, which communication style they respond to best. Competitor analysis also helps, along with the questions users ask under the competition’s content, reviews, surveys and interviews.
Which channels are used in a B2B content strategy?
Channels are identified once objectives and target have been defined. In B2B, LinkedIn is widely used, while Instagram and Facebook are chosen when the target is more present on those social networks. The SEO strategy, SEM, the corporate blog and less traditional channels such as podcasts are also part of the picture.
How do you know whether the content is working?
By keeping an eye on impressions and views of recent posts, conversions, shares, reading time, bounce rate and active email subscribers, along with the best posts by views, reading time and conversions. This data is used to adapt the strategy to what works.
B2B content strategy quote
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