Content marketing is essential for B2B companies. However, another question arises: Are B2B companies exploring all the possibilities content marketing offers?
While lead generation is important, it’s high time B2B companies used their content marketing strategies to achieve much more than just more leads. Now you’re wondering: Why is this necessary?
There are many good reasons why and how B2B companies and businesses can go the extra mile and explore the boundless possibilities of content marketing.
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B2B Companies and Content Marketing: The Equation
Let’s cut right to the chase. When fully explored, there are countless benefits B2B companies can derive from their content marketing strategies.
Similarly, industries such as healthcare, technology, and many others can benefit from a broad-minded content marketing strategy that is not tailored to achieve singular goals.
In the section that follows, five examples have been discussed to get you thinking about the ‘hows’ of developing a content marketing plan that can truly look beyond the aspect of lead generation.
Share and Showcase Your Knowledge
Let’s suppose that your business has developed a method to reduce packaging waste by a significant margin. It is a problem that nearly all B2B companies face, regardless of their industry.
You can share and amplify this knowledge by using content marketing to spread the word. For instance, you can publish case studies, research articles, and informative blog posts to educate others about your niche.
If possible, you can share your findings with a broader audience at industry-specific events, such as workshops or conferences.
Additionally, you can host webinars, distribute pamphlets, and more. You can even organize a panel session and invite industry stalwarts to share their insights.
In this way, your business can utilize content marketing to give back to the community while building your authority and credibility.
Promote Brand Visibility
With so many B2B companies competing for clients’ attention, it would be a good idea to use your content marketing strategy to help your business stand out and remain ‘visible’ to your clients in the long run.
For instance, you can regularly post blogs talking about your business’s recent achievements or send a press release advertising the same. Research has found that this type of promotional content generates double the traffic of other content types.
You can grab this opportunity to talk about the excellent work your R&D team is doing, or you can flaunt an award that you’ve won by posting about it across your social media channels.
Does your newsletter have a strong subscriber base? Tap into that. Send them a newsletter that’s truly worth their time and show them how your products and services can help them. Also, don't hesitate to implement a B2B website audit tool to improve your brand visibility.
Collect Client Feedback
Don’t stop at selling a product to your client. Make it a point to collect feedback from them. Often, your clients can give you valuable feedback that you can use to develop better products and services.
For example, you can send a post-purchase survey to understand what your client liked and disliked about the product. If you are unsure about a feature you’re looking to include, you can ask your clients for their opinion by using a poll maker.
You can also include feedback forms on your web pages to better understand the types of content your clients would like to read.
You can use several tools for this purpose, including HubSpot, ProProfs Survey Maker, SurveyMonkey, Client Heartbeat, and Zonka Feedback.
Build Partnerships
Always remember that your client also has a business to run, just like you. One of the best ways to nurture client relationships is to work with them.
Here’s an example for you. If you stroll into any Barnes and Noble outlet, the chances are that you’ll find a Starbucks situated within. That’s because of a strategic partnership between the two companies. This partnership began in 1993 and remains strong.
Similarly, you can explore different types of partnerships with your clients: strategic, integration, channel, and technology partnerships.
A solid partnership can help you and your client tap into new opportunities, expand the brand presence, and boost revenues. A win-win deal unlike any other.
Engage Your Customer
Content marketing is a two-way road: both you and your customer need to get something at the end. In addition to selling your products and services, it helps to tailor your marketing strategies to keep them engaged over the long term.
You can send them valuable infographics, videos, and resources to start a regular dialogue. However, ensure your communication is engaging, useful, and worth your clients’ time.
If you have something important to say, you can even share long-form content with your clients. An HBR article reported that if B2B businesses don’t engage with their clients, there’s a 71% chance the clients will feel neglected, prompting them to seek opportunities elsewhere.
By harnessing the power of content marketing to engage your clients, you can let them know they’re valued.
Wrapping Up
Anastasia Iliou, the Marketing Manager at Rain, believes that B2B content marketing is tricky because it involves the twin processes of “marketing to marketers” and “selling to salespeople.”
Given this, it is imperative for B2B businesses to develop a holistic content marketing framework to cover as many bases as possible. Start simply, yet effectively, by adding an image slider to your website.
The five examples discussed in this post serve as effective entry points for diversifying your content marketing beyond lead generation.
Author Bio
Alexandra Whitt works as a brand and marketing specialist at MedicoReach. She has been working in the b2b industry for the past two years. She empowers marketers by sharing valuable information across verticals such as healthcare, technology, and marketing.
Please get in touch at alexandrawhitt20@gmail.com | Twitter | LinkedIn