In B2B professional services, your expertise is your product. From attracting top talent to nurturing client relationships, and from supporting sales efforts to enhancing the firm's reputation, content plays a crucial role.

According to the FT, 9 out of 10 B2B marketers use content marketing to attract new customers. But here’s the harsh reality: most B2B firms are not succeeding at content marketing.

The Content Marketing Institute’s latest B2B Content Marketing Benchmarks report, paints a less than inspiring picture of the state of play.

58% of respondents rated their content strategy as just “moderately effective”.
13% admit it’s ineffective or not working at all.
Only 29% of respondents considered their content marketing strategy to be extremely or very effective.

Why such poor results? The report also hints at the answer: a critical lack of resources and leadership.

54% of B2B marketers cite a lack of resources as their main content challenge. Even worse, nearly a quarter (24%) don’t have a dedicated content marketing team. Instead, they rely on multiple content teams or staff juggling multiple responsibilities to get the job done.

When content is widely accepted to be a key driver of business relationships and the customer experience, 1 in 4 B2B firms don’t have a single person setting a course and steering the ship.

The consequences are predictable. When asked why their content wasn’t as effective as it could be:

42% identified a lack of clear goals as the problem.
39% said content was not tied to the customer journey.
35% that the strategy was not data driven.
29% that audience research was ineffective.

So, what’s the answer?

Enter the content strategist: part storyteller, part data analyst, and full-time strategic thinker.

By investing in a skilled leadership, B2B firms can transform their content from a lacklustre set of reactive, disjointed tactics into a powerful, cohesive strategy that drives business growth and cements industry leadership. These multifaceted professionals aren’t just another writer churning out blog posts. They’re the architects of entire content ecosystems that align with your business goals, enhance your firm's reputation, and turn your knowledge into a powerful sales tool.

What is the Role of the Content Strategist

Imagine a chess grandmaster, always thinking several moves ahead. That's what a great content strategist brings to the table.

The content strategist's job is to develop and implement a content roadmap aligned with both the business’ objectives and the needs of its customers. They make sure that every piece of content - every whitepaper, email sequence, and LinkedIn post - serves a purpose. Whether it's nurturing leads, supporting sales efforts, or enhancing the firm's reputation, every piece of content under their watch has a stated aim and measurable indicators of success.

In a sector where reputation is everything, it's this level of attention to detail that can make the difference between being perceived as a leader or a follower.

It takes a delicate balance of art and science, requiring both creative flair and analytical rigour. To understand how content strategists achieve this balance, let's examine their key responsibilities.

Understanding the Audience

You wouldn't show up to a client meeting without doing your homework.

Content strategists take this principle to the next level. They're not satisfied with generic buyer personas or assumptions about what your audience wants. Instead, they dig into the specific challenges, aspirations, and even the unspoken fears of their target clients.

They mine market research and customer feedback for insights that can help them adapt the content strategy. By continuously analysing content performance, they refine their understanding of the audience, creating a feedback loop that keeps the content strategy fresh and effective.

Going deeper, they might shadow the sales team on client calls, analyse help desk inquiries to uncover recurring issues, or even conduct in-depth interviews with key accounts for the inside scoop. They’ll consider audience preferences for different content formats and channels, ensuring the message not only resonates but also reaches the audience where they are.

Armed with these insights, content strategists can segment the audience for targeted, precision campaigns. They are then able to orchestrate a strategy that maps to the customer journey, addresses real pain points, and showcases the firm's unique value proposition.

This often involves working closely with subject matter experts to make complex, technical knowledge more accessible and relevant. The best content strategists are adept at drawing out insights from busy professionals and translating them for your audience.

Understanding the Competition

Standing out isn't just about knowing your audience—it's about outmanoeuvring your competitors.

Content strategists don't just create in a vacuum. They keep an analytical eye on the competitive landscape, constantly asking:

What topics are our competitors covering?
How are they positioning their expertise?
Which content formats are they using effectively?
Where are the gaps in their content that we can fill?

By conducting regular content audits of key competitors, strategists can identify opportunities to differentiate your firm's voice and expertise. They might uncover underserved niches in thought leadership, spot emerging trends before they become mainstream, or identify oversaturated topics to avoid.

But it's not just about what competitors are doing—it's about how well it's working. Analytical tools can uncover your competitors' content performance, social media engagement, and search rankings. This data helps inform content decisions, ensuring your firm isn't just following the crowd, but leading the conversation.

This is an ongoing process that feeds into the content strategy, helping to refine topics, adjust tone, and influence content formats. By staying attuned to shifts in competitor strategies, content strategists can help your firm pivot quickly, maintaining your edge in a crowded market.

The goal isn't to copy competitors, but to learn from their successes and failures. A skilled content strategist uses competitive insights to inspire innovation, not imitation. They'll help your firm carve out a unique position in the market, turning your distinctive expertise into a powerful differentiator.

Establishing Content Pillars

Content strategists know that a scatter-gun approach to content creation is a recipe for diluted messaging. That's where content pillars come in.

Content pillars are the cornerstone topics that form the foundation of a firm's content strategy. They're not just categories; they're strategic choices that align the firm's expertise with audience needs and business objectives.

A skilled content strategist excels at identifying and developing these pillars. They might include:

Key service areas where the firm has deep expertise
Industry-specific challenges that the firm is uniquely positioned to address
Emerging trends that impact clients and showcase the firm's forward-thinking approach
Thought leadership themes that differentiate the firm from competitors

By establishing clear content pillars, strategists ensure that content creation remains focused and aligned with business goals. Content can be easily organised, repurposed, and cross-linked, helping the firm to build a body of work that demonstrates deep expertise in specific areas.

For example, a management consulting firm might have pillars around digital transformation, operational efficiency, and leadership development. Every piece of content - from social media posts to white papers - would tie back to one or more of these pillars.

By anchoring content efforts in well-defined pillars, content strategists transform a potentially chaotic content ecosystem into a strategically aligned and powerful narrative. They ensure the audience can navigate and engage with relevant content more easily, and that the firm's messaging remains consistent across all channels and touchpoints.

Content Governance and Standards

Consistency doesn’t just come from the topics you talk about, but how you talk about them. It’s created by how often you publish, the voice you use, and even simple things like formatting.

This is where content governance and standards come into play, forming a critical yet often overlooked aspect of a content strategist's role.

Think of content governance as the rulebook for your content game. It's not about stifling creativity, but about ensuring that every piece of content reinforces your brand identity and upholds your reputation.

Content strategists can take the lead in establishing these guidelines. They might:

Develop comprehensive style guides that cover everything from tone of voice to formatting preferences.
Establish smooth operations, including a content calendar with clear workflows and approval processes that moves content efficiently from ideation to publication. All without sacrificing accuracy or quality.
Implement formal governance structures, such as content councils or editorial boards, to align initiatives across different practice areas or geographies and ensure the firm presents a united front to its audience.

Perhaps most importantly, effective governance isn't set in stone. The best content strategists regularly review and update these standards, adapting them to evolving business needs, industry trends, and audience preferences. It's a dynamic process that keeps your content fresh and relevant while maintaining the consistency that your audience expects and values.

In essence, while governance and standards might not be the most glamorous part of a content strategist's role, they're the foundation upon which great content is built. They're what transform a collection of content pieces into a coherent, powerful narrative that elevates your firm's voice above the noise.

Running Content Audits

It's no mean feat to accumulate a sprawling content library. It’s even harder to consistently create assets that maintain a high-level of quality. That’s why content strategists regularly take stock, separating the wheat from the chaff.

During an audit, a content strategist will assess existing assets’ relevance, performance, and alignment with current business goals. It's an opportunity to identify gaps in the content library, spotlight high-performing pieces that could be repurposed or updated, and flag underperforming content for improvement or retirement.

A three-year-old white paper might still be driving leads, but does it reflect the firm's current thinking or capabilities? Or perhaps a recent webinar series might have had low attendance, but could the content be repackaged into a successful email campaign?

In B2B professional services, where thought leadership and expertise are currency, the answers to these questions are crucial. They ensure that the firm's content remains cutting-edge, accurately reflects its capabilities, and continues to serve its intended purpose.

Ensuring Search Optimisation

Creating great content is only half the battle. Even the most brilliant content is worthless if no one gets to see it. That's why savvy content strategists understand SEO.

However, they also know that stuffing keywords into every paragraph is both a recipe for unreadable content and an exercise in futility.

The goal shouldn’t be to game the system. Instead, strategists make sure content is optimised in ways that are both human and search engine friendly. It's a delicate balance of visibility and value, and one that skilled content strategists navigate with finesse using:

Keyword Research: Keyword research helps them to understand what terms your target audience is using to search for solutions.

Search Intent Analysis: They dive deep into understanding why people are searching for certain terms. Are they looking for information, trying to make a purchase, or comparing options? This insight helps tailor content to meet the searcher's needs at various stages of their journey.

On-Page SEO: They ensure your content is optimised for these keywords, with titles, meta descriptions, and headers that are compelling and relevant.

Technical SEO: They regularly audit and improve your website's technical SEO to enhance overall visibility in search results.

That way, when potential clients search for solutions to their challenges, your firm's insights are there to greet them and are genuinely useful and valuable.

Creating a Distribution Strategy

In the B2B professional services world, visibility isn't about going viral. It's about strategic distribution that reaches decision-makers at the right time and in the right place.

Content strategists excel at crafting multi-channel distribution plans that align with audience behaviours and business goals. They will leverage a range of distribution channels, including but not limited to:

Social Media Strategy: Beyond LinkedIn, they'll develop strategies for other relevant social platforms, tailoring content and approach for each channel.
Targeted Digital Marketing: Using data from their audience research, they'll employ advanced targeting in online advertising and account-based marketing platforms.
Email Marketing Optimisation: They'll oversee the development of segmented, personalised email campaigns that nurture leads throughout the buyer's journey.
Content Syndication: They'll identify and leverage opportunities to republish content on high-authority industry websites or platforms to expand reach.
Executive Thought Leadership: They'll work with senior partners and subject matter experts to share insights on platforms like LinkedIn, at speaking engagements, and on industry podcasts.
Employee Advocacy: Recognising that every employee is a potential ambassador, they'll develop guidelines and platforms to empower staff to share content effectively.

By orchestrating different channels, content strategists ensure that valuable insights reach decision-makers at the exact moment they're grappling with the challenges your firm can solve. This strategic approach to distribution transforms content from passive assets into active tools for business development.

Measuring What Matters

In a world of likes, shares, and clicks, it's easy to get lost in a sea of vanity metrics. But for B2B professional services, the true measure of content success lies further down the customer journey. Content strategists focus on metrics that directly tie to business goals:

Lead Generation: How many leads are generated from each piece of content? More importantly, what's the quality of these leads?

Lead Nurturing: How effectively does your content move prospects through the customer journey? Which pieces of content are most effective at each stage?

Sales Enablement: Are your sales teams using the content effectively? How often do they share specific pieces with prospects, and what's the response?

Client Retention and Upselling: How does your content contribute to retaining existing clients or expanding services with them?

Thought Leadership: While harder to quantify, measures like speaking invitations, media mentions, or client feedback can indicate the impact of your thought leadership content.

Effective content strategists don't just track numbers. They tell the story behind them and excel at communicating the value of content to stakeholders across the organisation. For the C-suite they might focus on how content is driving revenue growth or market share. For business development, they can show how thought leadership content is opening doors to new client relationships. And for the talent acquisition team, they can demonstrate how employer branding content is attracting top-tier candidates.

By consistently measuring, analysing, and communicating the impact of content, strategists ensure that content marketing is seen not as a cost centre, but as a critical driver of business growth. This data-driven approach allows for continuous refinement of the content strategy, ensuring that every piece of content works harder to achieve your firm's goals.

Staying Ahead of the Curve

The only constant in digital marketing is change. New platforms emerge, algorithms update, and client expectations change. This makes the content strategist's role far from static. The best content strategists are perpetual students, always looking to expand their knowledge and refine their craft.

Strategists need to be on top of all developments that could impact the content strategy, ensuring the firm stays relevant and valuable to its clients and ahead of the competition.

This goes further than chasing the latest social media trends and marketing tactics. And, rather than relying on hunches or giving in to FOMO, they need to have the data to prove every move is justified and serves the overall strategy.

Beyond marketing trends, content strategists must also stay attuned to changes within their clients' industries. By collaborating with account handlers and subject matter experts, they can identify emerging topics and challenges and adjust content strategies accordingly.

By focusing on these areas, content strategists ensure they're adding long-term value to their organisations and clients. They don't just react to change; they anticipate it, turning new challenges into opportunities. It’s this adaptability and foresight that make content strategists invaluable assets to B2B professional services firms.

Bridging the Gap: When In-House Isn't an Option

While the role of a content strategist is crucial, many B2B professional services firms find themselves without this expertise in-house. Perhaps your team is small, over-stretched, or you're just beginning to explore the potential of strategic content marketing.

The good news is you don't have to go it alone. Partnering with a specialised content marketing agency can provide the strategic insight and execution capabilities you need. The right partner won’t just fill a gap; they become an extension of your team, bringing fresh perspectives and proven methodologies to the table.

When considering an agency partnership, look for a team that demonstrates a deep understanding of the unique challenges and opportunities in B2B content marketing. Quality agencies typically offer a blend of industry-specific knowledge and contemporary marketing expertise to support their clients' goals.

A reputable digital marketing agency should focus on crafting comprehensive strategies that align with your business objectives, connect with your target audience, and yield measurable outcomes. Their approach should encompass everything we’ve talked about, from thorough research to internal liaison, to data-informed content creation and strategic distribution.

Drive Growth Through More Strategic Content

The difference between B2B firms that struggle with content marketing and those that thrive often comes down to one factor: strategic leadership.

A skilled content strategist brings a crucial overarching perspective, turning disparate content efforts into a cohesive, powerful narrative that delivers on business goals. They can see the big picture while mastering the details, balancing creativity with analytics, and short-term needs with long-term vision. In a world where every firm claims to be a thought leader, they're the ones who can make sure your content actually proves it.

Don't let your valuable insights go unheard and unrewarded. If you're interested in exploring how strategic content marketing could benefit your firm, get in touch. We’d love to have a conversation and start transforming your content marketing from a cost centre to a revenue driver.

Learn more

How Content Strategists Help Professional Services Firms Deliver Business Growth