Types of Content Marketing For B2B Audiences - an Introduction
A complete B2B content marketing strategy should never focus on a single type of content. Whatever industry or niche you're targeting, your audience will include individuals with different preferences as to how they consume information. Their choice to interact with the marketing they receive will also depend on what stage they're at in their customer journey, as well as being dependent on the context they're in at that moment.
Workers in an open plan office might prefer to read a report instead of watching a video, but someone who likes to consume content while running on a treadmill at the gym would prefer a podcast to a white paper.
Your content marketing system should provide plenty of diversity to increase your scope for connection, and this overview will provide ideas to consider as you focus on how to diversify your efforts in the future.
The majority of B2B content marketing comes in the form of blog articles, social media posts, and other types of written content, such as case studies, research studies, and white papers. These are easily accessible to most people and can convey a lot of information in a relatively short amount of time.
Blogs and social media posts are the most straightforward entry point to content marketing. Regularly scheduled, informative, and brand-specific posts boost both your presence and value as an authority in your industry.
White papers
These reports or guides demonstrate authority and provide valuable information about a complex idea or issue, and are a particularly useful middle of the funnel when you're want to help your prospect come to a decision. The type of information contained in these industry-specific reports not only tries to educate the businesses or organisations you target with your marketing but also gain their respect.
How-to guides and tutorials
A large part of B2B marketing involves creating value for your target and demonstrating to them that you are the one to provide it. Teach your prospects something that helps them better understand a problem or do their job more effectively and, in the process, you can educate them about your product or service and potentially become an essential resource to them.
Newsletters
After capturing someone's attention, convincing them to opt-in to your mailing list is step one of the sales funnel. Email is an excellent way to reach people who, by giving you permission to contact them, have already demonstrated a level of interest in your product or service. Even so, email should continue to focus on servicing the needs and requirements of your prospect and not switch solely into sales mode.
Case studies
Prove your understanding of your prospect's problems, and that you have the knowledge and capabilities to handle all their needs, by showcasing work you've already undertaken for satisfied customers.
Visual content allows you to deliver information in an even more accessible manner. This type of content needs to tie in with your brand's design aesthetic as well as communicate a message, so it will require greater creative input.
Short and long-form videos
Small snippets, designed to catch attention or share one short piece of information, work well on social media sites and as accents on the company website. Engage your targets more fully with longer, more informative videos that can include everything from a behind the scenes tour or product demo, to a process tutorial.
Infographics, charts, and graphs
These fun and attention-grabbing pieces of visual content give information quickly without requiring the reader to commit much time. Infographics use visual accents to share statistics, processes, or other pertinent details and work exceptionally well. Due to their clever combination of eye-catching design and educational content, more people are likely to share them which helps to expand your reach to a broader audience.
Photos and illustrations
Photography is used extensively to provide visual interest and break up text on a website or blog post. With more and more visual content online, B2B customers are getting more discerning. At the very least, make sure your choice of stock images resonate with your brand aesthetic, however, if you have the budget, a more bespoke approach with a branded photoshoot or custom illustrations is even better.
An interactive component to your content can augment the experience, create more engagement and set you apart from the competition. When someone has to participate with a piece of content actively, they become more interested in it.
Votes, polls and surveys
Both consumers and corporate representatives enjoy influencing future marketing efforts or the development of new products and services. If you present this type of interactive content to your B2B targets, they become invested in some small way in your company’s development.
Quizzes
A multiple-choice quiz that helps to your prospect to describe their problem and then delivers a personalised, downloadable resource that's full of value and tailored to their results is an irresistible lead magnet.
Podcasts and webinars
Although podcasts usually refer to a type of online radio show speaking about a particular topic, they can also be interactive. Invite members of your audience to engage in the process, ask questions, or even offer a small spot to showcase what they do.
Webinars can operate in much the same way, becoming more than just the expected instructional followed by a sales pitch. Most webinar platforms include chat functionality and the ability to conduct polls, and some allow you to invite participants on camera.
Live broadcasts
The ability to broadcast live on social media platforms such as Facebook and Instagram allows you to interact directly with your audience and can add an element of immediacy and spontaneity to your content marketing that keeps your audience alert and watching. You can choose to field questions beforehand or in the moment via the live streamed comments, and also allow participants to join you live on screen.
Tools & Calculators
Help your visitors to think through a problem and develop their own answers with online tools and calculators. Give them something that allows them to easily calculate return on investment, or which generates a project plan based on their specific requirements, or which generates relevant advice based on how they describe their situation. Besides being genuinely useful to people who are already in the mindset of looking for solutions - a search intent that indicates they might become buyers soon - it will also generate more insight for you about the kinds of issues that your audience is trying to address.
Every one of these content types can fit into an effective B2B content marketing strategy. Some require a more significant investment than others, and some require extensive planning and input from multiple people to function successfully. Others, like a simple blog post or social media mention, are easier to do regularly and have a lower entry cost. No matter what combination of content formats you choose, always remember that when combined or repurposed in new ways you increase your potential to connect while also maximising the return on your expenditure.
Ultimately, your efforts must be justified by the results, so make sure you're able to collect data for analysis on each piece of content you create. However, with greater variety as a part of your overall strategy you should be able to feel confident that gaining your audience’s attention and engagement are all a part of the plan.
