B2B brands and content marketing are a match made in heaven. But just because you call something content marketing doesn’t mean it’s effective or helping you actually generate leads. As the CMO Council recently discovered, not all content marketing is created equally, and content with certain characteristics is actually more valuable to B2Bers than content without them. Here are the most valuable characteristics in B2B content marketing pieces.
Breadth and depth of information.
Glossing over topics, and taking a high-level look at strategies or features is fine for a blog post, but ebooks, white papers and decks should be in-depth and informative. In fact, 47% of B2Bers say that they look for a piece of content’s breadth and depth of information. Offer detailed looks at statistics, survey findings or anything else your content might cover, and skip the high-level analysis. Your readers downloaded your paper or tuned into your webinar for a reason — make sure you meet their expectations by giving them the most relevant information possible.
Ease of access, understanding and readability.
Dense, lengthy prose is not easy to get into. Even the name “white paper” can itself be intimidating. That’s why 44% of B2Bers value ease of access, understanding and readability in their content. If you want your content to be read, liked and shared, it has to be easy to read and understand. Before publishing a piece, consider what elements would make it easier to approach and comprehend. Is it visuals? Charts? Video? Bullet points? Break up a long block of content by adding elements like these when appropriate.
Originality of thinking and ideas.
Why are readers going to read your content? Because it’s offering them something they haven’t seen or read before. Of the survey respondents, 39% said that originality was important and valuable. Obviously, there are commonly accepted best practices and strategies, and you shouldn’t try to reinvent the wheel when those are involved. If you can, though, present that tried and tested information in a new, interesting way, or add on to it. New strategies and ideas are what will set brands apart. Why not get there first?
Need some more assistance with your B2B content marketing plan? Learn how to use Pinterest for your B2B brand, or discover the three biggest challenges for B2B content marketers.
