How to Get Your 2017 Content Marketing Off to a Terrific Start; The Ultimate Cheat Sheet On Content Strategy for 2017
The start of a new year is a great time to review your content marketing approach and find out which strategy is producing result, which isn’t and how you can improve on your strategies. In this article is how you can get your 2017 content marketing off to a terrific start.
For quite some time now, B2B marketers have been getting really involved with content marketing.
Business-to-Business (B2B) marketing involves the sale of one company’s services or products to another company.
As seen in the 2017 B2B content marketing benchmarks, budgets, and trends, 37% of B2B businesses have a documented content marketing strategy. In the meantime, 17% plan to set up a content marketing strategy within the next 12 months.
The report additionally states that the most successful B2B marketers not only have a content strategy but can quickly tweak it if and when the need arises.
Now is a really perfect time to check your content strategy to find out what is working, what is no longer working, and the way you can improve.
So in a bid to assist you with improving your business, here is compilation of the latest research on what makes B2B content marketing a success.
What kinds of content material must you produce?
The B2B technology marketing institution surveyed more than six hundred (600) tech marketers to find out the latest content trends and best practices. The result showed that, the simplest B2B content marketing strategy is case study, with 44% of respondents saying that it helps them acquire their lead generation targets.
Here’s is the outcome of the survey (top 4 list):
1. Case studies: Before you pay for a product or service, you’ll likely ask your friends whether they have tried out the product or service. If they say yes, whether or not they could convince you, you will also probably perform a little online research to know what others are saying about the particular products or services.
Your potential customers are on the internet searching for information and review about your products and services. Put out stories of how you have served your customers. One of the best ways to sell your brand products and services is to show your potential customers what you have done for your existing customers. Walk them through the process your organization is using to get better results for your customers.
Case studies are an invaluable asset in terms of setting up evidence that what you’re presenting is valuable and of great quality.
2. Blogging: Blogs are one of the best online platform to influence a customer’s buying. When customers make purchase decisions, they rank blogs third behind retail and brand websites. In spite of this influencing power, big brands are spending little or no time with blogging advertising and engagements.
Influencers have found out that to have their voice heard in the digital world, they would need to have a blog. The power of social media and blogs can not be underestimated. According to Jeff Bullas, 86% of influencers presently blog, and a third of all influencers said they have been running a blog for five or more.
3. Social Media: Big brands and small commercial business owners have understood that social media could make or damage their commercial business, so that they have taken the chance to build a presence on social media websites like Facebook and Twitter to do business. Through social media, organizations can create strategies for growth once they analyze their audience demographics to recognize the target buyer’s demands, likes and dislikes.
Improved brand awareness and reach to a wider target market is most attainable with social media because with social media, you can reach all sorts of people. Traditional advertising and marketing methods can be very high priced and there is no assurance that the return could be profitable. Social media is cheap.
Get social media managers whose essential task is to be a mediator between your brand and your audience on social media networks. This allows you to recognize and examine everything related to your audience and product, and make improvements where necessary.
4. Client Testimonials: Customer testimonials are one of the most effective marketing practice you may use for your website and on your advertising and marketing campaigns. Persuasive testimonials from happy customers can sway even the most hesitant prospect, making testimonials a very vital part of your advertising and marketing strategy.
Other content forms on the list include Inperson Events, White papers, Webinars, Videos, Online articles and Infographics
Source: B2B Content Marketing Report
A research was also carried out by Buzzsumo and uberflip, to find out the most successful B2B content formats for 2016. The following content formats have a tendency to perform very well: practical guides and helpful content such as guides, tips, how-to posts, trending topics, research and insights, case studies, infographics and authoritative industry news
Case studies earned a spot in both surveys because stories are compelling!
Even as your potential customers might not believe what your corporate marketing team is telling them, they will consider what your customers have to say. Telling your customers’ tales is a powerful approach to earning their trust.
Are you ready for an awesome year?
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