Use B2B content marketing to better reach your business customers. Here, we review effective B2B content marketing in action.
If you want to build brand awareness, generate leads, and drive sales, you need content marketing. As a B2B startup, you must engage your target customers — the businesses that use your products — with purpose-built B2B content.With careful planning and execution, content marketing can drive exponential business growth. As you build your content library, you aren’t just connecting with your target audience. You’re also establishing your brand as a thought leader, building trust, and positioning your business for accelerated growth. Over time, you become the go-to expert for answers, solutions, and insights within your niche.
Here, we’ll review some effective B2B content marketing: What it looks like, how it works, and what it can do.
Quick Takeaways:
- B2B content marketing is a key piece of the startup growth puzzle.
- You can use content marketing to achieve specific business goals.
- Great B2B content empowers your business customers.
What Is B2B Content Marketing?
B2B content marketing is the creation and delivery of valuable, engaging content. It helps businesses solve problems and get closer to achieving goals.
Great B2B content offers clear expertise and thought leadership. Content types include:
- Blog posts
- E-books
- White papers
- Podcasts
- Infographics
- Videos
- Webinar presentations
- Live events
- Interviews
- Articles
- Case studies
How effective is B2B content marketing?
The latest B2B Content Marketing Benchmarks, Budgets, and Trends report revealed that 86 percent of B2B marketers are creating brand awareness. 70 percent are generating leads. Over half are generating revenue as a direct result of their content efforts.
Why Is Content So Important for B2B Brands?
In the B2B world, content is critical. B2B decision-makers spend more time researching a product before buying than consumers do.
They expect informative, educational content to help them learn about a product, and they’ll often review your content before talking to sales. 47 percent of B2B buyers consume three to five pieces of content before they talk with a salesperson.
If you don’t have great content across your digital channels, these key decision-makers might pass over your offer for your competitors who have already taken a strategic approach to content marketing.
What Does an Effective B2B Content Marketing Strategy Involve?
Effective B2B content marketing clearly lays out a path to success for buyers. It shows how a product can solve a problem or address a business need.
It also serves as a source of useful, insightful expertise. This informative content is key to building trust and strengthening relationships with your prospects and customers.
Ultimately, content marketing helps your business customers thrive. Your content will elevate your company beyond simply providing a product or service. It positions your brand as a pivotal player in your customers’ quest for growth.
4 B2B Content Marketing Examples You Need to See
If you really want to get a feel for great B2B content marketing, take a look at these examples of B2B content and the brands who are seeing serious gains from the use of strategic content marketing.
1. Mindbody Content Library
Mindbody provides software-as-a-service solutions to wellness-based businesses. The marketers behind Mindbody provide a full suite of resources to help their target customers succeed in their own businesses.
The Mindbody content library is loaded with helpful content for fitness and wellness business owners: Complete marketing guides, videos featuring expert interviews, webinars, and customer stories. Mindbody is a high-value resource — and this is before you even investigate their software!
2. IBM Experimental Content
IBM is a leader in the technology sector. They also have a sophisticated content marketing strategy that positions IBM as a global innovator, developing advanced technology for modern businesses.
IBM marketers use blog posts, case studies, and in-depth research written by their employees. These content creators happen to be some of the top subject matter experts in their fields: materials science innovation, natural language processing, and quantum computing.
They also have cutting-edge interactive content. This hands-on content allows you to experience ideas rather than simply reading about them or watching a video.
Test quantum algorithms. Explore novel drug candidates for COVID-19. Write better commands with the help of AI plugins. Co-create realistic art with a neural network. This type of content allows potential customers to try out IBM technology, enticing them to take the next step and learn more.
3. Slack Webinars
Slack is one of the fastest-growing B2B tech startups in the world. They have created an incredibly useful product and equally helpful content. In addition to blog posts, a resource library, and a Slack certification program — complete with study guides — Slack offers a rich library of webinars. For developers and business owners, this online content is highly valuable.
4. HubSpot Academy
HubSpot offers some of the most popular customer relationship management (CRM), content management systems (CMS), and sales software solutions available today.
HubSpot’s bread and butter is inbound marketing, so naturally they have a well-developed B2B content marketing strategy. Still, the breadth and depth of their content is remarkable. In addition to hundreds of blog posts, video tutorials, and other content, the HubSpot team has created a complete online training program.
HubSpot Academy includes free courses for marketers and sales professionals, including globally-recognized certifications. This is a great example of B2B content marketing that empowers customers to succeed in their fields.
Ready to unlock your business's growth with B2B content marketing? Reach out to the marketing experts at Sellerant to learn about how your startup or scaleup can leverage great content