The amount of content that we see on a daily basis is overwhelming and exhausting. In fact, it equates to about 8 hours of digital media a day in the United States.
It starts when we wake up and inevitably check our phones, which leads to checking texts, to-do lists, emails, social feeds, news, and more. Eventually, it gets to a point where we are so good at filtering through everything that we don’t give a second thought to anything uninteresting.
Businesses need to become more familiar with this problem when it comes to garnering customers. They have to market themselves to continue to drive business, but when there’s so much competition for people’s attention and time, that makes it even harder to break through the noise.
Now more than ever, it’s imperative for B2B businesses to create digital content for their website that gets people to the site but also gets them to take the step of contacting them.
What Makes a Piece of Content Good?
Early in my career, algorithms were much different and catered to when things were posted in real time. Now, all of it is random and constantly changing, so the only way to make an impact is by creating good quality content. 83% of B2B marketers believe that’s how they differentiate themselves from their competitors.
Trends come and go, but the most important thing every piece of content has is a story. I studied journalism in college and a lot of components to writing a good news story also apply to creating good marketing content.
In my experience, a good piece of content has to be:
- Relevant
- Captivating
- Accurate
- Timely
- Helpful
Without these components, content gets ignored.
So what type of website content can a business create that not only has these qualities but can also lead to engagement and customers? Here’s what I’ve found works well for my B2B clients and previous employers.
Thought Leadership
Artificial intelligence may be able to help write content, but it can’t put a personalized thought on a subject. Only thought leadership content can do that.
Potential customers and clients like to work with B2B businesses they trust, but they hire them for their expertise and insights. They could hire anyone in their industry, but they choose a business for a reason and it should be used to their advantage.
Businesses should reveal expertise, knowledge, insights, and wisdom through thought leadership content like industry articles, LinkedIn articles, webinars, and blogs. And if they’re stuck on what to cover, these content resources may provide some ideas.
Internal Photos and Video
Whether a business wants to admit it or not, it’s easy to spot stock images on a website and in content. And if a business overdoes it, it can hurt the legitimacy of the organization. A better option is to have internal images and video.
Businesses should start with a list of what they want and need, like staff photos, office shots, and any images that could work for websites and digital content like blogs, social media, and more. It’s important to consult employees who use this content to avoid missing anything. Video content could easily be a list of its own.
If a business needs a considerable amount of images and video, hiring a trusted videographer/photographer is recommended. They will have an idea of what is needed, how to make it look good, and save time. It’s important to know that it can take anywhere from a few hours to several days to get all of the media needed. If that isn’t feasible, get the pictures done first, then handle the video.
A refresh of images and video can change the game entirely with how content is viewed, especially if the majority of stock is removed. It may even improve marketing metrics across the board.
Blogs
Speaking of blogs, they can be more powerful than businesses think. I’m biased when it comes to blogs, but I’ll admit I was surprised to learn that 77% of internet users read blogs. That’s probably why 89% of B2B marketers created and used short articles and posts in the last 12 months.
But blogging can be the ultimate source that drives leads to a site. Blogs can increase traffic by 55% and leads by 67%, plus businesses with blogs are 13 times more likely to have a positive ROI. It can be refined over and over again to improve SEO and it’s worth the effort since the average page in the top 10 of Google search results is over two years old.
Considering blogs increase the chances of ranking higher on search by 434% and over half of marketers say blogs are their top content marketing priority, it’s no wonder businesses depend on them.
And when a business needs to outsource blog copywriting like 64% of B2B marketers do, I can help.
Case Studies
B2B businesses tend to forget to present how they’ve helped their customers, and this is an important aspect of the marketing funnel. Case studies allow businesses to showcase their problem-solving skills, what they can offer, and how they can help other businesses.
Blogs hook the potential customer in, but case studies help seal the deal. Nearly three-quarters of B2B buyers say that case studies are a crucial aspect of their buying decision and 54% of B2B marketers use case studies as a part of the process.
Customers need that reference to convert. Businesses can make it easier with a case study.
Client Testimonials
Similar to case studies, client testimonials allow organizations to show off how great they are, but instead of them saying it, their customers do all the talking. 62% of B2B businesses rely on recommendations to help them make a purchasing decision and 97% find testimonials to be the most reliable type of content.
Testimonials can be written or made into videos and showcased on the website on their own page and in relevant sections. Plus, they can be utilized for social content, drawing more people to the website. Videos can be especially valuable in this capacity when they’re put on a platform like YouTube.
Businesses can say all they want, but the best thing they can do is let their clients and customers speak to their capabilities.
Whitepapers
Want to get deeper into a specific challenge within an industry and share a solution? Create a whitepaper to illustrate credible knowledge on the subject. Whitepapers are among the top pieces of B2B content that produced the best results in the last 12 months according to 43% of B2B marketers.
For organizations with their own market research or industry data, this is a great way to present it, share expertise, and get new customers.
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AFJ Digital 