B2B Content Creation: Where’s the Beef?

Do you remember the iconic Wendy’s commercial where the old lady asks, “Where’s the beef?” after being served a tiny hamburger patty? That became an instant catchphrase because it perfectly expressed the outrage of being underwhelmed by a product.

 

I find myself asking “Where’s the beef?” when I view most B2B content – eBooks, guidebooks, handbooks, PowerPoint presentations, etc. – presented as the call to action on digital ads, email promotions, etc.

Will a few pages of regurgitated text, fluff data and stock photos really be considered remarkable content by a company’s target buyers? Doubtful. Especially if those buyers are engineers, scientists and other technical types. These folks expect hard data and real insights.

You can’t rush remarkable content

So, why is there so little remarkable content being produced by B2B companies? Lack of time is the likely culprit. Creating remarkable content is a time-consuming process. And a growing number of marketers cite “lack of time” as their greatest barrier to effective content creation, according to a new Contently study.

Writing good content requires knowing your buyer personas and writing to their needs. What do they worry about? What motivates them? What information or tools would help them do their job better? B2B marketers should spend the most time getting answers to these hard questions. It’s absolutely necessary to create content that is both attractive (for clicks) and useful (for inquiries).

After you’ve picked interesting topics, spend some time choosing B2B content formats. Your content should be easy to read/view and easy to share with colleagues. White papers, handbooks and eBooks are tried and true. But your information may be easier to digest in video or animation form. Or maybe an animatic, app or tool would be more useful for your buyer persona. There are tons of B2B content marketing examples that you can use for inspiration or ask your B2B marketing agency to provide creative ideas.

B2B content creation DO’s:

  • Use buyer personas
  • Ask customers the hard questions to uncover their needs
  • Pick interesting topics
  • Use a B2B content calendar
  • Pick interesting content formats

My colleague won a culinary contest by using personas correctly. But B2B marketers stand to win much more. You’ll get more sales, clicks and website traffic when you approach B2B content creation through the eyes of your buyer personas. Don’t ever make your customers ask, “Where’s the Beef?”

All marketing tactics should be thought of as part of a larger whole, rather than separate pieces. By strategically integrating all marketing tactics, the marketing program becomes more effective and cost efficient. As a B2B agency, we developed B2B 360 Integrated Digital Marketing to meet this improved performance need. To learn more about B2B 360 and how it will benefit your business, download our free eBook: The Better Path to Top-Tier Tech Marketing.

Chris HenneghanChris is one of Schubert’s longest-standing employees, starting with the agency in 1987. She now serves as Senior Vice President and Brand Strategist. Chris is a Notre Dame grad and enjoys tennis, golf, hiking and reading.

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