Your company is engaging in marketing activities. You have content pieces on hand. So, how do you pull it all together to create a formal B2B content marketing strategy? Here’s a little primer to get you started:

1. Who is using B2B content marketing?

Your competitors. So, read on.

2. What exactly is it?

B2B content marketing turns new and existing information from your company’s knowledge base into valuable educational resources for your buyers. It keys in on what they are researching online and drives them to your website. Then it pulls them through a journey that converts them from a visitor to a lead to a customer.

Content comes in a variety of formats — text, pictures, graphics, animation, audio, video and multimedia interactive applications. Determine the format based on your audience, what information they are searching for, the message you want to send them, and the platform where you want to reach them.

3. Why should my company use it?

Your website is now your 24/7 sales rep, and buyers want to research and evaluate options on their own terms. When your prospects search for information about the types of products or services that your market offers, you want to rise to the top of the search results. To do that, your content marketing campaign must consistently educate buyers, so they will take notice of you. Ultimately, a successful B2B content marketing campaign will demonstrate your knowledge of their industry and challenges and motivate visitors to purchase from your company.

4. When should I start?

Yesterday. But it’s never too late to develop a B2B content marketing strategy that generates leads and converts visitors into buyers.

5. Where should I place my content?

The short but vague answer is the Internet. Obviously, that’s a lot of territory to cover, and you’ll want to focus your content placement on where your audience is looking for information. Start by placing content on your corporate website in the form of blog posts, news items and educational materials. Research the keywords your customers use when searching and work them into your pieces. Share links to your content on social media and eNews blasts to your current customers.

6. That sounds like a lot of work. How do I start?

It is, but so is the business of business! Content drives inbound marketing methodology, which calls for:

• Creating buyer personas
• Mapping out their buying journey
• Creating remarkable content to draw them to your site
• Leveraging your content to keep them interested all the way to making a purchase

Your B2B content marketing plan should identify your target audience, show how you plan to engage your prospects and cultivate their trust through your amazing content. It should also demonstrate how you will convert this audience into leads and show how you will nurture them during and after the sales journey.

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.

Lisa Goetz is a public relations executive at Schubert b2b, where she primarily writes content and manages media relations. She brings 20 years of editorial and communications experience to Schubert b2b and holds a PhD in English literature from Duquesne University. When not in the office, Lisa likes to take excursions with her husband and hang out with her cat and a good book.

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