Public Relations & Social Marketing Insight

To some, developing a content marketing strategy brings to mind a long and painful process sprinkled with lots of marketing jargon and buzzwords.But it doesn’t have to be that way. The most effective way to build a content strategy is to start with just two concepts: 1) your buyer persona and 2) your buyer’s journey..

Let's face it.Your content marketing efforts don’t mean anything unless your ideal customers engage with your content and take action.  To help you get the most out of your content investments, I’ve compiled some recent statistics on how B2B buyers are using content throughout the sales cycle.Drumroll, please!...

B2B marketing is becoming more competitive. Creating infographics is a great way to attract prospects to your website and build your inbound marketing program.

 

One of the great things about B2B marketing is there is endless potential for generating interesting content for your audience. Marketers have to constantly be aware of what the next big thing is and if that big thing is worth our time and money.

 

I think we can all agree that tools to help create cool and creative content is worth looking at, especially if that content format has proven successful time and time again.

 

Ok, Rookie, what’s your point? Infographics is that new, interesting style to create and display your content. Information graphic or infographics are graphic, visual representations of information, data or knowledge. These particular graphics are popular because they present complex information quickly and clearly. And given that 65% of the population are visual learners (including myself), infographics can easily be successful.

Here’s 6 reasons B2B marketers should use infographics:

1. People connect with visuals.

Visual consumption makes learning easier. In fact, the brain processes visual information 60,000x faster than text. Visuals allow quick interpretation. This would be great way for a client to convey a complex topic.

 

2. Easily shared.

Downloading and uploading is easier with a graphic than a blog post or white paper. Infographics are also highly favored in social media because of the ease of sharing between users and networks, causing it to go viral faster.

 

3. Attracts more attention.

Let’s face it, pictures are more appealing than something written. It’s content eye candy! The nature of an infographic is to instantly grab your attention with bold colors and creative imagery. These elements arouse the senses and encourage further reading of the text.

 

4. Great for link building.

Infographics are great ways to build links. Someone could publish your content and you could ask for a link back to your site with a particular keyword. Google will index your website higher and it will gain importance to search engines.

 

5. Shows an expert knowledge of a subject.

By creating content dedicated to a particular topic, you show the world you high level of understanding of that topic. You could be viewed as an expert in that topic.

 

6. Builds awareness and traffic.

Every marketer knows that content creation is important to build hype around your company. The better the content, the more likely it will be shared to others. Infographics are trendy and if done right, it can get people coming back for more!

Many B2B marketers have seen B2C content at least once and asked, "Why do they get to have all the fun?" But the moments like the one we described above are the ones that remind us: B2C companies haven't locked down all of the truly interesting marketing angles. We're passionate about our product -- and that means our audience can be, too.

And for every B2B product, there are even more B2B users out there looking for information, inspiration, and knowledge -- whether it's from their peers, or from the organizations looking to provide them with solutions. The point? No marketing, including content, is uninteresting if you look at it the right way. 

Done right, B2B content marketing can certainly match -- and sometimes, maybe even rival -- the creativity and appeal of the best B2C ones. And we want to recognize the brands that are breaking that mold and creating great content that grows fervent, dedicated audiences. Below, you'll find a few of our favorites....

The last two years have brought a lot of changes to B2B marketing. But, as per usual, Google is on top of it. They surveyed 3,000 B2B consumers about their research and purchase habits, and how they use digital channels like search, mobile, and video throughout the process. Not surprisingly, 89% of B2B researchers use the internet during the path to purchase. The rest of the findings, however, may be a little unexpected. Check them out....

Social media and technology have changed the way people research and buy products. Unfortunately, B2B suppliers, manufacturers, and organizations have had a hard time adapting to this new and quickly evolving reality.

With that idea in mind, the team behind digital marketing company Acquity Group surveyed 500 U.S.-based procurement officers with annual purchasing budgets of $100,000 and more to understand B2B consumers’ purchasing habits and preferences on the Web.

Here is what the 2014 State of B2B Procurement Study reveals....