As I’ve said before, every business should care about content marketing. Whether you’re selling shoes or shovels, the way to make your brand stand out, the way to make your customers care about what you’re selling, is through the content you produce.
You might be thinking “my industry is really boring, I can’t write about it”.
Well, think again.
I’m going to guide you through how to do great B2B content marketing, no matter your industry.
Find your niche
You’re (hopefully) passionate about the business and the industry you work in. So, you’ve likely got something to say about it. And guess what, if it is particularly “niche”, and you invest in some content marketing, then the likelihood is you’re getting a step-up on your competitors. When it comes to content marketing, it’s all about thinking outside of the box. Even if you feel your product or service gives you very little to write about, you can think more broadly, and land on a topic that your audience will be interested in. For example, if you sell components for machinery, it’s not particularly likely you’re going to be able to produce 500+ words per work and some engaging social content about the “Metal Widget 5000”. But you could write about the applications of the Metal Widget 5000, and you could write about the industry you sell them to. What is it that the MW5000 allows customers to do, or helps them build? What are the challenges, implications and ideas surrounding that? When it comes to B2B content marketing, it’s really about discussing common questions and problems that your customers face day-to-day. Which leads me nicely to…
Solve your clients’ problems
You’re not producing content to make yourself look busy. You’re not producing it to sell your products – OK, ultimately you are, but stay with me here. At the forefront of your mind when you’re producing content for your B2B audience is – is it speaking to challenges they have, and challenges your business can help them address? For example, if you’re a management consultant, you want to avoid content like “10 reasons management consultancy is awesome and you should definitely buy some” and go for something more like “5 of the most common business inefficiencies and how to overcome them” or “4 ways to improve communication in your business”. Instead of telling people they should buy your product, you’re educating them about how to overcome their problems, telling a better story about how you can help them and gaining their trust.
Say something
I know, I know, that sounds obvious. What I actually mean is “say something unique, that no one else is saying about your industry” but that would’ve been less catchy as a subtitle. When it comes to writing content, you don’t just want to repackage facts and stats from other businesses in your industry. You need to add your own flavour to it – bring value to a topic that only you and your business can. That’s how you’re going to get your prospects engaged – and keep them engaged – and the best way to demonstrate your value to the market. You don’t have to go it alone – use the people around you. Speak to technical experts in your business, or friendly customers, to get that additional level of insight into what you’re writing about. If I’m speaking about how I approach content marketing for Inflowing, I use my knowledge to just write – and the way I (try to, anyway) make it stand out is by using my unique tone of voice and my experience to add value. And sometimes I add GIFs – that’s not mandatory, but I enjoy them.
So there you have it. A crash course in how to write engaging content for a B2B audience. Remember to find your niche, speak to your customers’ challenges, and bring something unique to the table, and you won’t go far wrong.
If you still feel like you’re stumbling around in the dark with B2B content marketing – get in touch. We help businesses in a wide range of industries produce engaging content that elevates their brand and tells their story.
