You might have pulled in some traffic and even generated a few leads – but when it comes to B2B content marketing, a company blog just isn’t enough
We love a blog here at Content Desk – when it’s done well. But only a content ostrich with its head in the marketing sand would suggest that they are the be-all and end-all of B2B content marketing.
Many businesses, however, are falling into the trap of over-reliance on blogs. Research has revealed the startling emergence of collective blog-induced handwringing in the B2B community. In North America, for example, 81% of firms use blogging as a content marketing tactic yet only 59% of them actually find it effective.
Blogs are a valuable starting point for aiding website SEO – providing insights and creating leads. But as far as content marketing is concerned they are the tip of the iceberg. And, just like actual tips of icebergs, they often appear frosty, inhospitable and unwelcoming to potential consumers.
The message: abandon the lax content marketing encapsulated by blithering blogs and initiate a full-on culture shift. There are a wealth of techniques available to drag your content marketing into 2017 and beyond.
More content
The clatter of bloggers patting themselves on the back after bashing out another vaguely SEO-friendly 500-word post is causing a racket in the world of content marketing.
Quite simply, this is an ineffective way of engaging old clients and intriguing potential new ones.
Consider mixing up your content offering. For instance, Content Desk was touting the potential advantages of long-form back in 2014. Subsequent research has vindicated our optimism: long-form can significantly boost time on site and may be an SEO game-changer.
Investing some time and energy into insightful long-form content could provide you with a repository of evergreen articles for years to come. Some big firms, such as Natwest and Unum, are already housing such content in knowledge banks. These provide a central location for existing and prospective consumers to find handy research and on-trend inspiration.
Better formats
Varying your content length and presenting it on a pleasing platform is all well and good, but consider matching diversity of quantity with diversity in quality to really take your content marketing to the next level.
For B2B firms scratching their head at how to optimise their output, Content Desk is a veritable goldmine. Marketing videos, B2B webinars and spiced-up social media all receive comprehensive coverage – meaning marketers can finally tell meagre content offerings to blog off.
Intensified intelligence
The prospect of embracing intelligent, cutting-edge technology in content is off-putting for many marketers. Sounds expensive, right?
Thankfully, here too Content Desk comes to the rescue, providing some handy tips and case studies on the wonderful world of artificial intelligence and chatbots.
But even for technophobes, smarter content needn’t be off limits. The proliferation of free and easily accessible insight tools means all businesses have the potential to entice consumers with data-rich content. Injecting some original research into stale posts could give your content strategy a much-needed shot in the arm.
A blog-eat-blog world: the key takeaways
Cast an eye over your company blog and ask how it stacks up against these crucial conclusions:
- Blogs should only be a starting point – they can boost SEO and provide a launchpad for sales, but they are not unique and certainly not indicative of comprehensive content marketing.
- A world of content awaits – if you’re serious about driving engagement and getting consumers hooked, consider an out-and-out shift towards evergreen, reformatted, intelligent content.
- Cultural change – this all boils down to introducing proactivity and agility to your content. Don’t be deterred – embrace content marketing in all its glory.
