The latest in a series of articles produced by the Press Gazette in conjunction with the Lead Monitor marketing solution, is about implementing your content marketing strategy for a B2B audience.
Being a commercial content writer is a tough gig. The balance between producing engaging articles, offering an actionable snack, and getting value to whoever reads it, as well as being a paid advertorial is difficult.
Even then, you still have a customer or brand that is understandably keen to make their core messages stand out and the platform you have access to with its own editorial guidelines and ethics.
Generally, if your business or company selects its marketing or advertising partners and only works with those with whom it is familiar, it will make the life of commercial writers easier, as there should be more give and take in the vital relationship between church and state.
Much of the marketing content is offered as part of a larger campaign, and each is labeled differently to ensure readers know it’s an advertisement (ironic, as it is often called “native” so as not to highlight it) There are some general guidelines to help any marketing content plan sing.
Read the New Statesman Media Group’s free whitepaper: How to Define, Discover, and Develop Actionable Leads in B2B Marketing
Content planning with a client
Most effective commercial content is a collaboration between brand goals, the power of your platform, and finding the right angle to sell a story in the most editorial way possible.
Audiences don’t want to be sold directly to or read a PR publication – there’s no reason an advertorial isn’t as fun, exciting, or groundbreaking as its editorial cousin.
However, good customer relationships are still at the heart of creating a content plan. Never forget that without your investment, this campaign would not happen.
“Listen to what a customer wants and provide insights to help guide how your content plan aligns with what they want to achieve. Everything in the campaign should be based on these findings, ”said David Leonard, Ryot Studios director of commercial product at Verizon Media.
Working with brands can be difficult, but content partnerships (whether written, podcast, video, or experiential) where that affiliation is openly and proudly stated often produce the right results.
After all, PartnerPath confirms that 68% of consumers can make purchasing decisions before speaking to sales reps after seeing jointly marketed campaigns – think Kanye & Adidas, BMW & Louis Vuitton, or Burger King & McDonald’s.
[Read more: Lead generation tactics for marketers: The three biggest priorities]
General lessons for writing commercial content
In theory, commercial writers have all of the storytelling skills any successful writer would have. In reality, however, there are additional considerations, especially in B2B marketing.
When it comes to content that is directly related to a service, product, or performance, its verifiable accuracy exceeds guesswork and opinions, which is why you see so many statistics in marketing.
Marketing is designed to enhance the experience rather than disrupt it. Hence, a clear goal is to reward the reader, be it with expert information or an action not previously considered.
It is your job to connect and link stories together. So by referring people to parts of third-party vendors or more in your canon, your audience can explore all of the messaging without leaving them and never being seen again.
Ultimately, every single piece of commercial content should be strong enough to be valuable in and of itself, found through SEO, and enjoyed by someone who never expected to find it.
The most effective commercial content
For brave customers, it’s critical to allow commercial content written on topics that are consistent with brand values but don’t directly mention the brand.
This allows you to engage with conversations and topics that are critical to a customer’s KPIs (and based on audience insights) without being overly commercial in content.
“Find your niche, your nook, or your purpose. Ask your customers: What makes you different from your competition? “Jackie Gallego, Branded Content Editor.
Of course, not all commercial content is bought by the customer – B2B marketers will want to produce a lot of their own material because of its proven effectiveness.
The nature of the content depends on many factors, but it should always be designed to generate interest and leads.
The New Statesman Media Group recently asked senior marketers to rate the various formats of B2B marketing content based on their effectiveness. This should be the starting point for most planning.
Thought leadership, case studies and video took three of the top five spots. Here’s how to do them right:
Thought guidance
Expertise is important – either direct, hands-on experience with the subject or an ongoing commitment by consuming the latest trends and developments over many years
Make sure the content topic is well researched, discussed with others in the business, and not backed out
If your subject is bored, make sure your point of view is unique
Keep the voice conversation going as much as possible – video works best for this
Think long-term – an exciting topic of thought leadership changes over time. Can you keep track of this through an annual update to build a loyal following?
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Case studies
Always remember that this is not your journey (although you are heavily involved) – this is the client / client’s story
Try to follow the classic three-act structure – the setup (client), the confrontation (pain points) and the solution (campaign results).
Data and statistics are the cornerstone of B2B case studies. If possible, secure all major claims with numbers
There are many formats that testimonials support – infographics, audio, and video should all be considered. The latter two are great for creating emotional, deeper content
Video
Keep the video short (don’t get obsessed with the different platforms – the less than two minute rule is a good place to start). However, consider where it will appear in your overall content strategy. The earlier it is displayed, the shorter the video
Since videos are traditionally more expensive than the written version, always keep them green, reuse existing material, and cut long form into shorter sections
Videos have the same values as all of your marketing content – they have to be useful, relevant, timely, and professional
Be brave – don’t dismiss comedic, selfless content. If you get it right, people will remember the message