Cold calls, spam emails and TV ads can all be blocked at the click of a button, and the power is truly back in the hands of the consumer.
When we have a problem or a question, we set up our chosen device and begin the quest for content.
We flick from article to article, blog to blog, white paper to ebook, trying to find the answer we’re looking for.
We choose where to go next, and who to give our precious information to in exchange for more content. We're completely in control.
And that’s why content writing is so vital in B2B marketing and lead generation.
It is a tool - a strategy, and it allows you to nurture and convert prospects. Not only does well-written content attract traffic to your site, but in the right circumstances, it can be used to elicit those coveted contact details from prospects that enables you to nurture and convert leads, and ultimately close sales.
So let's take a closer look at why content writing is so effective in B2B lead generation:
The great thing about content is that it can be measured. And with the right tools and software, you can identify where leads are coming from and which topics have attracted them.
If a theme emerges, it becomes easier to gauge what their challenge might be, and with that, you'll be in a position to tailor your future content offerings in accordance.
Which formats of content perform the best? Which authors attract the most traffic? This type of visibility means you can create workflows that allow you to provide further content to those prospects.
And to add to that, blog posts are compounding, which means with helpful and educative content, you're armed with a tool that will keep on attracting organic traffic over time. According to Hubspot, one in ten blog posts is compounding, so keep an eye on this when you measure and think about repurposing of re-promoting this where possible.
Remember, to get better, you must measure.
We mustn’t forget that B2B buying is a considered purchase. It’s company money, and usually in large amounts.
And if it’s not the business owner parting with their precious pennies, it’s a manager with someone senior to convince or answer to. So they must do their research before buying.
Once they've identified their problem, they'll embark on the buyers journey before making their final purchase.
This will usually involve researching their pain point during the awareness stage. And with educative and infromative content, you can capture these prospects and hold onto them throughout the consideration stage and decision stage.
The fact is, visitors landing on your site have found your content because they have a question or a problem that needs solving. So they already fit the criteria for a prospect.
Simply put, they are high-quality traffic.
What has urged these visitors to read your material? Is it clear what they were searching for?
With keyword tools, marketers now have the power to perform in-depth keyword research. If certain keywords have a much higher monthly search volume, it's likely they correlate with prospects' pain points.
Through keyword research and well-defined buyer personas, you can build a picture of what your prospects' questions might be and build a content strategy with these in mind.
This is your opportunity to gain trust by positioning yourself as an industry expert; something your potential buyers are hunting for.
With the addition of gated content offerings such as ebooks and white papers, you also create the opportunity to convert these high-quality visitors into leads.
With content, leads are coming to sales with no need for intrusive cold calls or costly (and often ineffective) outbound techniques. Content marketing can also be utilised for ABM (Accounts Based Marketing), where specific accounts are targetted through relevant and valuable content.
If you offer a niche product or service, identifying the most likely fit for your offering could be your most effective approach.
Matt Heinz quite aptly likens ABM to ‘fishing with spears rather than with nets’.
It gives you have the power to magnify a traditional content marketing strategy and place solutions in front of the buyer, rather than waiting for them to find it.
This approach proves to be both effective and productive as it frees up the sales team giving them more time to focus on closing leads and delighting existing customers.
Can your ebook content be repurposed as a pillar page?
Can your blog post can be repurposed as an infographic?
And perhaps that infographic could later be repurposed as a video?
The beauty of content marketing and writing is there are many variations and channels through which you can create and disseminate content.
This makes your content more applicable and appealing to a wider audience, and evergreen. Some will visit your blog profusely, but others aren't so keen on reading thousands of words worth of copy.
Consider visually impaired or non-native speakers, and traffic from other countries. Does your content marketing provide this type of versatility? For that reason, repurposing and reformatting content is definitely something to consider.
Content writing is a widely used inbound component that can be used in any industry. But its pertinence within the B2B sector stands for good reason. It's an adaptable tool that attracts quality leads, engages and educates them through the buyers journey to ultimately convert them into buying customers.
Digital marketing is constantly evolving, but with a solid content strategy fuelled by well-written content, it's the gift that keeps on giving. With an investment in creating high-quality, valuable content your strategy has staying power over most outbound tactics.