Everyone tells you to do content marketing if you’re in B2B. But nobody tells you how to do it.
Well… I do! Here are 34 B2B content marketing ideas that will grow your online presence and help you acquire leads without spending money on ads:
Hyper-Targeted Content
Generic strategies rarely succeed in B2B content marketing. To truly connect with decision-makers and move them down the sales funnel, your content needs to be hyper-targeted.
This means tailoring it directly to their specific pain points, interests, and even the content platforms they prefer.
Key Elements of Hyper-Targeting in B2B Content Marketing
- Audience Segmentation: Divide your B2B audience into focused segments based on factors like industry, job titles, company size, and specific challenges they face. This allows you to deliver tailored messages that are more likely to resonate.
- Buyer Personas: Develop detailed profiles representing your ideal customers within each segment. Consider their roles and responsibilities, what keeps them up at night, and what their ultimate goals are within their organization.
- Content Mapping: Align your content creation with each stage of the B2B buyer’s journey, from awareness to consideration to the final decision. Tailor your content formats and messaging to match where your audience is in their decision-making process.
- Platform Preferences: Where does your target audience consume content? While LinkedIn could be the primary focus for one segment, another might prefer video-heavy platforms like YouTube or TikTok. Understand where your ideal buyers spend their time online.
9 Ideas to Tailor Content for Every Stakeholder in the B2B Sales Process
Hyper-targeting isn’t just about the content itself; you can extend this approach to your entire content strategy to ensure that each stakeholder in the B2B sales process feels heard and understood. This increases the likelihood of a successful sale by speaking directly to their unique needs, challenges, and priorities.
Here are some ideas:
- End-user content: Video testimonials from satisfied customers, product demos showcasing ease of use, and how-to guides for getting the most out of the product.
- Executive-level content: White papers on industry trends, case studies showcasing high-level ROI, and executive summaries of product features and benefits.
- Technical content: Detailed product specifications, technical whitepapers, and comparison guides with competitor products
Tools and Resources for Hyper-Targeting Campaigns
Data is essential for hyper-targeting. Here are a few tools you should use to gather relevant information about your prospects and create relevant content based on it:
- Audience Analytics Tools: Software like Google Analytics and social media analytics provide insights into audience demographics and behavior.
- Marketing Automation Platforms: Platforms like HubSpot and Marketo enable personalized content delivery and dynamic landing pages based on audience segments.
- CRM Integration: Utilizing CRM data allows you to tailor content based on a prospect’s past interactions and where they are in the sales funnel.
Hyper-Targeting in Action: Success Stories
Here’s a great example of hyper-targeted content from B2B brands – Involve.me.
After signing up for the free trial, I received personalized content recommendations from the Involve.me blog based on information I provided, like my industry and company size.
This small but thoughtful gesture demonstrated an understanding of my needs and sparked my interest in their content.
Visually Appealing Content
B2B marketing doesn’t have to be dry or dull. Visually appealing content cuts through the noise, making your brand memorable and boosting engagement. Our brains process images far faster than text, so visuals enhance understanding and make your messages stick.
Why Visuals Matter in B2B
- Break up Information: Dense blocks of text are intimidating. Visuals help break up information, improving readability and user experience.
- Communicate Complex Ideas: Charts, graphs, and infographics turn complex data or processes into easily digestible visuals.
- Engagement: Eye-catching visuals increase the likelihood that your content is shared and remembered.
6 Impactful Visual B2B Content Ideas
- Infographics: Turn boring statistics or processes into visually appealing infographics that are easy to understand and share.
- Data Visualization: Make charts and graphs visually engaging so viewers can immediately grasp trends and insights.
- High-quality Imagery: Invest in professional photography or use well-curated stock photos to elevate your content’s visual impact.
- Short Videos or GIFs: Add a touch of motion to social media or blog content with short video clips or GIFs that showcase your product or service.
- Behind-the-scenes: Build trust and authenticity with photos and videos showcasing your company culture and humanize your brand.
- Memes (Yes, memes!): When used strategically, memes can inject humor and relatability into B2B content, especially when targeting younger audiences.
B2B Brands Doing Visuals Right
VeryCreatives:
Their smooth, eye-catching animations beautifully demonstrate the seamless UI/UX design they provide, offering an immediate “show, don’t tell” experience.
Semrush:
They skillfully repurpose content by including an infographic or a visual that drives the points from each blog post home. This also helps them expand their reach in Google Images for broader visibility.
Motion Analytics:
With creative, humorous videos on social media, they manage to connect with their target audience on a personal level while keeping the content educational and entertaining (“edutainment”).
Let’s Get Visual!
Are you ready to transform your content with the power of visuals? If you’d like to discuss strategies specific to your brand, I’d be happy to jump on a call!
Long-Form Content
Both your customers and Google favor content that is comprehensive, thorough, and valuable. This is where long-form content shines, offering depth and detail that set you apart from the competition.
Long-form articles, reports, and guides not only showcase your brand’s expertise but also support lead generation by providing the in-depth information your audience craves.
The E-E-A-T Factor
Google’s emphasis on E-E-A-T means long-form content is even more impactful:
- Expertise: Does the content demonstrate that you understand your niche?
- Experience: Are real-world examples and use cases included?
- Authority: Is your website considered a credible source in the industry (often supported by backlinks)?
- Trustworthiness: Does your website design and content feel legitimate and trustworthy?
5 Unconventional B2B Content Marketing Ideas for Long-Form Writing
While the classic blog post or in-depth article has a place, exploring less traditional content formats for long-form content will help you stand out and diversify your offerings:
Answer Uncomfortable Questions:
Addressing controversial or taboo topics in your long-form content can set you apart from the competition, spark conversations, and build trust by demonstrating transparency. It’s crucial to approach this sensitively, focusing on value and solutions rather than creating controversy for its own sake.
Create a Resource Page:
Compile your best and most informative long-form content into a single resource page. This serves as a one-stop shop for your audience and can become a valuable asset for attracting and retaining leads. Check out Twilio’s Trust Center for an excellent example of this in practice.
Build an Industry Glossary:
Become a go-to resource for understanding industry jargon and terminology. An industry glossary demonstrates your expertise and helps educate both newcomers and seasoned professionals.
Show the Costs of NOT Using Your Solution:
Focus on the potential risks or missed opportunities associated with inaction. This will showcase your value proposition and create a sense of urgency.
Use Multiple Media in the Article:
Infographics, images, GIFs, videos, and audio elements make long-form text more engaging and easier to consume. Break up walls of text for a better user experience.
Benefits of Long-Form Content in B2B
- Stronger SEO: Long-form content provides more opportunities to target relevant keywords and demonstrates your authority on a topic
- Thought Leadership: In-depth content establishes you as an expert and go-to resource in your industry.
- Lead Generation: Comprehensive content is more likely to be shared and attracts prospects searching for detailed information.
Remember: The goal of long-form content isn’t simply length – it’s providing a superior and exhaustive exploration of a topic that brings real value to your readers.
Content Collaboration & Community
Strategic partnerships and fostering community are powerful (and often underutilized) ways to elevate your B2B content, increase reach, and build trust. Here’s how to make an impact:
4 B2B Content Collaboration Ideas
Co-branded Webinars or Podcast Series:
Join forces with an expert outside your company to increase the quality and reach of your webinars.
Gong’s approach to inviting established thought leaders is a fantastic example.
Guest Posts:
Contribute guest posts to each other’s blogs or publications to provide additional value for existing audiences and tap into new readership.
GetResponse sets a great example by allowing industry experts to share insights with their audience.
Industry Research Reports or Whitepapers:
Collaborate to create in-depth resources, boosting the value of the final product and increasing credibility for both brands.
Consider how Richard van der Bloom leverages partnerships to enhance the yearly LinkedIn Algorithm Report.
Co-create Video Series or Social Media Campaigns:
Develop a series of engaging videos or social media campaigns to share with your combined audiences.
Look at how Semrush leverages partnerships with industry experts to prepare in-depth courses on Semrush Academy.
Community Building
B2B communities go beyond social media groups. A strong brand community fosters a sense of belonging, loyalty, and offers valuable insights back to your business.
Here are a few B2B content marketing ideas for community-building:
- Private Communities: Build a private online forum or group for customers to connect, share experiences, and learn from each other.
- In-person Events: Organize networking events or workshops to bring industry professionals together and offer them opportunities for face-to-face interactions with your brand.
- Social Proof: Highlight success stories from your community to demonstrate the value you provide and encourage others to join.
- Exclusive Content: Offer members access to exclusive insights, webinars, or training resources, adding value to their experience.
Finding the Right Partners
Look for partners with:
- Complementary Offerings: Choose partners whose offerings complement yours for natural cross-promotion.
- Shared Audience: Ensure there’s overlap with your target audience to maximize reach.
- Aligned Values: Partnerships work best when there’s a shared mission and brand ethos.
Structuring Collaboration
- Mutual Benefit: Design collaborations to benefit both parties.
- Clear Expectations: Set clear project scopes, timelines, and promotional responsibilities upfront.
- Track Results: Track key metrics to understand the reach and impact of your collaborations.
Lemlist, an email outreach tool, does this exceptionally well with its Slack community. It offers exclusive content formats and direct access to its team members to provide top-level support to its customers.
Building community and fostering partnerships can create a powerful network of advocates and amplify your B2B content marketing efforts.
Additional, High-Impact Strategies
To truly stand out and generate leads, it’s worth considering these additional tactics that can significantly enhance your B2B content marketing:
Leverage Audience Info from Other Departments:
Customer service and success teams hold a treasure trove of insights about common questions, challenges, and goals expressed by your customers. Tap into this knowledge to create content that directly addresses the issues your audience cares most about.
For example, while working with HRnest, we used audience feedback given to the Customer Success team and created HRnest Academy – a detailed guide on the app’s features that can help solve all the specific problems this audience experiences:
Utilize Interactive Content:
Quizzes, calculators, and assessments provide a dynamic experience, capturing valuable data about leads’ preferences and pain points. Remember, this content helps you tap into the power of the IKEA Effect, boosting engagement and interest.
Here’s a great example of an interactive demo from Clari, a B2B revenue platform:
Build a Brand Advocate Personal LinkedIn Profile:
Your employees’ personal profiles can humanize your brand and allow you to build genuine connections with potential clients. Encourage them to share thought leadership B2B content marketing, engage in industry discussions, and build their networks.
Amanda Natividad, the VP of Marketing at SparkToro, does this exceptionally well:
Embrace Short-Form Video:
Don’t underestimate the power of quick, authentic videos! They require less investment than webinars but can establish a relatable brand presence.
Check how Chili Piper uses TikTok to connect with their audience:
Create Gated Content:
Offer high-value content like whitepapers, industry reports, or in-depth guides in exchange for contact information. This strategy builds your email list while providing resources that position you as a thought leader.
The SEO Trends report from Search Engine Journal is an excellent example.
Organize a Webinar:
Leverage webinars to offer expertise, conduct product deep-dives, and showcase your solutions.
Follow BambooHR’s approach by making the webinars accessible long after the live event is over.
Create a Free Tool:
Develop a simple but helpful tool that address common pain points in your industry. Incorporate lead capture forms to generate leads directly through its use.
Check out the approach used by Gusto:
Start a Podcast:
Explore complex B2B content marketing topics in-depth, share success stories, and build relationships with your audience.
Look at PandaDoc’s podcast for an example of how this can be done to support lead generation.
Important Note: Always include clear calls to action, guiding listeners or viewers to your website, lead capture forms, or other resources.
Conclusion
Optimizing your content for lead generation is a must if you want to increase marketing’s ROI without burning the budget.
By incorporating the 11 innovative B2B content marketing ideas described above, you’ll be well on your way to boosting your B2B lead generation efforts and establishing your brand as an influential force in your industry.
Ready to take your B2B content marketing to the next level? Connect with StoryAngled’s B2B Content Strategist, and let’s turn these ideas into transformative action for your brand’s growth: