Content marketing can accomplish a variety of goals including increasing brand awareness, driving leads, building credibility, and improving conversions. Here, we’ll take a look at how to create B2B content marketing pieces that create trust and help win over prospective clients.
Let’s start with statistics (my favorite and what really matters to marketers).
80% of people appreciate learning about a company through custom content. (Source: Demand Metric)
Did you catch that? They appreciate learning about a company through custom content. Most people can’t appreciate a good glass of red wine, but 80% appreciate informative custom content. Wow.
70% of consumers feel closer to a company as a result of content marketing (Source: Demand Metric)
Now, that’s interesting. Consumers feel closer to a company because of content marketing. Let’s take a closer look at how B2B content marketing can be used to create this trust in a genuine way.
Fear of Unknown = Mistrust
Why would you trust a company you don’t even know? Content marketing and creating useful content are excellent ways to introduce potential buyers to your company. Effective B2B content strategies include regular blogs, white papers, ebooks, newsletters, web pages, social media posts to share information about a company and it’s products or services.
By creating your own, original content, you are inviting potential customers to learn more about your firm and your services.
Share Information = People Know You
The big mistake people make with B2B websites and content marketing strategies is they think it’s about promotion. It’s actually about education. Sure you want to highlight the best aspects of your company and services, but you want to do it in a way that is helpful, not bragging. Share information about how your services work and the value they provide to customers.
Give away most of the secret sauce. What? For example, as a web design agency in San Diego, we’ve shared everything we know about setting up an effective B2B content marketing campaign. Yes, a competitor could comb through our website and steal our ideas, but more often, it provides insight to our potential customers and let’s them get to know us and our process.
Engage & Interact = Shows You Care
Once you’ve created and shared a piece of content, don’t let go. It’s important to track and respond as people interact with your content. When people comment on your blog posts, comment back. If people share your content on social media, engage by liking posts on their page. When people sign up for newsletters, send them a welcome email. If a potential client fills out an online form for more information, follow up with them right away.
Remember, this is about building trust and winning over potential clients so every interaction with them counts.
Case Studies = They Can Trust You
A great way to use content to build credibility with a potential client is by showcasing your performance history. Share case studies that show how your product or service has worked with a real example. Also, if it’s relevant to your industry, share before-and-after examples. By creating B2B content marketing pieces that show real successes, you are showing clients that your products or services work, they are effective, and they do deliver results.
Customer Reviews = You Are Reliable
Alright, so customer reviews don’t technically fall under content marketing. But, stay with me, how you handle reviews once they are given does fall under content marketing. Share actual customer reviews or quote on your website, in your collateral, on content pieces, and on social media where they can be seen by potential clients. In the content marketing world, client reviews fall into the category of “trust elements,” which are essential pieces of information potential clients need to see, watch, or hear to start to trust your company.
Blogs/Articles/White Papers = You Are an Authority
Academics have been in the content marketing arena for quite some time. The term “publish or perish” is often thrown around when it comes to the success of a professor at a college or post-grad level. The same tenet now holds true for B2B marketing efforts. Publish useful, educational content, or you will fall behind in your industry.
Why does this matter? Because educational content in the form of blogs, articles, white papers, etc. shows that you are the authority on the topic. You know the most about your products and services and you are working to share that knowledge with others.
As you craft your B2B content marketing strategy, it’s helpful to remember WHY you are creating pieces of content. Limiting self-promotion and focusing on the educational factor can offer huge benefits.
Sources: Demand Metric
