Content marketing faces a saturation dilemma. With an overflow of social media platforms, blogs and sponsored collaborations, B2B brands have plenty of opportunities to distribute content and showcase their expertise. AI-powered tools have further streamlined this process, enabling brands to churn out content at unprecedented speeds. However, this has led to a surplus of texts and increasingly disengaged readers.
The reality is, we must all step up our game. Gone are the days when dry facts and clichés were enough for B2B content. Today’s B2B buyers demand more – they seek fresh perspectives and additional insights beyond the status quo. This is especially true of new generations, who prefer brands that share their values – such as the need to be more sustainable.
To stay fresh, win the audience’s trust and spur action, prioritising quality over quantity is essential. Leveraging internal and external experts to offer informed opinions and authentic insights has become paramount in capturing audience attention and driving engagement.
Making sure your content is authentic
Authenticity is invaluable in B2B marketing in 2024. But how can you ensure that your content hits this mark and resonates authentically? Here are three key strategies:
1) Amplify the voices of experts
Using quotes and bylined content is an effective way to elevate your team’s public profile and showcase their breadth of expertise.
Incorporating their insights directly into technical content is beneficial, but going a step further by integrating their own words can add a personal touch. Consider adding expert quotes to infographics or sharing short videos on social media. These approaches humanise your organisation, fostering a deeper connection with your audience and enhancing trust in your brand.
2) Craft compelling narratives
Engage your audience with captivating anecdotes, humorous stories or relevant hooks to introduce your content in a way that feels genuine and relatable.
Your unique memories and experiences are assets that no AI engine can replicate. By infusing these elements into your content, you can create original assets that resonate with authenticity. Additionally, writing in the first person can enhance empathy and make your content more relatable to your audience.
3) Conduct thorough SEO research
Contrary to popular belief, SEO and originality are not mutually exclusive.
By researching the most frequently asked questions related to your topic, you can ensure that your content delivers clear and helpful answers that satisfy both your audience and search engines like Google. This approach not only enhances your content’s relevance but also positions your brand as a trustworthy source of information within your industry.
Enhancing your B2B marketing
With these tips in mind, what can authentic content do for your brand’s marketing plan? While it may seem obvious that authentic, innovative and genuinely beneficial content surpasses stale and derivative material, let’s delve deeper into why authenticity is increasingly pivotal in B2B marketing:
Establishes trust
Two fundamental elements define an authentic messaging strategy: coherence and expertise. Coherence ensures that your marketing materials align with your brand, featuring consistent design, tone of voice, and, most importantly, values and messages.
Expertise involves showcasing your team’s knowledge and demonstrating their ability to address customer pain points and propose inventive solutions. Together, coherence and expertise lend credibility to your content, fostering trust among your audience.
Enhances visibility
In an oversaturated landscape of hastily produced content, crafting material that undeniably reflects your brand’s identity helps it stand out. This entails developing a tone of voice that embodies your brand personality and creating content that articulates your unique perspective on relevant topics. Your organisation’s tone of voice and the expertise of its personnel are irreplicable, distinguishing your content from the rest.
Improves SEO performance
Original content that genuinely addresses your audience’s inquiries can significantly boost your SEO rankings. Search engines have evolved to discern content created solely for ranking purposes, penalising repetitive and keyword-stuffed material. Conversely, algorithms prioritise pages that directly address user queries, offering valuable insights and solutions.
Receives recognition on LinkedIn
LinkedIn, a key platform for B2B interactions, prioritises authenticity. Content perceived as “spammy,” poorly crafted or lacking relevance to the target audience faces penalties. Conversely, LinkedIn amplifies the visibility of content deemed original and informative, based on its topical relevance and potential for early engagement.
As B2B brands deal with increased competition, cultivating authenticity will become essential to set your organisation apart and gain a competitive advantage. If you’d like to get some support from The Marketing Pod’s award-winning B2B marketing team, get in touch today and let us know how we can help.
N.B. The information contained in this entry is provided by the above supplier, and does not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of the publisher
