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The content you create drives brand awareness increases trust and grows revenue when done well. Both visitors and Google seek the expertise and quality of your content over targeted keywords. In fact, Google no longer rewards content created around one keyword and instead focuses on how well that content fits the overall context of your site. (1)

To thrive in a world where thousands of new content pieces are added every day, content strategies must be better. A 2022 B2B study by the Content Marketing Institute (2) stated that the top three goals of content marketing are to create brand awareness, build credibility and trust, and educate target markets.   However, Hubspot reports that the top challenges faced by content marketers are:  content that generates leads, finding ideas for new content, and having content that receives high levels of online engagement. (3)

While it might be obvious, content must be developed for a specific purpose rather than created to fill a void. It needs to be scrutinized, and it should be adjusted when it isn’t performing.

What story do the analytic and behavior trends tell about your content? Is every piece of your content achieving the goals it is designed to do? Is it benefiting the business?

Here are fifteen ideas to keep your content at the top of its game!

  1. Update and Write a Content Strategy
    Whether you have a written content strategy, it may be time to evaluate its effectiveness and change it. Nearly 85% of businesses have a content marketing strategy. Unfortunately, only 11% consider it excellent. (4) 62% of top-performing organizations have a documented content strategy (5), while nearly 80% of B2B marketers report that their content strategy has shifted from pre-pandemic. (5)Strategies consistently need evaluation, and when big events, such as the pandemic or economic changes occur, this is when strategies are ripe for review. Don’t miss opportunities due to a stagnant or outdated content strategy. One survey found that after the pandemic, content strategies were necessary. 70% of marketers changed their targeting/messaging, 64% changed their calendar, and 53% changed their content distribution/promotion strategy. (6) The result? Over half of B2B marketers report that a shift in content strategy contributed to success over 12 months. (5)
  1. Understand the Needs of the Customer
    Make your customer needs your number one priority when developing content. Show and tell how the content will benefit the people who want to buy or have already purchased and interact with your company brand, products, or services. How important are blog content and social media? 66% of buyers indicate that blog content is instrumental to their buying process, mainly when content contains a call to action and is promoted on social media. (7)

Content is essential to the B2B buying journey. During the early stage, 72% of the buyers look at infographics, 66% read blog posts and 62% watch videos. (8) However, at the mid-stage of the buying journey, 50% see assessments, 49% read research and reports, and 46% review case studies. (8) And when in the late stage of the buying journey, 35% read case studies, 31% look at third-party reports, and 18% see assessments. (8)

Content is also crucial to seeing growth from your marketing efforts. What might other aspects of your content strategy be missing? When creating a content strategy that includes external and internal customers, ask:

    • Who is interested in the topics, subjects, or areas of expertise?
    • Who loves your brand the most?
    • Who are brand loyalists?
    • Who are your buying customers?
    • Who else may consume your brand through critical relationships, such as employees, vendors, and investors?
    • Who recommends your products, services, or brand?
    • Who offers referrals or valuable relationship opportunities?
  1. Listen for Content Opportunities…and Act
    There are hidden opportunities in every industry and business. Sometimes it’s an untapped and unknown market. An opportunity may be an alternate use for a product or service your company never considered. In other cases, a customer may stumble upon a solution they didn’t know they needed until they recognized the symptoms of the problem, an issue was presented to them, or something was so interesting or unique they needed to explore it further. These are just a few examples of how content strategies should evolve and adapt to challenge the status quo.
    Besides actively engaging stakeholders and social listening, encourage customer-facing workers to provide feedback and insights for content development. Sales, support, and similar roles directly access frequently asked questions, issues/problems, customer feedback, brand perception, and reputation. This can be powerful for building self-help support tools and tutorials, making necessary improvements, refining messaging, developing stronger branding, etc.
  1. Establish Trust and Credibility with Consistent Longer Content
    The first step to building a great relationship is establishing trust and credibility. Explain with step-by-step details or examples. Back it up with research that’s presented well. Give great illustrations. Use images or graphics when necessary.If you’re concerned about content length, it’s important to recognize that quality content requires excellent writing. Make every word count. Don’t just write for the sake of adding needless words.However, if you want your content to be memorable, add value, and be considered high quality, keep in mind that the average blog article is about 1,400 words – a growth of 57% since 2014. Only a few writers (4%) write long articles of over 3,000+ words. Compared to benchmarks, writers who write longer content report stronger results than content with fewer words. (9)Statistically, content with more than 3000 words receives 138% more traffic – and 78% of content under 500 words doesn’t get shared. (10)

If you’re still on the fence about content, consider that nearly half of what generates credibility in the eyes of B2B buyers is having quality blog content (30%) that is regularly published (15%). (11) Writers who publish articles 2-6 a week get better results than writers who publish monthly or less frequently (12), and 41% of B2B buyers emphasize the source’s trustworthiness. (13)

Whether you write longer content or publish content 2-6 times a week, the key to quality content is that your strategy must be sustainable and analyzed to ensure your readers find it valuable.

PRO TIP:  Did you know that less than 40% of older blog content is updated? (14) Keeping content fresh, current, and relevant doesn’t just improve organic traffic but also improve trustworthiness.

  1. Focus on Being More Human and Valuable
    Keep content unique, inspiring, and educational. The kind of content that isn’t boring. Instead, the content people want to read, watch, listen to, download, share, interact with, etc., is quality. Great content also needs to be authentic and have empathy. Ideally, topics in the content mix should address sustainability, social responsibility, inclusivity/diversity, etc. Additionally, emotions play a significant role in making decisions. A joint study between OkDork and Buzzsumo that analyzed the top 10,000 most shared articles found that awe (25%), laughter (17%), and amusement (15%) were the most emotional responses to well-crafted content. (15) Emotional connection is part of the perception of authenticity. Emotion allows a brand to establish a rapport with the target audience. 90% of buyers indicate authenticity is essential when determining what brands they like and support. (16)Make sure your content connects with humans…because it’s relatable and draws on emotions that are authentic.
  1. Humanize Your Brand
    Building brand personality into content makes it easier for potential buyers and customers to trust you. Consumers want companies to be honest (86%), friendly (83%), and helpful (78%). Consumers also like brands that are funny (72%), trendy (43%), politically correct (39%), and snarky (33%). These behaviors make it easier for customers to relate to a particular brand. (17)PRO TIP: When creating content, know who your audience is and the type of content you’re writing. A website with content about a new pharmaceutical product designed for patients and prescribing doctors will have two very different types of content, likely different personalities. Content for physicians may be loaded with medical research, prescribing information, speaking to a product expert, receiving training/samples, and other details. This content may be more formal and professional. On the other hand, patients who may be interested in discussing the product with a doctor or who are already using the product will need easier-to-understand content. They may need to know if the product works with their condition, understand how the product works, read about other patients’ experiences, see before and after pictures or videos, etc. This content may be professional but lean toward empathy and use more simplistic language.
  1. Generate and Approve Content Meant for Human Consumption
    The content you develop is essential for the people using your platforms and channels. Therefore, no matter how advanced technology becomes, content should always be designed for humans, reviewed by humans, and approved by human beings. Your content must stand out from the swarm of AI-generated content. For example, Bluecap.AI, SparkToro, and Exploding Topics are excellent tools to learn more through a combination of AI plus human listening and research. That doesn’t mean that AI can’t be part of your content game. Just remember to use artificial intelligence wisely. AI tools such as Jarvis can help develop content faster, but content created should be reviewed and edited by a human, so it has the personal elements that are only possible when a human being is involved in content creation.
  1. Craft Visually Compelling Elements
    Whether adding images, photos, or creating graphic visual content, it makes content easier to process. Plus, taking the time to incorporate optic elements has a big payoff. When possible, make content pop with visual elements. Combining 10+ more visual elements into a blog article produces strong results, nearly three times that of a single graphic. (18)PRO TIP: When using visual elements such as a graphic, photo, or illustration, optimize it for those with disabilities. It only takes a few extra minutes to do so. Still, this small attention to detail is greatly appreciated for those who are visually impaired and for visitors visiting websites on mobile devices or using fast browsing, where images are stripped out.
  1. Conduct and Publish Surveys/Studies
    While incorporating surveys, data, research, and analysis (such as this article) have value, original research is even more special. Less than half of surveyed businesses use original research in their content or marketing. (19) 90% of companies that take the extra time to create, analyze and publish their original research results found it successful. Furthermore, 56% state that their results met or exceeded their expectations. (19)When possible, conduct research and publish it! Even if it’s once a year, or your partner with a vendor partner, a study jointly original research can be a powerful tool.LinkedIn reports that status updates, including statistics and content links, get over 16% more impressions and a 40% higher click-through rate. (20)   Over half of B2B buyers indicate that using data and research to support content made it more memorable and more likely to trigger a sales call from them. (13)
  1. Minimize Pitching and Selling
    It’s no secret that B2C buyers are wary of high-pressure sales tactics and burned out from advertising. They prefer content where they can connect, engage, and benefit. B2C buyers find targeted ads either intrusive or disturbing and prefer reviews, advice, and recommendations for building brand loyalty. (21) If you’re seeking to build rapport by content, strike up a relationship with B2C that creates “first to know” type communities such as in Facebook Groups or email campaigns that notify subscribers of live events.

Nearly 40% of B2B buyers report that fewer sales messages could improve content. (13)  Instead of the frequency of content, look to the purpose of the content and study analytics. For example, if the content is designed for lead generation, explore how to optimize it to target better quality leads; or develop strong drip campaigns that assess leads further in the funnel.

  1. Consider the Entire Content Experience as a Whole
    It’s impossible to achieve a positive user experience without considering how content displays across all devices and making adaptations to content strategies as may be necessary. However, some advantages to user experiences on mobile devices include allowing custom apps for greater interactivity, behavior tracking, loyalty programs, etc. On the other hand, push notifications via a browser may be an option on desktop devices. Responsive design is one of the issues common to usability and conversion excellence. Other adaptions may need to occur as customer preferences change over time. The type of content, the format, behaviors, channels, delivery methods, etc., all need to be continuously evaluated for the best all-around experience. Engaging content isn’t something that can be mastered and run-on autopilot. It’s an ongoing process that seeks to better customer experiences, interactions, and understanding.
  1. Make Content Interactive
    Whether through gamification, polls, surveys, or technology such as 360-degree immersive, or interactive UX, content no longer needs to be one-way broadcasting. Encourage live streaming. Utilize immersive, interactive content. Engage users to play games, and complete polls or surveys. Develop apps and add chatbot functionality to your website, social media, etc. Interactive content will continue to drive the value of content. In fact, 93% of marketers state that using interactive content effectively educates buyers versus just 70% for static content. (22) The same study noted that 88% of marketers found interactive content effectively differentiates their brand from their competitors. In comparison, 81% of marketers discovered that interactive content grabs attention more effectively than static content. (22) 
  1. Invest in Podcasts and/or Audio Chats
    SEM Rush reported that US consumers listened to over 15 billion hours of podcasts in 2021. (23)
    Apple’s Chadd Hollowed reported in 2021 that over 72,000 new podcast episodes are loaded daily. (24) It’s no surprise that content markers spend more of their marketing budgets on podcasts. And some are branching even further into emerging channels such as audio chats such as Clubhouse and Twitter Spaces.PRO TIP:  When creating a podcast, remember that it can be multi-purposed! Use the transcript to create additional written content. Take excerpts, combine them with graphics and convert them into a video. These are just a few ways podcasts can be used in more than one way to reach various audiences!
  1. Optimize for Video and Audio Searchability
    It’s no longer enough to focus on optimizing written and graphic imagery despite searching engines’ ability to better understand context and intent. In most cases, videos are search-friendly. However, including transcripts and utilizing keyword tags relevant to the content will help keep you ahead of competitors who aren’t including these optimization efforts with video and audio format content.

PRO TIP: While including transcripts is one way to reach more people, adding captions and subtitles to videos is another. Also, consider adapting podcasts into written content for even greater visibility.

  1. Include UG Content
    User-generated content (UGC) not only fosters a sense of community and connection with your audience but expands your brand reach. Consider hashtag movements, challenges, contests, games, etc., where content creators can express themselves, have a bit of fun, and lead others to your social media profile(s) and brand.
  1. (BONUS) Check Analytics More Frequently
    Having content online has a considerable advantage: data! But if you’re not using what’s been captured (or worse yet, systems haven’t been put in place), it’s impossible to know what content is working for you. If you’re assuming that a limited amount of information about engagement, such as likes, shares, or comments on social media, can tell you about your content, you’re missing a big part of the picture! How well the content resonates with your target audience is much more than engagement. It’s about behavior patterns. In that case, you’ll need more information to benefit from click-thru rates, web visitors, lead scoring, gathering lead intelligence, and so forth. This is precisely where analytics such as Core Web Vitals reports, found in Google Search Console, can come in handy. Or, for even more data, you can explore tools such as Clicky that can generate heatmaps, see real-time visitors, know the company’s name visiting, and more. Compared to content creators who rarely or never check analytics, content creators who use analytics are nearly four times more successful. (25)

Creating valuable content requires understanding your customer’s needs and why they might want to interact with your brand. Offering practical suggestions instead of just showcasing what your product can do can help your customer solve their problems. When done well, your content will drive brand awareness, increase trust, and boost revenue.

 

Discover inspiring ideas for exciting experiences that boost morale and engage your people. Contact Gavel International for details.

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SOURCES:

      1. https://www.coredna.com/blogs/content-marketing-trends
      2. https://contentmarketinginstitute.com/2021/10/b2b-power-content-marketing-research/
      3. https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/hubspot-blog-marketing-industry-trends-report
      4. https://www.semrush.com/blog/content-marketing-statistics/
      5. https://contentmarketinginstitute.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/B2B_2022_Research.pdf
      6. https://contentmarketinginstitute.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/b2b-2021-research-final.pdf
      7. https://www.business2community.com/content-marketing/the-role-of-social-media-in-your-content-marketing-strategy-02442211
      8. https://e61c88871f1fbaa6388d_1e3bb10b0333d7ff7aa972d61f8c669.r29.cf1.rackcdn.com/DGR_DG154_SURV_ContentPref_March_2021_Final.pdf
      9. https://www.orbitmedia.com/blog/blogging-statistics/
      10. https://lp.semrush.com/rs/519-IIY-869/images/State%20Of%20Content%20Marketing%202022.pdf
      11. https://socialmarketingwriting.com/how-to-build-a-credible-blog/
      12. https://www.orbitmedia.com/blog/blogging-statistics/
      13. https://e61c88871f1fbaa6388d-c1e3bb10b0333d7ff7aa972d61f8c669.r29.cf1.rackcdn.com/DGR_DG189_SURV_ContentPref_March%202022_Final.pdf
      14. https://optinmonster.com/updating-outdated-seo/
      15. https://okdork.com/why-content-goes-viral-what-analyzing-100-millions-articles-taught-us/
      16. https://stackla.com/resources/reports/bridging-the-gap-consumer-marketing-perspectives-on-content-in-the-digital-age/
      17. https://sproutsocial.com/insights/data/q2-2017/
      18. https://www.orbitmedia.com/blog/blogging-statistics/
      19. https://mantisresearch.com/state-of-original-research-for-marketing-in-2018/
      20. https://business.linkedin.com/marketing-solutions/cx/17/01/the-secret-sauce
      21. https://www.bizreport.com/2021/11/expert-what-content-shoppers-are-looking-for-this-holiday-se.html
      22. https://www.go-globe.com/interactive-content-marketing/
      23. https://www.semrush.com/blog/podcast-stats/
      24. https://twitter.com/ChaddHollowed/status/1368756033867325442
      25. https://www.orbitmedia.com/blog/blogging-statistics/
Eloisa Mendez
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