Personal Brand Development
Content is an extremely valuable asset for all companies today. Both B2B and B2C companies can benefit from a robust content strategy that establishes brand awareness, engages their audience, helps them get more leads, and boosts revenue.
Nearly 70% of successful B2B marketers follow a documented content strategy. B2C marketers are less likely to invest in content—only 33% have a documented content marketing plan. On the bright side, 74% of B2C marketers say their content marketing strategy is more or somewhat more successful than it was a year ago.
B2B and B2C companies can largely benefit from the same types of content. Blog posts, social media channels, and video content are all great ways to reach potential customers and create paths to conversion. The more content you put in front of your audience, the more chances they have to engage with it and take the next step.
For any business, the type of content you share with your prospective customers matters. For example, it’s unlikely that a clothing boutique will gain any new customers by sharing a gated whitepaper with their email list. But for a software company, a gated whitepaper is often an effective way to educate potential buyers and establish the company’s expertise.
What matters more than the type of content, is the style and tone you use in your writing. Naturally, the style and tone for B2B writing isn’t going to be identical to B2C writing. These two industries serve very different audiences, and because of that, they have to talk to those audiences in unique ways.
For example, companies in the B2B space are talking to other business owners. The goal of B2B content is to convince the business owner why their company needs to purchase a certain product or service. And oftentimes, that means making a big investment. B2B companies need to use content to showcase their expertise and position themselves as a leader in their industry.
The tone for a B2B blog post or ebook will likely be informative and direct. It can still include bits of humor or personal anecdotes, but the goal isn’t to entertain the audience. It’s to establish trust and convince the reader why in investment in your product or service will transform their business.
If you’re a B2C company, your end goal is to play into the emotional component of buying. You want to entice your audience to purchase something that they don’t necessarily need, but will make their life better in some way. B2C content isn’t about positioning your company as the best in the industry, it’s about relating to your potential customers.
The style and tone for B2C content is usually playful and lighthearted. Think of an email that your favorite retail store sends you. The company tries to catch your eye by touting a new product and explaining why you need that product right now. Even if you’re not in the market for the product they’re selling, the company’s messaging can make you reconsider.
B2B organizations should follow a special set of style and tone guidelines when they are creating content. It doesn’t matter if it’s a blog post, white paper, email, or a case study. Here are some of the tips I like to keep in mind when writing for B2B clients:
Most business owners and other key decision makers are balancing a busy work schedule. They don’t have time to read every email or LinkedIn post in their feed. Make sure any content you create has a compelling headline that will easily grab attention while people are scrolling, so they can decide where to click.
In your blog posts, white papers, and even in your website copy, try to avoid using jargon or buzzwords. Yes, you want to establish your company as an industry leader, but you don’t want people to stop reading because they’re confused. Stick with basic business acumen and if you are going to present complex topics, make sure they’re well explained.
Your content should be used as a touchpoint that allows readers to take the next step via a call to action. A call to action could be a ‘request a demo’ link at the bottom of a blog post, or a ‘join our email list’ button on your website. Find places where the reader may naturally decide to submit their information in order to learn more.
For B2C companies, brand awareness, relationship-building, and emotional resonance is going to be important. This type of content will focus on building buzz around the brand and finding ways to quickly grab people’s attention. Here are some tips for B2C writing:
Most B2C companies rely on social media platforms to spread the word about their brand. The key is to post regularly and engage with customers. When you send an email about a new product launching, post about it on Instagram. If there’s a new blog on your website, share a link via Twitter where more people will see it.
Consumers today are inundated by content from hundreds of companies every day. To get your brand noticed, focus on making your content scannable. Keep your email copy short and sweet, and make your website pages easy to digest. The same goes for social media captions. Make sure the biggest selling points stand out and use images in place of text where it makes sense.
Most people are shopping for certain items based on the season, which is something you can use to your advantage. Plan your promotional content around holiday weekends, Black Friday, and Christmas when people are already expecting to spend money. Get creative with social media contests or giveaways to build your email list and grow your following.
Whether you’re a B2B or B2C organization, investing in your content marketing strategy is key. It will help you increase brand awareness, fill your pipeline with new customers, and increase revenue. If you’re new to content, it’s ok to start small. Find which strategies produce the best result, and scale them over time.
