B2B Myth of the Week: Content Marketing Is Overcrowded, Oversaturated, and Useless
by Emily Swet
The Myth: Content Marketing is Overcrowded, Oversaturated and Useless
The Fact: Content Shock Can Be Your Strategy, Not Your Roadblock
White papers. Emails. Ebooks. Long Form. Blogs. Infographics. Videos. Influencers. Vlogs. It’s official. We have finally reached Content Shock status. The exponentially increasing volume of content is exceeding our human capacity to consume it. As a result, we are becoming far more selective about what we want to see and engage in.
Before you throw up your hands over another fleeting marketing trend, take a pause. Content isn’t going anywhere. (If it was, why would big brands like Unilever be investing in in-house content creation studios?) Content saturation isn’t your white flag, it’s your call to arms. You’d be sorely remiss to think it was time to give it up.
Your customers still engage in content 100%. And your competitors utilize it full-tilt. According to Forbes, 89% of B2B marketers report they use content to increase leads and drive their brands forward. Fine-tune your content program now, or get left behind. To stay in the game, you need a focused, aggressive strategy based on human experience.
From now on, your content strategy needs to:
- Be written directly for each of your customer personas
- Create an immersive experience
- Determine when it makes sense to pay-to-play
- Have a clear-cut customer payoff
- Include video
- Use data to gain a competitive advantage
If you think content marketing is overcrowded, you’re right. But have a look at these false predictions of the past, then ask yourself: can your brand afford to stand this one out?
Continue ReadingWhy VISUAL Content Marketing is Important for B2B Brands
by MGB2B
As a B2B marketer, you likely realize how effective content marketing is for your brand. (If not, you can read our praise of content marketing in many past articles.) But what you say is not the only important thing. The vehicle you use to deliver it to your audience, the accompanying graphics, and the way you display your information can make or break the success of a piece of content marketing. People are visual creatures by nature; if you can effectively show a message as well as spell it out, you will certainly win over your readers. Visual content marketing can be delivered in may forms, but a few that we show here today can be the most effective.
Infographics
When you have a whole lot of data to present, it can be tough to keep a readers attention – even if it speaks to some pretty amazing accomplishments. Well-crafted visuals are going to help your reader prioritize information, scan more efficiently, and continue to stay engaged. Infographics are a great way to present your information in an easy-to-digest way. And, in the end they’ll help more people to actually read it.
A series of infographics Mascola Group created for choosing the right conformal coating application.
Video
If you have an interesting story to tell, most people would rather watch it than read about it. Creating a video is the perfect way to accomplish this. Marketing videos no longer just mean a traditional 30 or 60-second commercial spot, either. They can be the animation of a case study, filming and explaining what makes your production process stand out, or a well-executed interview with a knowledgeable employee showing how you help your customers.
Video Explaining Building Files software Capabilities.
Visuals Within Your Blogs and Printed Collateral
A large part of any successful content marketing campaign are white papers and long format blog articles. Though it may seem I’ve been hinting that your audience no longer reads, this simply isn’t true. Viewers that have shown interest by clicking on your emails, filling out forms, or actively seeking your blog will read it. But to keep them engaged, this content still needs the right window dressing. Any long format piece of content will be far easier to digest with the right support visuals.
Downloadable Rooftop Safety Brochure created by Mascola Group
Visual content isn’t technically difficult to produce, but it does take a bit of forethought. There are a myriad of apps available to create your own graphics in house – just keep in mind, everyone is using these cookie-cutter services and your efforts may look generic, off-brand, or worse, amateurish. Visual content marketing is meant to draw your audience in, then lead them where you want them to go. To get the most for your efforts, consider consulting with a professional graphic designer before you begin your next content marketing campaign.
Continue ReadingKey Content Marketing Stats for Manufacturers in 2017
by MGB2B
The Content Marketing Institute recently released its annual report: 2017 Manufacturing Content Marketing: Benchmarks, Budgets, and Trends North America. And the results are promising for manufacturers this year. Many who were stuck are starting to find their way through the world of content marketing. And lots of manufacturers are starting to see results.
Here Are 6 Key Content Marketing Stats for Manufacturers — and What They Mean for Your Business:
- 85% of Manufacturing Marketers Are Using Content Marketing to Reach Their Prospects.
What that means for you: Content marketing may not be part of your marketing plan, but it is likely something your competitors are doing. If you are using content marketing, it’s important that you differentiate your content. The content you are producing should resonate with the audience but also reflect your brand’s strategic positioning in order to accomplish this.
- Of Those Who Don’t Use Content Marketing, 53% Plan to Do So Within the Next Year.
What that means for you: Again, if content marketing is not part of your marketing strategy, 2017 is the year to get it going. Your competitors are likely already on the content train.
- 92% of Content Marketers in the Manufacturing Sector Use Email to Distribute Content.
What that means for you: There are many ways to distribute content, but email is one of the most frequently used. What’s more, manufacturers in particular have success at getting their prospects to open their emails. So having an email program is a must, but it’s also important to know how to do it right. That includes everything from proper segmentation of your lists to intuitive design based on the user experience.
- 63% Proclaim SEM to Be the Most Effective Method for Promoting Content.
What that means for you: Along with email, Paid Search should be among your distribution tactics when you’re ready to put your content out there. It’s an effective way to get new leads — one that can be fine-tuned easily and quickly. You should also consider hiring an SEO Specialist or an agency that can help you with all aspects of Search Engine Marketing — both paid and organic.
- 82% Are Running Print Ads to Promote Their Content.
What that means for you: Advertising in Trade Publications is far from dead. In fact, there are many reasons why you should strengthen your relationship with your trade pub reps. Chief among them — you can score opportunities to promote your content digitally to their lists and drive new leads into your sales funnel.
- 69% of Manufacturers Who Do Content Marketing Attribute Their Success to Good Strategy.
What that means for you: A Content Strategy is one of the most important parts of a successful content program. If you’ve skipped this step, it’s a good idea to go back and make sure you have a plan before you start creating and distributing content in 2017. Make sure your Content Strategy is well-documented so you can measure its success at several points throughout the year.
As you prepare for 2017, Content Marketing is an essential tool to have in your arsenal. If you haven’t already, it’s time to surpass your competitors, and establish yourself as the authority in your industry.
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