This article is part of a series of writings we’re posting to our blog, which are excerpted from Chris Rosica’s latest book, The Power of B2B Social Media. This book explores the often overlooked and undervalued benefits of B2B social media. It clearly demonstrates the advantages that businesses marketing to other businesses realize when embracing this important marketing channel.
Over the years, many buyers and customers have built up a so-called “advertisement immunity” due to the overwhelming number of ads, pop ups, and banners they have been forced to endure. Think back 20 years ago, when direct mail was still popular and highly effective. We tossed most pieces of direct mail in the trash, though, from time-to-time, clever pieces piqued our interest.
Metaphorically speaking, we are doing the same with online ads. Ads, particularly those on social sites, certainly can be hyper-targeted to reach the right customer at the right time, but many organizations do not effectively use online ads. As a result, consumers ignore all but the most strategically placed ads. Though the right organic and paid social and search marketing efforts will help you convert a percentage of clicks/views into customers, at a cost that makes sense, the truth is that online advertising has become very costly.
If your online advertising and email marketing become less effective, employ fresh content in your marketing efforts. Buyers want authenticity and look to thought leaders for tips and advice. They want to know that they are buying something valuable from a reputable source.
The Golden Rule of content marketing is this: the more valuable, data-rich, trending, and memorable the content, the better the results.
This is where content marketing comes into play. Content marketing is the practice of creating and distributing free, valuable content related to your area of expertise. Content takes many forms. It could be a white paper, a podcast, video tutorial, an e-book, infographic, or anything else you give to your constituents for free.
Keep in mind that most Americans, particularly younger generations, are much more inclined to watch videos and consume infographics and photos. In fact, it is estimated that by 2025, half of viewers under the age of 32 will not subscribe to a paid TV service in favor of YouTube. In any given month, 80 percent watch YouTube, the platform that gets more than 30 million visitors each day.
If you are doing any content marketing at all, you would be leaving money on the table if you didn’t use social media to disseminate it. Social media can help this process. Here are five strategies for using content in marketing in your B2B social media strategy:
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Google’s algorithm will pay more attention to your sites if they have new, fresh content.
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Content marketing allows you to showcase the value of your business’s products or intellectual property.
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Content marketing feeds your blog (which boosts SEO).
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Content marketing strengthens your email marketing efforts.
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Video content will promote your YouTube and other video-sharing channels.
Tip: Your content will be more relevant and secure more engagement if it ties into something happening in the news, or something that is trending on social media sites.
Look for more excerpts from The Power of B2B Social Media by Chris Rosica on our blog soon.
Chris is president of Rosica Communications, an award-winning national PR, digital marketing, and integrated marketing communications agency that specializes in the nonprofit, education, animal health/pet product, and healthcare sectors.