Are you creating content with your customer in mind?

Content marketing is one of the most effective ways to build relationships both online and off. Blogs, videos and social media posts allow businesses to share their expertise and help establish them as a trusted resource in their industry. That is, if that content is seen by the right people.  

One common problem that business-to-business (B2B) companies experience with their content marketing plans is that they often create content for the wrong audience. Often, B2B companies will create content with the consumer in mind. That’s not to say they shouldn’t have consumer-based content on their site, but in order to measure how well each is performing you need very clear objectives from the start. Decide who your strategy will target before creating content.  

Your audience will have different needs and expectations. The way a consumer will research products and services will be very different from how a purchasing agent will source their needs. The process of identifying your ideal buyer takes time and includes many different steps, but these three basic principles for identifying your ideal buyer when creating your content marketing plan will help you get started.

Define your goal. Anytime you’re creating a new marketing strategy think about your overall goal. The only way to gauge performance on a campaign is to accurately define your goals and decide how you will measure them. Will you measure performance based on interactions, closed sales or new customers? Once you know what your primary goal is, you can start to identify your audience.

Create your buyer persona. A buyer persona is a semi-fictional representation of the person or persons you’re trying to reach. Like creating a B2C persona, you’ll need to do research on your B2B buyer’s demographics, behavior patterns, buying habits and goals. For a B2B persona, you’ll want to learn more about a person’s title, buying power, work responsibilities, networking partners, journals and publications they read, what brands they like and their biggest challenges. A good place to start is by researching online through platforms like LinkedIn or on other professional profiles.   

Understand the Buyer’s Journey. Unlike a consumer, a B2B buyer may take additional steps in their buying process. Where a B2C buyer may research products or services, read reviews, find the product that meets their needs and then purchase, a B2B buyer is different. They are likely searching for more detailed product information. They may have to share their research with other stakeholders. They may ask for a demo or request a sales proposal. In short, there’s often additional hurdles both you and your buyer will need to overcome prior to the sale.  

As you identify who it is you are trying to reach, it’s easier to create content that will resonate with them. You may find that whitepapers and webinars help your B2B buyer make the best purchasing decisions for their needs. Once you establish your business as their trusted resource, a few wonderful things happen. One, you can reduce customer churn. Two, you will reach the right audience. And three, you’ll be able to nurture existing relationships and create new ones.  

The team at 3 Aspens Media is here to help. We are skilled at creating content that will reach your audience and delight your customers. Let us know how we can help grow your business today. Contact us at info@3aspensmedia.com.