For this reason, B2B companies will need to embed content marketing more strongly in their overall communication strategy. According to one theory, by 2020, content marketing will form the umbrella of B2B communication, to which all offline and online measures will be subordinate. The shift from product to benefit communication has had a strong influence on B2B communication for years. And this shift requires new ways of communicating with B2B decision-makers.
Pure product information is no longer sufficient
Users expect more depth and more jordan phone number list comprehensive information from websites than ever before. Where sales staff used to provide important information, potential corporate customers now want information on the web. In addition, since Google’s Hummingbird update in 2013 and the subsequent Panda updates, it has been clear that websites without content are not relevant to searchers. And without relevance, there is no top ranking (keyword: Hummingbird ). This is why classic SEO is also changing into content-driven SEO. This requires increasingly networked strategies. SEO is no longer an isolated topic. SEO must be anchored in the website and online strategy as part of content marketing.
Abandoning channel thinking in favor of B2B goals
The B2B sector and especially marketers often have to face several crises at once: the dilemma of heterogeneous target groups (keywords: industries, areas of application, decision-makers), the lack of knowledge about their target groups and target persons, and the lack of a large number of online channels, which, in addition to specialist media and trade fairs, sometimes play an extremely important role depending on the industry.
And although content marketing is becoming more and more important, as mentioned above, online channels are becoming more diverse and SEO is becoming more complex, most B2B marketers still think in terms of channels. But in B2B online marketing, there needs to be a shift from channel thinking to target thinking. This means that more thought needs to be given to online campaigns. It is not the channel that determines the strategy, but the strategy that determines the channel.
What sounds logical and seems obvious
Is unfortunately still not the case important avenues for reflection to the audience in practice. Therefore, the following way of thinking is advisable: limiting target groups and their information needs. Determining content and content types as well as their goal and purpose. And finally, putting together the appropriate online channels and instruments (see graphic) specifically for B2B industries. Currently, online marketing is mostly carried out using the B2B channel. But if there is a change in thinking, it will be possible to achieve better ROIs in marketing, as the online channel mix is strictly geared towards the best efficiency and advertising impact.
In the wake of this new way of be numbers thinking for many, it is important to use new technologies and methods. These make it possible to align B2B online marketing even more closely with the often very heterogeneous target groups (industries, segments, interest groups, etc.) and target persons. Regardless of the channel, only related to the interests and behavior of the users (keyword: programmatic advertising). This will make it possible to address B2B users with the right messages and content at the right time during their online research and the selection of suitable suppliers.