Putting your audience’s informational needs first when publishing blog content is the only way to guarantee success in the modern marketing landscape.
Highlights:
- Audiences are increasingly ignoring promotional messaging.
- Buyers are seeking value from vendors outside the sales funnel.
- Information is your best asset — publish what you know.
The latest industry research from the Content Marketing Institute indicates that nearly all (90%) of the most successful B2B content marketers have one thing in common: they prioritize their audience’s informational needs over their sales/promotional message. And that’s compared with only 56% of the least successful B2B content marketers.
Materials-handling marketers should take note when making decisions about publishing blog content. We see companies in this sector making this mistake all the time. They want to fill their blogs with information about their products. But to achieve success in today’s B2B purchasing landscape, you need to be prioritizing your audience’s needs over promotional messaging.
Sales pitches get ignored
A large reason for shifting focus is because audiences are increasingly tuning out sales pitches. This generation of buyers has been heavily marketed to their entire lives, and they don’t hesitate to swipe left at the slightest hint of someone trying to sell them something.
[bctt tweet=”This generation of buyers has been heavily marketed to their entire lives, and they don’t hesitate to swipe left at the slightest hint of someone trying to sell them something. ” username=”Fronetics”]
Think for a moment about your own personal experiences with email, social media, and even phone calls. The truth is, most of us tune out overt sales pitches, either hitting delete or scrolling past them. We’ve moved beyond a time when marketing is about pushing your products.
Your blog, therefore, should not be another channel for selling. But, what kinds of information should you publish?
Provide value by putting customer needs first
The answer is actually quite simple. What information or expertise do your buyers want? Your most valuable commodity is your unique understanding of the challenges your audience faces. If you begin publishing blog content that answers their questions, they’ll be more likely to find you, remember you, and become your customer.
As you think about publishing blog content, take a step back and think about the questions your buyers ask, either of you, on social media, or elsewhere. Examine industry publications to determine the challenges faced by your target buyer persona.
Does your content answer those questions? Does it offer value in and of itself? And does it inform your audience about how you are there to help them? If the answer to these questions is yes, then you’re taking the right steps toward materials-handling marketing with today’s B2B buyers.
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- The One Thing Manufacturing Marketers Must Do Now: Video Short
- Why Inbound Marketing is a Better Strategy Than Outbound for Supply Chain
- Getting the Job Done: How Content Can Help Close Deals
