How to do To B content marketing?

What are the similarities and differences from C to B? In response to the questions that my friends have often asked recently, combined with past experience, I would like to express the following personal views in the hope of inspiring others to share.

The rise of self-media platforms and social media has made content marketing a compulsory skill for companies in the C-field. Some companies are even suspected of "marketing first, products behind".

As the popularity of the B-to-B field increases, enterprise services are also beginning to pay more and more attention to the role of content in marketing.

Customize content based on usage scenarios

Nowadays, every company has started to build its own social media account, so the question is, when publishing content, what is the positioning of the title and content? Should you speak for yourself and focus on the company’s own news, or follow hot topics and conduct third-party analysis?

Some editors who have independently operated third-party self-media accounts will find that seemingly neutral and objective sophisticated soft articles, because the title does not focus on the company itself, have less readership than simple and crude press releases. What is the reason?

In fact, this is related to the dissemination channels of corporate content.

The number of followers of Company B’s self-media account is usually not as large as that of Company C. This is because its business is more directly related to customers and potential customers, rather than to the general public. Therefore, even if there is high-quality popular content, it is difficult to spread it.

The marketing content for B company should first be positioned as a sales tool, focusing on the company's own contracts, cooperation, honors, events, product launches, etc. This type of content is first-hand content, has priority and first release, and is also a rigid need for sales personnel to shape the company's brand externally. In general, this type of content accounts for 60% of a company’s official accounts.

It is worth noting that although it is related to one’s own enterprise, the title and content should still be optimized and more from the reader’s perspective. For example, news about cooperation should reflect its significance and impact on the industry, the endorsement of partners, etc., which is easier for readers to understand.

For example, when it comes to product launches, it is not significant enough to only talk about the actions of the company itself. If you shape its universality and innovation and make it a phenomenal product in the industry, it will trigger more potential customers to think about it, and let sales recognize the value of the content, which will achieve better communication effects.

Of course, the limitations of this type of content are also obvious. Although it is very popular among sales staff, it will be regarded as advertising. Only "insiders" will be happy to forward it, and third parties will not take the initiative to support it. Therefore, for the next 30% of the content, I suggest that you create third-party soft articles that introduce industry and customer hotspots and propose targeted solutions and cases for the company. This is more convincing, and from the perspective of customers and potential customers, they will be more willing to read and share.

For example, for companies doing customer service, instead of directly explaining their own philosophy, it is better to explain classic cases of service provided by popular companies, or give suggestions and comments on the Didi customer service incident that has attracted widespread attention. Such content is not only suitable for sales personnel to share in their circle of friends, but also more suitable for dissemination in industry communities, thus increasing the usage scenarios.

For the last 10%, we recommend that companies customize some interactive content topics, such as awards for the client’s industry and stories of practitioners, to stimulate interactive participation among netizens through a strong sense of immersion.

For example, giving suggestions to bank customer service, criticizing the JD Logistics deliveryman, and proposing a plan to reduce staff and increase efficiency to the company's CIO. Readers' sense of participation does not occur automatically. It needs to be guided through adding personal accounts or communicating in communities. Interaction with B is more difficult than with C, but more valuable.

60% company’s own content; 30% third-party content; 10% interactive content. Such a combination will make the company's self-media account more three-dimensional and rich, and will not become a tool for self-entertainment.

Set content and activities based on customer habits

When it comes to B2B marketing, companies are more focused on rational logic, because corporate procurement often has mature rules, rather than impulsive consumption. Only when the content and activities are consistent with the other party can they have a real impact on decision makers and participants.

For C companies, the proportion of online marketing is often determined by the average order value. Nowadays, traffic procurement is becoming more and more expensive, marketing scenarios are gradually moving offline, and the positioning areas are also sinking from first- and second-tier cities to third- and fourth-tier cities. This trend needs to be considered in combination with the company's own products to see what range the potential target customers are more focused on.

For example, live streaming is now a commonly used means of content marketing, but when choosing a platform for live streaming, you need to focus on the scope that customers are familiar with. Tools are only one aspect. What is more important are the platform and circle. Only by appearing in the "circle recognized by customers" can the other party increase their trust.

For example, compared with large-scale online activities, small offline salons may be more suitable for inviting project decision makers to participate. Even though the Internet is sufficiently developed and convenient, face-to-face communication is still the communication method that corporate executives prefer, and closed-door communication allows everyone to speak freely and generate real resonance.

Not only in the circle of acquaintances, people also hope to make valuable industry contacts through this method and conduct targeted social networking rather than indiscriminate general social networking.

In such an event atmosphere, successful cases, high-end courses, and circle social interaction as an extension of value can all impress customers. If high-quality old customers can appear on camera to share, it can produce a star demonstration effect.

To impress B, you need to understand C better

A friend asked me, why does the company's business target B but requires us to do something for C?

Although toB and toC are now collectively defined as toH, there are still distinct differences between the two in terms of content themes and styles.

Why can some content about how to serve C become the topic of choice for company B? It’s actually very simple, because you need to think from the customer’s perspective and tailor the content.

Only when you think at the same frequency as your customers can you truly understand their anxieties and concerns.

Only when you understand your customers better than they do can you lead their thinking.

For B’s product solutions, how many are not tools to help customers increase revenue and reduce costs? If your product solution cannot help the other party better serve customers and strengthen itself, then it must be a mistake, right?

Therefore, for those C-end customers who ultimately pay the bill, you not only have to understand them, but also continue to research and improve your products, and use this ability to impress your B customers.

Deep integration with social media and SEO

Finally, let’s talk about the tools that can be basically copied in the C marketing field. Of course, similar methods do not mean the content is the same, and the details still need to be discussed.

"First join other people's circles, then build your own circle" - this is a common routine for C consumer communities, and it is actually the same for B.

On many self-media platforms, corporate accounts with a small number of fans do not receive many recommendations when publishing content. Instead, comments on some popular content are more effective.

This is what we often call short content, including Weibo, Wei Toutiao, WeChat Moments, and comments on popular pictures, texts and videos. "Riding on the popularity" can bring effective exposure and increase visibility. Of course, the premise is to choose content that is related to the company, because your "riding on the popularity" action is to let more people know about the company, not individuals.

For example, when Haidilao became popular because of its unmanned smart store, it chose to comment on popular articles and pointed out that the company was also a partner. Or it commented on popular reports about layoffs at Internet companies and mentioned that the company was hiring heavily. These practices can win a lot of attention, of course, provided that the information is true.

Allowing employees to release company information through social media is effective but not controllable. It mainly depends on the company's own practices and whether they can be recognized by employees. If the company has many conflicts with its employees, it is better not to use it. The media is an accelerator. Excellent companies will accelerate positive energy, while poor companies can only accelerate exposure.

In addition to social media, integration with SEO is also a channel that content marketing should fully utilize.

Traditional SEO attracts traffic through product services and problem solving. In the era of content marketing, attractive communities, activities and other content are also important means of attracting potential customers. Today, advertising platforms have data analysis capabilities that can detect which types of creativity have higher clicks, conversions, and better quality traffic.

Give customers more choices, especially executives of many large customers who are not sensitive to demand but are willing to participate in some online and offline content activities to expand their horizons and understand cutting-edge trends. To retain more potential customers, SEO and content marketing need to work together.

As for B content marketing, some foreign companies have done well, but in China it is just getting started and there is still room for improvement.

Source: Cinder Liu Xin