Most B2B companies are using inbound and content marketing to spread their messages and attract potential customers.
According to research from the Content Marketing Institute, 93% of B2B marketers are using content marketing. But only half (42%) actually believe they are effective.
Out of the 93%, most have someone who oversees a content (or inbound) marketing strategy (73%). But only 44% have a documented strategy.
One reason for content marketing being ineffective is a company’s lack of education on best practices and knowing how to plan and execute campaigns.
Tools To Use
There are plenty of tools out there that are free and will amplify your reach.
When it comes to content marketing, you can use any combination of service to blend into an effective content strategy.
Here are some of the most common:
- Social media
- Articles on Website
- Blogs
- eNewsletters
- Case Studies
- Videos
- Articles on other Websites
- eBooks
- Whitepapers
- Webinars
- Infographics
Educate Your Leads
The absolute single most important thing to remember is you want to establish trust with them. And the most effective way to do that is through educating them.
Note – it says educate, not pitch them on your company or product.
Leads are valuable, and you should treat them as such. When creating content, always start with what value to the audience will this provide.
And if you succeed in delivering quality content, they will be willing to give you an email address for it.
And that is what will convert visitors into leads.
Content marketing is not about putting together any old company ‘press release’ and throwing it up on the website.
Everything is done or written with a purpose behind it, which the big picture (of getting them to become a customer) is always in mind.
And generating leads is just the beginning. From there, you can use email workflows and more content to nurture them through your marketing funnel.
Use content to generate more leads and then keep using it to engage with them.