A good theme for content in 2012 is simplify. Below are some quotes to inspire a way of thinking when publishing content for your audience during the coming year.
B2B Content Marketers to Increase Spending in 2012
In a recent survey conducted by the Content Marketing Institute and Marketing Profs, 60 percent of B2B marketers said they would increase content marketing spending in 2012. On average, the marketers surveyed spent 26 percent of their total budget to content marketing initiatives.
- Source: Content Marketing Institute/Marketing Profs 2011
What’s fueling the increase? One reason may be increased effectiveness among marketers using various tactics. Effectiveness ratings for blogs saw a 45 percent jump in 2011, while those for videos increased 36 percent. Case studies and webinars/webcasts also showed significant increases in effectiveness.
Overall, in-person events, webinars and case studies are seen as the most effective strategies (more than seven out of 10 respondents ranked these as effective). Social media was viewed as the least effective strategy, but scores improved significantly from 2011. Sixty-one percent more marketers ranked it effective in 2011 vs. last year.
More B2B Marketers Outsource Some Content
With greater content needs, more marketers are outsourcing. Sixty-two percent of respondents use a mix of in-sourced and outsourced content, up from 55 percent in 2010. Outsource only strategies are rare at 4 percent. On average 25 percent of the content creation budget involves outsourced resources.
The content marketing strategies on the upswing are blogs (+11%), video (+11%) and whitepapers(+8%). While some tactics such as print magazine, print newsletters and ebooks showed declines.
As content marketing grows, marketers are developing new ways to measure effectiveness. While measuring web traffic (58%) and sales lead quality (49%) are still the most popular measures, SEO ranking jumped 12 percentage points in just a year with 40 percent of respondents using it to measuring results.
The survey was mailed electronically to a sample of B2B marketers from among members and subscribers to MarketingProfs and the Content Marketing Institute. A total of 1,092 responded worldwide with the majority based in North America. The respondents represent a range of functional areas, industries and company sizes.
How does this compare to your 2012 plans?
B2B Content Doesn’t Have to Be About You
I just finished writing an article on “How to Get More Bang out of Your Internet Marketing Bucks,” for Construction Equipment Distribution magazine. It was a fun article to write because it gave me an opportunity to connect with some of my favorite marketers. John Jantsch, best-selling author and marketer whose blog and book, Duct Tape Marketing, is a favorite among small business owners, was one of my top picks.
When I found out Jantsch marketed a contractor association earlier in his career, I was pleasantly surprised. He already had a very good sense of the construction industry.
What content would John Jantsch recommend to a construction equipment dealer?
So I asked him, ‘If you were a construction equipment distributor, what would you do for content? I really liked his response:
“I would recommend holding a roundtable of five or six big contractors in their industry,” said Jantsch. “The dealer could facilitate a discussion about industry trends, which would be recorded and put online.”
It reminded me that the best content doesn’t have to be about your products and services. It’s about providing the customer something of value.“There are different ways to view content,” said Jantsch. “A dealer can produce content that will be far more useful than the traditional specs on the loader bucket.”
One of the most successful advertising salespeople I know was famous for attaching a hand-written note to each issue of the publications that he mailed to advertisers and prospects every month. He would mention different articles in the issue, or maybe just their ad, that he thought they would be interested in. You would not believe how this small personal gesture resonated with clients. People would meet him at trade shows and they would say, “You’re the guy who sends me the notes!”
Sharing valuable content, whether we create it, or curate it, adds value to a relationship. Chances are you already share content. Can you leverage this same idea for your business–using social networks and a blog?
B2B Content for Cyber Monday
Do B2B companies understand the importance of their content during the holidays? I didn't think about it until I read Steve Keifer's blog post on the GXS website. He's Vice President of Industry and Product Marketing for the company.
Can an Online Product Demo Help Your Sales?
Is your sales force sending mixed messages? Are your marketing materials gathering dust in the reception area? Do you want your content to sell products? A product demo can generate qualified leads and be shared on multiple platforms including sales team laptops and YouTube. Product demos can help ensure a consistent message and maximize your return on investment by engaging your prospects.