A hard truth: Most B2B content…well, it kind of misses the mark.
Despite all the research, strategy, and rounds of revisions that go into well-intentioned work, it too often falls flat, resulting in disappointing performance and frustration for everyone involved.
So, what gives? Why does content created with so much care struggle to make an impact?
Here’s another hard truth: Content marketing isn’t about pumping out great work alone. It’s also, and perhaps even more so, about the quality of your work’s alignment with your buyers’ goals.
And that’s where too many of us are missing the mark.
Uncovering What B2B Buyers Really Value
A study released in 2023 by Demand Gen Report, in collaboration with Content4Demand, validated the above and more.
The report uncovered three distinct themes:
For starters, survey participants expressed preference for content that aligns with the specific stages of their purchase journey (awareness, consideration, and decision). They also emphasized that generic, one-size-fits-all content fails to meet their needs. Instead, they want highly relevant, stage-specific information that touches on their unique challenges and provides decision-making criteria.
Additionally, buyers highlighted the importance of content that offers tangible value, such as in-depth insights, actionable takeaways, and credible data to support their purchasing decisions. Content that lacks substance or feels overly promotional tends to be overlooked in favor of educational resources that help them build internal business cases and justify their choices.
Another key takeaway from the report is the growing demand for vendor transparency and thought leadership. Participants indicated that they are more likely to engage with content that provides a balanced perspective, addressing both the benefits and potential challenges of a solution rather than a hard sell approach.
To summarize: B2B buyers want objective content that offers them real value as they navigate their way to making a decision. Simple, right? Not so fast.
The trickier part is how you take these insights and turn them into a content strategy that resonates with your buyers.
Reimagining Your Content Marketing Strategy
In our experieince, building a content marketing strategy that works results from one key mindset shift: You have to move away from a content-first approach and instead lean into a buyer-first approach.
Instead of asking, “What do we want to say?,” focus on “What do our buyers need to hear, and when?”
To do this effectively, consider these key steps:
- Map Content to Buyer Stages (with precision)
It’s not uncommon for marketers to chunk out awareness, consideration, and decision-stage content in their content marketing strategies. But too many of us stop there. We have to go deeper by identifying the specific questions, challenges, and concerns our buyers face at each stage. How? Talk to your sales teams, investigate customer feedback, and dive into your analytics to extract insights that will help you refine your approach. At the end of the day, you want to provide content that addresses needs in the moment. - Prioritize Value-Driven Content
Buyers crave actionable insights and credible information rather than fluff. Your move? Invest in content that educates and empowers your audience through case studies that showcase real-world results, in-depth guides that break down complex decisions, or thought leadership pieces that challenge industry norms. The goal? To become a trusted resource rather than just another voice in the crowd. - Emphasize Authenticity and Transparency
Gone are the days of purely promotional content. Buyers want honesty. Address the benefits and challenges of your solutions head-on, provide comparisons to competitors (objectively), and offer insights that help them make informed choices. This level of transparency builds trust and positions your brand as a credible partner, not just a vendor. - Measure and Optimize Relentlessly
Even the best content strategy requires constant refinement. Look closely at how your content performs against your stated key performance indicators. Use these insights to iterate on your strategy, double down on what’s working, and mercilously pivot away from what’s not.
To wrap up, creating great content that resonates with your buyers is possible, even in the B2B marketing world. You just have to do some extra homework up front.
Ready to dive deeper but want help getting started?
Feel free to drop us a line. We’re always happy to connect and chat.