The content creation process is challenging. That’s especially true if you don’t have a content strategy or editorial calendar. According to Content Marketing Institute’s research, 73% of organizations have a documented content marketing strategy.
Content strategies help you identify the content you want to create. There are two things you must understand before diving into content creation concepts. First, you need a firm grasp of the content creation process. Second, you need to understand its importance.
Start the content creation process starts with ideation. Those are ideas that appeal the most to your target audience. Then, move on to creating visual and written content in various formats. That way, your audience can use them to use to solve their problems.
Why Content Creation is Important for B2B Marketing
Your target audience needs materials to aid in their decision-making. That’s where content comes into play. Your current customers, prospective customers, and readers use it to learn:
- more about your industry
- how your offerings solve their problems
- why they can trust your business
Here are some examples of why content creation is vital for B2B marketing:
- Personalization: McKinsey & Company’s research states that 71% of customers expect brands to create personalized experiences. 76% express frustration when that doesn’t happen
- Positioning: Create unique and valuable content that positions your brand as an expert
- Trust: Build trust with your audience. Do this by consistently creating high-quality and helpful content
- Value: Your audience receives value when your content educates, entertains, and inspires them
Consider These Five Content Creation Concepts
You’ve developed a content strategy. Then, used that information to build an editorial calendar. Those are valuable content marketing assets. But as stand-alone solutions, they’re not enough. How do you ensure the content you’re creating is valuable? Do you know what kinds of content will deliver ROI?
Developing high-quality content takes attention to detail, consistency, and creativity. Here are some content creation concepts to consider to ensure your delivery is on-point.
1: Become a Good Storyteller
Avoid creating content that’s full of opinions or lacks relevancy. Otherwise, are you giving your audience the authenticity they deserve? The answer might seem obvious to some. However, becoming a good storyteller can be challenging. Especially when you have data points and other key metrics you’d like to share.
It isn’t impossible, though. You can deliver high-quality content that isn’t full of industry jargon, cliches, or buzzwords. Similarly, instead of offering “robotic” content, present information in an easy-to-understand manner.
The goal here isn’t to show your audience how intelligent you are. Instead, it’s about engaging them. Start by giving them compelling, imaginative, and relevant content. Do this when and where they need it the most.
2: Go Beyond the Written Word
Written content is great. However, it shouldn’t be the only thing you create. Avoid creating only text-based information. The content creation process should include other elements. Here are some examples:
- Infographics: Use these images to share data points and reinforce key metrics
- Press releases: Promote materials in press releases months after their original publication date
- Repurposing: For example, turn a case study or webinar into blog posts
- Social media posts: Craft attention-grabbing posts and targeted messaging
- Subscriber lists: Build an email subscriber list to use to share information about new content you have available
- User-generated content: Augment the content you’re already creating using user-generated content
3: Identify Key Personas
During the content creation process, it can be intimidating to think about the size of your audience. For example, you might have a large audience; consider your content a one-on-one conversation that reaches a specific person.
It doesn’t matter what type of content you’re creating. Start by thinking about who (the persona) you want to reach. In other words, identify the different customers you’re selling to. That way, it’s easier to prevent yourself from narrowing your audience down too much.
Above all, the goal is to craft content that connects with your target audience during their buying journey. Otherwise, the information you provide might not resonate.
4: Understand Content’s Role in the Sales Funnel
B2B marketers should identify and leverage opportunities during every stage of the marketing funnel. That includes understanding content’s role in the buyer’s journey. There are some similarities between each funnel.
Let’s look at the sales funnel and content creation examples at each phase:
- Awareness: Blogs, infographics, and social media posts
- Consideration: Case studies, downloadable resources, and ebooks
- Decision: Consultations, free trials, and live demos
5: Embrace the Power of Content Creation Services
Over 80% of the most successful organizations use content creation and workflow tools. It doesn’t matter what size business you’re running. It’s easy to believe you can handle content without help.
First, embrace the power of content creation services. That allows you to put other business matters first. Then, freelancers handle the content creation process.
The benefits of using content creation services include:
- High-quality content delivered by vetted freelancers
- Access to a diverse group of writers with varying expertise and talents
- Freeing up hours of valuable time
- Access to strategists, marketing specialists, project managers, and editors
- Content that generates the right response at the right time.
This Doesn’t Have to be Overwhelming
The content creation process doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Especially when you have the right resources and tools. Contact our sales team to learn more about our freelance network and how we can help you create the highest quality content.
FAQ
What are the main concepts of content marketing?
The main concepts of content marketing include:
- Identifying key personas
- Segmenting content for personalized and relevant engagement
- Creating a content strategy
- Developing an editorial calendar
- Ensuring content is interesting, meaningful, and valuable
- Sharing and promoting the content you create to increase brand awareness
Which type of content is most used in the B2B setting?
There isn’t one single form of content that B2B marketers use the most often. However, these rank high in effectiveness:
- ebooks
- whitepapers
- case studies
- social media posts
How do you write content for B2B marketing?
Writing content for B2B marketing requires a specific skill set. That includes:
- having an inquisitive mind
- the drive to dig deeper
- the ability to adapt
- being detail-oriented
What are the five essential elements of a content marketing strategy?
- Goals: Why are you starting the content creation process?
- Messaging: What are your brand’s primary and secondary messages?
- Personas: Who are you writing this content for? Where are they in the buyer’s journey?
- Production: Identify content types, schedules, and workflows.
- Tools: Determine which tools you’ll need during the content creation process.
