Content marketing trends for B2B (and how to implement them) – Part 2

After reading part one of this series, I am sure you were anxious to find out what tactics content marketers are using. Well, the wait is over! As promised, here are the top B2B content marketing tactics.

#1 The average marketer is using 12 content marketing tactics

That is an intimidating number, especially for small businesses, but it is possible. In fact, when you consider that everything, online and off, is an individual tactic, the number is a little less scary.

What to do with this information:

• Don’t be afraid to experiment – If one tactic doesn’t work for your business, there are dozens more to try out.
• Don’t overload yourself – Quality over quantity. It would be great if you could use 12+ tactics, but if you don’t have the resources, just do a few tactics really well and add more when possible.

#2 Social media is the most popular tactic

Not a huge surprise that social media tops the list of tactics content marketers are using with 87% of them using it. Social media is an easy way for marketers to target their audiences in a place they already spend a lot of time.

What to do with this information:

• Remember that just being on Facebook and Twitter does not equal success. Just like any other channel, you need to communicate effectively and offer great content.
• Test the waters – not every social media channel is right for every business. Take a look at what your competitors are using and if you have the resources, sign up for several to experiment.

#3  LinkedIn is the most popular social media platform

You probably don’t need any more convincing that social media is an effective marketing tool, but look at the difference in usage between 2011 and 2012. LinkedIn jumped 12% from last year and is now used by 83% of B2B marketers.

What to do with this information:

• Take advantage of the fact that so many people are on LinkedIn. Connect with industry leaders, show your support for your business partners, and scope out potential hires.
• Tweak your voice on each platform. This sounds like a contradiction to the rules of maintaining a brand voice, but it is not. You still want to maintain your brand identity through your personality, but you need to remember that each platform has its own lingo and that you are often communicating with different audiences.
• Social media is great for gathering user generated content, which is linked to positive word of mouth sentiment, earned media, and community building.

There are so many benefits to content marketing including improved loyalty, high ROI, and improved SEO. Make sure you are keeping up with the trends, following through on your content marketing strategy, and continually improving your strategy.