The Differences and Commonalities of B2B and B2C Content Marketing Strategies

While B2B prospects might look very different, they are much like the B2C customers wandering through the mall or browsing online. They are looking for solutions to particular needs. Obviously there are differences between them, but the core driving force is similar. As a result B2B content marketing should be tweaked to meet the expectations of B2B purchasers.

Drawn-Out Process

A defining characteristic of B2B deals is that it takes a long time to convert a prospect into a customer. There is no such thing as an impulse buy like in B2C industries. The B2B contracts have usually a high value attached to them and constitute a significant long term decision or the buyer. That is why the process from lead generation to conversion can take even months.

In this whole process, your content marketing strategy can assist you at every stage. A structured content funnel can guide your prospects from top-of-the-funnel browsers to middle-of-the-funnel prospects, to end-of-funnel converters.

According to one study, half of B2B content marketers create customized content for three to five buying stages. The key factor is to identify where along the funnel each type of content will cross with what your target audience needs.

Comprehensive Explanation

Considering that B2B purchase decisions are complex and would take a lot of insights to settle on it, your customer will have to process a lot of information about your product or solution. This can mean sometimes presenting highly technical details, however keep in mind that clear and concise content in these situations will yield a higher comprehension rate.

Even if your customer is analysing whether to buy or not your product, it’s much more about the solution your product provides. The deciding factor will be the value your product will bring to your customer. Emphasize how your prospect can improve their sales or optimize their funnel by using your product.

This is the type of content rich in information you should provide. There are several types of marketing content like e-books, white papers or videos you can leverage in your B2B content marketing strategy.

As a B2B content marketer, show how your solution addresses their need, and how it does it better than the competition. The foundation of B2B content marketing is built upon the answer to the question: what can your solution do for your customer? Answer it and make a compelling case for them.