It’s impossible to say how much content exists about B2B content marketing. Thousands of guides likely offer advice on everything from establishing a strong brand voice and defining an editorial style to segmenting your target market and promoting your content. Sadly, a lot of this content is just no good.

B2B content marketing, which stands for business-to-business content marketing, presents unique challenges, and these challenges are only going to get tougher in the future (if that’s even imaginable). That’s why we decided to create this detailed, all-encompassing guide to content marketing for businesses that target other businesses. We’ll be covering a lot of ground today, including:

• A definition of B2B content marketing
• The differences between B2B content and content aimed at consumers
• Tips for generating topic ideas and promoting your B2B content
• Examples of outstanding B2B content marketing. We’ve got a lot to discuss, so let’s get down to business.

What Is B2B Content Marketing?

Simply put, B2B content marketing involves using content to grow your business audience, build brand loyalty, and ultimately, generate leads and sales by appealing to other businesses. (Learn how to develop a lead-generating content marketing strategy here.) The key distinction between B2B content marketing and other types of content marketing is that it’s created by businesses, for businesses. This is not your typical content geared towards consumers. (On a side note: You might also find our seven rules for B2B email marketing helpful.)

Differences Between B2B and B2C Content Marketing

The most important quality of B2B content is its usefulness. If readers can’t apply the practical elements of your content to their own work or business, it’s missed its mark. This doesn’t mean you can’t occasionally publish a thought-provoking piece that deviates from your usual topics, but as a B2B content marketer, your main priority should be to establish yourself as a trusted resource for professionals in your industry. Of course, B2C content also needs to be useful, but that’s not the only or even the primary factor. Consider the branded content published by the energy drink giant Red Bull, for instance.

Illustrations of the types of content found in the ‘Adventure’ section on Red Bull’s website Red Bull’s content centers around entertainment. It showcases extraordinary feats across various media platforms to create an immersive and exhilarating experience. This strategy is excellent for building brand awareness but might not be as effective for directly generating leads or sales. Think of it like comparing a marketer’s approach to the Google Search and Display networks; the Search network (or B2B content marketing, in this slightly strained comparison) is more results-oriented, while the Display network (or B2C content) is better suited for raising brand awareness. That doesn’t mean your B2B content should be dull, boring, or easily forgotten. In fact, B2B content marketers need to strike a balance between the three pillars of exceptional content marketing – usefulness, engagement, and high quality – even more effectively than their B2C counterparts.

Mastering the Art of B2B Content Marketing

Now that we’ve defined B2B content, let’s explore how to leverage this marketing channel effectively. There are numerous factors to consider, so let’s get started.

Know Your Ideal Audience

You need to understand your audience as thoroughly as possible before you can deliver the content they’re looking for. While you might segment audiences based on their position in the sales funnel, it’s important to remember that each audience is made up of individuals. This is why reader personas – much like buyer personas – are crucial.

Image courtesy of Liquid Agency You might be thinking that your audience is too diverse to be defined in such detail, and – to some extent – you’re right. There’s a limit to how granular you can get before you have to accept broader descriptions of your readership. However, you can get a much more detailed understanding of your audience by simply delving into your Google Analytics data. This data can reveal a lot about your site visitors. You can find basic demographic information, such as age, gender, and location, as well as valuable interest data that shows the topics they’re most interested in. This is incredibly useful because even if it’s not directly related to your core business, it presents opportunities to “land and expand” into new, tangentially relevant subject areas, as Larry explains in this article about thought leadership. Let’s examine nexus-security’s data to illustrate this. Here’s a snapshot from our Google Analytics data showcasing our primary audience:

As you can see, the majority of our readers are men aged 25-34. The fact that most of our audience belongs to the Millennial generation explains several editorial choices made for the nexus-security blog, including our use of memes, emoji, and unicorn imagery – our audience loves it! This is just one example of demographic targeting in action. (For more information about leveraging these principles, take a look at this article on generational marketing.) While the data displayed above can be insightful, it’s the most basic overview of your audience demographics that Google Analytics offers (found under Audience > Demographics > Overview). This data alone isn’t enough, so let’s explore other noteworthy data points. As you can see in the Interests data summary below, a significant portion of our readership are technology enthusiasts, and we have a considerable number of photography buffs as well:

At this point, you should be able to draw some conclusions about your audience. This allows you to target them more effectively with relevant content because you can communicate with them more clearly and in a way that resonates based on their demographic and interest profiles. However, it’s important to note that, as indicated by the percentage in the top-right corner of the image above, this data is often derived from representative samples of your total traffic – Google Analytics may not be able to provide precise data, depending on your site traffic volume. Now that we have a better understanding of our audience, how do we figure out what to write about?

Generating Fresh Content Ideas Consistently

One of the toughest challenges for content marketers in any industry is consistently coming up with fresh content ideas. It’s easy to think of topics when you’re just starting out, but if you’ve been in the content marketing game for a while, you’ve likely encountered a creative drought at some point. One of the most effective ways to identify new topics in your niche is to see what’s being shared and discussed on social media. Plenty of online marketing tools, including tools designed for B2B marketers, can help you do this, but one of our favorites is BuzzSumo.

BuzzSumo allows you to analyze real-time data from all major social networks to identify which topics in your industry are generating the most buzz. Based on this information, you can create content that either presents a fresh perspective on an existing topic – something readers always appreciate – or even serves as a counterpoint to the prevailing opinion on a topic related to your business (a practice sometimes called “contrarian content marketing”). User intent is another crucial consideration when brainstorming new content ideas. As mentioned earlier, you already know more about your audience by examining demographic data, but you also need to anticipate what they want to read and what they hope to gain from it. Let’s look at nexus-security’s content as an example. When Expanded Text Ads were launched earlier this year, we knew that both new and seasoned advertisers would have numerous questions about what this new feature meant for their campaigns.

That’s why, in addition to covering the news as it unfolded, we also went back and thoroughly explored the implications of ETAs for advertisers, how to create and implement them in campaigns, and other important tips and strategies. We took this approach because we knew our audience would primarily have two questions about Expanded Text Ads: 1.) What are they? 2.) Why should I use them? When it comes to intent, you have to remember that readers only have one question in mind when deciding whether or not to read your content – “What’s in it for me?” It’s the same question B2B sales professionals constantly ask themselves during calls with potential customers, and as a content marketer, you need to adopt the same mindset.

Testing Your Content Ideas with Social Validation

This is another effective technique that Larry Kim uses to consistently create high-impact content. “Auditioning” your content through social validation essentially involves using Twitter to test which content topics perform well in terms of social shares and other engagement metrics. Twitter is the ideal platform for content auditioning because Facebook’s organic reach has dwindled significantly, meaning you would essentially have to pay to promote content to gauge its potential success – before even creating it. This is obviously a waste of time and advertising budget, making Twitter the better option. Here’s an example from Larry’s Twitter account. Larry tweeted a link to an infographic about the entrepreneurial mindset and found that it resonated strongly with his followers.

This prompted Larry to create a blog post based on that infographic for his column at Inc. magazine – a column that achieved exceptional results. By auditioning his content first, Larry was able to strategically use his limited time to produce content that was more likely to make a significant impact compared to the “publish, promote, and hope for the best” method seemingly favored by some content marketers.

Promoting Your B2B Content

Content promotion is absolutely essential in today’s digital world. Competition for attention online is fierce, and relying solely on organic reach is a potentially disastrous decision. Take a look at the graph below. It shows the gradual but continuous decline of organic reach on Facebook from October 2013 to February 2014:

Image source: social@Ogilvy This should be a serious concern for social advertisers and those hoping to use Facebook to promote their content. However, the situation might be even worse than advertisers initially thought. Recent data suggests that Facebook may have overestimated the reach of organic traffic on its platform, implying that paid promotion is now practically mandatory if Facebook is a significant part of your content promotion strategy.

Organic reach, highlighted in red, overestimated by 50% over a 7-day period, and by 100% over a four-week (28-day) period On a positive note, advertising on Facebook is incredibly cost-effective. The intricacies of Facebook advertising and how to use it for content promotion are beyond the scope of this article, but explore the resources below to learn more:

• Does Facebook Advertising Work? [DATA] (spoiler alert – yes, it does)
• 7 Excellent Facebook Ad Examples (And Why They Work)
• 3 Unconventional Facebook Advertising Strategies That Work
• 9 Tips to Write the Best Facebook Ads Ever (with Examples)
• Hacking the Facebook News Feed Algorithm: 5 Ways to Recover Organic Reach
• The 10 Most Effective Social Media Advertising Tips for Content Marketers Of course, one of the main advantages of content marketing is what Larry refers to as the “flywheel effect,” where promoting content on social media attracts more followers, leading to a wider audience, resulting in more social shares, and subsequently an even larger audience, and so on. Check out that post to gain a deeper understanding of this concept and other benefits of content marketing.

Examples of Stellar B2B Content Marketing

Now that we’ve discussed what B2B content marketing is and how to develop and promote it, let’s explore some of the best examples to inspire your content marketing campaigns.

HubSpot

Our friends at HubSpot have one of the best marketing blogs around, but HubSpot also exemplifies how to execute B2B content marketing effectively.

First, the HubSpot blog is divided into two distinct categories: marketing and sales. Some blogs (including nexus-security) often combine sales and marketing content into a single resource. This approach makes sense in some cases, as the two disciplines are often closely intertwined and frequently overlap in terms of subject matter. However, HubSpot recognizes that its audience craves engaging, in-depth content, so it segregates its content in this way to provide highly targeted content that meets its audience’s specific needs. The quality of HubSpot’s content itself is top-notch. From comprehensive guides to free resources, HubSpot’s content is the go-to source for marketers across all disciplines simply because of its exceptional quality and usefulness. As expected from a top-tier content provider, HubSpot offers original data, research, and insights to its readers, making it one of the best examples of B2B content on the internet.

General Electric

Though perhaps better known for its cutting-edge microwave oven and television broadcasting division headed by the inimitable Alec Baldwin, General Electric is also a leader in B2B content publishing.

Alec Baldwin portraying GE executive Jack Donaghy in NBC’s ’30 Rock’ GE is a massive organization with numerous divisions, hundreds of product lines, and thousands of physical locations. As you’d expect from a company of this scale, GE publishes a wide range of content to appeal to decision-makers in various industries. However, it’s GE’s online magazine, The Txchnologist (yes, that’s spelled correctly), that truly shines. At first glance, The Txchnologist could be mistaken for B2C content. The site leverages modern web technologies to provide visitors with a sleek, elegant online media experience, but the content itself doesn’t sacrifice substance for style. The Txchnologist’s content focuses on cutting-edge technological advancements – the kind spearheaded by GE’s extensive R&D teams – in a way that allows decision-makers to see not only the benefits of specific GE technologies but also how technology is shaping the world at large.

Image courtesy of GE/The Txchnologist Ultimately, GE and The Txchnologist demonstrate that B2B content doesn’t have to be dull or impersonal; in fact, it can rival even the most visually appealing consumer magazines and websites to create a truly engaging and compelling branded B2B content experience.

Buffer

Buffer isn’t just a fantastic social media management tool; it also boasts one of the best B2B marketing blogs online. Launched in November 2010, Buffer differentiated itself from similar blogs early on by making a strong commitment to quality content. But while the content Buffer produces is both engaging and informative – the ultimate goal of any B2B content – Buffer also generated significant buzz around its service by adopting a company culture of radical transparency, a movement that has gained immense traction since Buffer’s bold decision to make virtually every aspect of the company’s growth transparent. This demonstrates that it’s possible (though undeniably challenging) to break into a crowded market with established competitors and achieve success.

Image courtesy of Buffer. View the complete infographic on Buffer’s impressive growth trajectory here.) While Buffer may have initially grabbed attention with its early promotional efforts and company culture, its content is impressive in its own right. Not only does Buffer’s content feature more data and research than most B2B publishers, but it also manages to present this data in an incredibly captivating way, often incorporating insights from combining marketing data with insights into psychology and other fascinating subjects. This approach has earned Buffer thousands of backlinks and extensive brand exposure, both of which have contributed to the organization’s remarkable growth.

Content Marketing Institute

This one might seem a bit self-referential, but it would be remiss of me not to mention the Content Marketing Institute’s content in this roundup. CMI is a globally recognized authority on all things content marketing. While the advice and strategies outlined in CMI’s content are undoubtedly valuable and applicable to individuals starting personal blogs, CMI is an invaluable resource for B2B content marketers, and this type of content makes up a large portion of what CMI publishes.

Image taken from Content Marketing Institute’s B2B Content Marketing 2016 Benchmarks, Budgets, & Trends – North America report Similar to the other publishers highlighted in this section, CMI offers readers a variety of infographics and other data visualizations based on its own independent research. CMI’s annual reports have become the definitive overview of content marketing as a distinct sector within the broader digital marketing landscape, and some of the world’s most prominent content marketing experts, such as Ann Handley and Joe Pulizzi, frequently contribute to the CMI blog. CMI’s content is unique, engaging, and – perhaps most importantly – highly actionable, making it an essential resource for B2B content marketers. If you’re not a regular reader of CMI, you’re missing out.

American Express

Even some of the biggest brands in the world struggle to effectively utilize B2B content marketing, but American Express is not one of them.

American Express offers as diverse a range of B2B content as it does financial services. Much of the company’s content, however, focuses on the challenges faced by smaller businesses and individual entrepreneurs. This is reflected in the types of topics covered by American Express’ content, including productivity and time management, budgeting and accounting, and social media. Furthermore, as the founding organization of Small Business Saturday – a crucial day of the year for countless small businesses – American Express understands the needs and concerns of its readership and provides high-quality content tailored to those needs. One advantage American Express has over some publishers is its impressive lineup of guest contributors. Financial experts from media outlets like MSNBC frequently publish articles on expanding your business and identifying new opportunities in today’s competitive business world. American Express’ content is organized into logical, intuitive sections and reads very similarly to B2C content, proving that accessibility is just as important as substance.

WeWork

At first glance, coworking/coliving company WeWork seems like a bit of an outlier in this roundup. It’s easy to mistake WeWork’s aspirational content as consumer-focused when it’s actually aimed directly at the entrepreneurs reshaping the modern workplace. This, in itself, is something that content marketers will need to address as the so-called “gig economy” continues to gain traction among the wider workforce, a shift that WeWork is in a prime position to capitalize on.

WeWork’s B2B content is divided between two main channels: the WeWork blog and Creator Magazine. The company’s blog content is as diverse as the entrepreneurs you might encounter in any WeWork location and covers topics ranging from machine learning and product design to the freelance lifestyle and social entrepreneurship, making it a surprisingly captivating and engaging read. Of course, as with all great B2B content, it’s also highly actionable and serves as an excellent evergreen resource for aspiring entrepreneurs looking to launch their own businesses. Creator Magazine is a little different, and not just in terms of its format. The publication looks and feels a lot like a glossy magazine and features interviews with some of the world’s most successful and inspiring business leaders. The magazine includes a variety of distinct content types, from practical how-to guides to profiles of member entrepreneurs, ensuring there’s something for everyone.

One common thread between the content in Creator Magazine and the WeWork blog is its highly aspirational quality; this is the kind of content that will make you want to break free from the confines of your 9-to-5 job and finally pursue your entrepreneurial dreams. Naturally, this aspirational positioning is perfectly reflected in WeWork’s sleek, impressive offerings, which makes WeWork’s content a prime example of how to successfully pair useful, engaging content with a strong product and a broader, consistent brand identity.

Go Forth and Conquer

As we’ve discussed, there are numerous factors to consider as a B2B content marketing professional. While this can seem daunting for newcomers, you’ve hopefully identified several commonalities shared by the best B2B content marketing, such as being highly actionable (check out our post on creating effective interactive content), engaging, and laser-focused on specific, well-defined audiences. As always, feel free to reach out in the comments section with any questions or thoughts about anything we’ve covered!