In the ever-evolving world of B2B content marketing, staying ahead of the trends is crucial to carve out a unique identity and capture the attention of potential clients.
As we dive into the exciting realm of 2016, a multitude of strategies await.
From tapping into the power of creativity and embracing playfulness, to focusing on subscriber growth and crafting compelling stories, this foray into the dynamic field promises limitless opportunities for success.
So, fasten your seatbelts as we explore the intriguing landscape of 2016 B2B content marketing trends.
Contents
- 1 2016 b2b content marketing trends
- 2 1. Growing And Nurturing Subscriber Bases
- 3 2. Significance Of Producing More Content
- 4 3. Use Of 303 Redirects To Keep Visitors On Your Site When Removing Old Content
- 5 4. Focus On Creating Quality Content That Provides Value To Customers
- 6 5. Importance Of Storytelling And Using Emotions To Engage With Customers
- 7 6. Honesty And Transparency To Build Trust With Customers
- 8 7. Adding A Personal Touch To Content By Sharing Personal Experiences Or Hobbies
- 9 8. Most Popular Content Marketing Tactics Are Social Media And Blogs
- 10 9. Most Effective B2B Content Marketing Tactics Are In-Person Events And Webinars/Webcasts
- 11 10. Top Challenges For B2B Content Marketers
- 12 FAQ
2016 b2b content marketing trends
The 2016 B2B content marketing trends highlighted the importance of creativity and taking time to play in order to produce engaging content.
The focus shifted towards growing and nurturing subscriber bases, with a larger emphasis on producing more content.
Marketers aimed to create quality content that provided value to customers, focusing on educating and informing rather than simply promoting products or services.
Storytelling and using emotions to engage with customers became an important strategy, as did honesty and transparency to build trust.
Adding a personal touch to content by sharing personal experiences or hobbies was also emphasized.
Despite some challenges, such as producing engaging content consistently and measuring content effectiveness, the use of social media, blogs, in-person events, webinars, and case studies emerged as effective content marketing tactics.
The top goals for B2B content marketing were lead generation, sales, lead nurturing, and brand awareness, while metrics such as sales lead quality, conversion rates, and quantity were deemed important.
B2B marketers continued to allocate a significant portion of their marketing budgets to content marketing, with an increasing number planning to increase spending in 2016.
Key Points:
- Importance of creativity and play for producing engaging content
- Focus on growing and nurturing subscriber bases and producing more content
- Shift towards creating quality content that provides value and educates customers
- Strategy of storytelling, using emotions, honesty, and transparency to engage customers
- Emphasis on adding a personal touch to content by sharing personal experiences or hobbies
- Effective content marketing tactics include social media, blogs, in-person events, webinars, and case studies
Check this out:
? Did You Know?
1. According to a study conducted in 2016, the most popular form of B2B content marketing was writing and distributing blog posts, with 81% of marketers incorporating this strategy into their campaigns.
2. Surprisingly, video content played a prominent role in B2B content marketing trends of 2016, as 73% of marketers reported using videos as part of their strategies, showcasing an increased focus on engaging visual content in the business-to-business realm.
3. One of the key findings in 2016 highlighted that LinkedIn was the top social media platform for distributing B2B content, with 94% of marketers utilizing this professional networking site to disseminate their content marketing efforts.
4. In terms of content promotion, investing in paid social media advertising yielded significant results in 2016, with 66% of B2B marketers stating that they used paid ads to amplify their content reach and boost engagement.
5. A lesser-known trend from 2016 was the importance of personalized content for B2B marketers. 56% of marketers reported that delivering personalized content based on audience preferences and behaviors was an effective strategy to generate leads and improve conversion rates.
1. Growing And Nurturing Subscriber Bases
Growing and nurturing subscriber bases has become an integral part of B2B content marketing. Building a loyal and engaged subscriber base allows businesses to establish direct communication channels with their target audience. It also allows businesses to establish credibility and authority in their industry, as subscribers are more likely to trust and engage with content from a brand they have subscribed to.
To achieve a growing and nurturing subscriber base, businesses need to focus on providing valuable and relevant content that resonates with their audience. This means creating content that educates, informs, and solves problems for the subscribers. By consistently delivering high-quality content, businesses can attract and retain subscribers, effectively growing their subscriber base.
- Provide valuable and relevant content
- Educate, inform, and solve problems for subscribers
- Consistently deliver high-quality content
2. Significance Of Producing More Content
In the fast-paced digital landscape, B2B marketers are recognizing the significance of producing more content. With the increasing competition and constant demand for fresh and engaging content, businesses need to be consistent in their content creation efforts to stay relevant.
The importance of producing more content lies in the ability to consistently engage with the target audience and provide them with valuable information. By having a regular content production schedule, businesses can stay top-of-mind with their audience and build brand recognition.
Additionally, producing more content allows businesses to experiment and diversify their content formats and channels, catering to the preferences of their audience.
- Consistent content creation effort
- Regular content production schedule
- Diversify content formats and channels
“Producing more content allows businesses to experiment and diversify their content formats and channels, catering to the preferences of their audience.”
3. Use Of 303 Redirects To Keep Visitors On Your Site When Removing Old Content
As businesses evolve and update their content strategies, they often encounter the need to remove old content. However, removing old content can result in broken links and negatively impact user experience. This is where the use of 303 redirects comes into play.
303 redirects serve as a way to keep visitors on a website even when old content has been removed or relocated. By redirecting users to relevant and updated content, businesses can ensure that visitors still find value on their site while maintaining a positive user experience. This not only helps retain visitors but also contributes to improving site rankings and SEO.
4. Focus On Creating Quality Content That Provides Value To Customers
In 2016, there was a shift in focus towards creating quality content that provides value to customers. Gone are the days of purely promotional content. B2B marketers now understand the importance of delivering content that educates, informs, and inspires their target audience.
Quality content is essential for building trust, credibility, and loyalty with customers. By focusing on providing value, businesses can establish themselves as thought leaders in their industry and gain the trust of their audience. When customers perceive a brand as a valuable source of information and insights, they are more likely to engage, follow, and support the brand in the long run.
- The focus in 2016 shifted towards creating quality content.
- Content should provide value to customers.
- B2B marketers understand the importance of educating, informing, and inspiring their audience.
- Quality content builds trust, credibility, and loyalty with customers.
- Providing value helps businesses establish themselves as thought leaders.
- Customers are more likely to engage, follow, and support brands that offer valuable information and insights.
“Quality content is the key to gaining trust and loyalty in the long run.”
5. Importance Of Storytelling And Using Emotions To Engage With Customers
Storytelling has emerged as a powerful tool for B2B content marketers. By using narratives and emotions, businesses can create memorable and impactful content that resonates with their customers. Storytelling allows businesses to connect with their audience on a deeper level, evoking emotions and establishing a personal connection.
Through storytelling, businesses can share real-life examples, case studies, and personal experiences that align with their customers’ pain points and aspirations. By incorporating emotions into their content, businesses can elicit stronger responses and engagement from their audience. This emotional connection cultivates a sense of trust and loyalty, leading to long-term customer relationships.
6. Honesty And Transparency To Build Trust With Customers
Honesty and transparency have become crucial elements for building trust with customers in 2016. With an increasing number of frauds and deceptive practices in the digital sphere, customers have become more cautious and discerning.
B2B marketers need to prioritize honesty and transparency in their content to build a strong and trustworthy brand image.
By being honest about limitations, challenges, and even failures, businesses can establish credibility and authenticity. Transparency in pricing, policies, and business practices instills confidence in customers and fosters long-term relationships. Honesty and transparency should be reflected in all aspects of B2B content marketing, from product descriptions to customer testimonials and reviews.
7. Adding A Personal Touch To Content By Sharing Personal Experiences Or Hobbies
B2B marketers have acknowledged the significance of adding a personal touch to their content in order to establish a stronger connection with the audience. Sharing personal experiences and hobbies allows businesses to humanize their brand and foster relatability with customers.
By incorporating personal stories and hobbies into their content, businesses can create a sense of authenticity and uniqueness. This differentiates them from competitors and builds a more personal relationship with customers. Furthermore, it encourages customers to share their own stories and experiences, fostering a sense of community and increasing engagement.
8. Most Popular Content Marketing Tactics Are Social Media And Blogs
In 2016, social media and blogs emerged as the most popular content marketing tactics in the B2B landscape. Social media platforms, such as LinkedIn, became essential for reaching and engaging with the target audience. Blogs became a primary hub for businesses to share valuable information, insights, and thought leadership content.
Social media offers businesses the opportunity to connect directly with their audience, share content, gather feedback, and build brand awareness. Blogs, on the other hand, provide a platform for businesses to establish themselves as industry experts, generate organic traffic, and nurture leads. The combination of social media and blogs creates a powerful content marketing strategy that maximizes reach and engagement.
9. Most Effective B2B Content Marketing Tactics Are In-Person Events And Webinars/Webcasts
While social media and blogs remain popular content marketing tactics, in-person events and webinars/webcasts have proven to be the most effective for B2B marketers in 2016. In-person events, such as conferences and trade shows, offer businesses the opportunity to network, showcase their products or services, and engage directly with their target audience.
Webinars and webcasts provide a similar level of engagement while eliminating geographical limitations. By hosting online events, businesses can reach a wider audience, establish thought leadership, and generate high-quality leads. These tactics allow for real-time interaction and create a personal connection with attendees, resulting in increased brand trust and credibility.
10. Top Challenges For B2B Content Marketers
Despite the growing popularity and effectiveness of content marketing, B2B marketers still face several challenges.
- Producing engaging content consistently remains a top challenge, as businesses strive to capture and retain the attention of their target audience in a highly competitive digital landscape.
- Measuring content effectiveness is another challenge for B2B marketers. Understanding what content resonates with the audience, drives conversions, and contributes to business goals requires robust analytics and tracking systems.
- Producing content consistently is also a challenge, given the demands for quality and quantity. B2B marketers need to balance their content creation efforts with other marketing activities and ensure a steady stream of fresh content.
To overcome these challenges, B2B marketers must invest in strong content strategies, collaborate with content teams regularly, and clearly define success metrics. By documenting their strategies, meeting frequently to review performance, and having organizational clarity on content marketing success, B2B marketers can navigate through the challenges and maximize the effectiveness of their content efforts.
“In conclusion, 2016 has witnessed a shift in B2B content marketing trends, emphasizing the importance of creativity and taking time to play. Growing and nurturing subscriber bases, producing more content, and utilizing 303 redirects are essential strategies for success. Quality content creation, storytelling, and personalization are key factors in engaging customers and building trust. While challenges remain, B2B marketers can overcome them by prioritizing engagement, measuring effectiveness, and consistently producing valuable and relevant content. By embracing these trends and strategies, businesses can stay ahead in the competitive B2B content marketing landscape.”
- Emphasizing the importance of creativity and taking time to play
- Growing and nurturing subscriber bases
- Producing more content
- Utilizing 303 redirects are essential strategies for success
- Quality content creation, storytelling, and personalization are key factors in engaging customers and building trust.
By embracing these trends and strategies, businesses can stay ahead in the competitive B2B content marketing landscape.
FAQ
What is B2B content marketing strategy?
B2B content marketing strategy is a comprehensive approach aimed at creating, distributing, and promoting valuable content specifically tailored to engage and attract business audiences. It is a well-thought-out plan to leverage content in order to enhance brand visibility and effectively acquire new clients. By showcasing expertise, providing informative and relevant content, B2B content marketing seeks to establish a strong brand presence and create meaningful connections that drive business growth.
What are the statistics for B2B content marketing in 2023?
In 2023, B2B content marketing continues to play a significant role in lead generation, with 74% of B2B firms utilizing it for this purpose. However, the primary goal for most businesses is to enhance brand awareness, with 82% prioritizing this objective. Additionally, in terms of budget allocation, it is projected that 69% of businesses plan to increase their content marketing budgets in 2023, reflecting the acknowledgment of its effectiveness in driving desired outcomes. (Source: Semrush)
What are the stats about content marketing in B2B?
Content marketing in the B2B sector has shown promising results. According to a survey conducted by Semrush, a staggering 91% of marketing professionals reported achieving success with their content marketing endeavors in 2021. Furthermore, insights from a B2B Content Marketing Study by CMI reveal that 40% of B2B marketers have a documented content marketing strategy, indicating a level of organization and planning. However, it is worth noting that a significant portion of B2B marketers (33%) have a strategy but have not documented it, while 27% currently operate without any content marketing strategy at all. This suggests that there is still room for improvement and potential untapped opportunities within the B2B content marketing landscape.
What are the digital trends for B2B in 2023?
In 2023, B2B digital trends are likely to revolve around personalization and delivering tailored experiences to customers. By leveraging advanced data analytics and AI, businesses can anticipate the unique needs and preferences of their target audience, resulting in more effective marketing campaigns and increased customer satisfaction. Furthermore, video marketing is expected to dominate the B2B landscape, as it allows for engaging storytelling, better brand recall, and enhanced engagement. Integrating AI and automation will also play a crucial role, streamlining processes, improving efficiency, and enabling marketers to focus on strategic initiatives. Lastly, the growing importance of sustainability and ethical practices will drive B2B marketers to adopt eco-friendly approaches and communicate their brand values to align with the rising consumer demand for socially responsible businesses.