3 BtoB Content Strategy Sins to Avoid

Is all that copywriting time and effort really worth it?

What you think is a B2B content strategy may not be. You have different authors creating content with various styles and tones. You cover various topics and you post new content each week.

You are on a roll, and everything is moving along… or is it? Just because you are posting fresh, new content on a regular basis, doesn’t mean you have a B2B Content Marketing Strategy. With this in mind…

Are you guilty of these 3, B2B Content Strategy sins?

1. You don’t have an editorial calendar or overall, B2B content marketing plan.

Having a B2B content marketing strategy is about much more than posting a lot of content. You need to set specific goals for each piece of content and write them down.

Whether you are using blogs, newsletters, social-media links, articles, Infographics, or some other kind of copy, you need to know what you are trying to accomplish and how it’s going. Create a chart with deadlines, responsibilities, goals, tones, style, and more. It’s time to get organized!

2. You don’t know the results of your content.

How many people are looking at your content? Is it engaging new customers, boosting sales, building positive brand-awareness, or accomplishing one of your other goals?

If you are not checking analytics, you have no idea whether or not your content is doing what you want it to do, and you are probably wasting a lot of time, money and effort in the process!

Set up Google Analytics and check your social-media stats. What are people looking at and reading?

3. Your content is all about sell, sell, sell!

If you are writing content just to have someone else distribute it across the Internet so you get more “eyeballs,” be sure it provides value to your target market. Most content-distribution services will not accept your content unless it provides value and avoids sales language.

If your “sales” content does get out there, and it does not provide valuable information, potential customers will be annoyed by yet another advertisement. You’ll end up creating negative brand-awareness. Even worse, the search engines may penalize you.

Remember, your content is not about you. It’s about providing relevant and valuable information to your target market. Don’t think about sales. Focus on what your customers want instead.

Time to Update Your BtoB Content Marketing Strategy

If you are guilty of any of the sins above, it’s time to make some positive changes. Create a new action plan for your content and figure out exactly what you want and how you are going to track results. Then, look at your analytics and feedback and see what’s working… and what’s not.

B2B content strategy is about your customers. Provide valuable information the way they want it. Listen to their feedback and then make your next move based on their comments and the popularity of your content. You’ll see actual results and have a successful, BtoB content strategy you can grow with your organization.

What are you going to do today to get your BtoB content to work at the optimal level?

Author Melanie Rembrandt is the CEO of Rembrandt Communications, LLC, www.rembrandtwrites.com, and helps business owners boost sales and online awareness via BtoB content strategy.