Up to 70 percent of B2B content goes unused due to a variety of factors. Don’t let your content be among that (alarmingly high) percentage.
The digital landscape is cluttered with published B2B content, and savvy marketers naturally want to make a splash of their own. But consider this: 60 to 70 percent of B2B content goes unused due to a variety of factors, from disorganization to a lack of resources.
Don’t let your content be among that (alarmingly high) percentage. Here are some tips for refreshing your marketing strategy this year.
1. Repurpose Your Existing Content
Most brands recognize the importance of content marketing, but often assume they lack the resources it takes to publish regularly. Repurposing content is a great way to update your strategy without starting from scratch. By taking a closer look at the assets at your disposal, you’ll find that most of what you need is right in front of you.
Content curation and syndication allow you to republish content that may be interesting to your target audience without actually having to produce it yourself. According to research from Curata, top marketers are creating about 65 percent of their own content, curating approximately 25 percent and syndicating 10 percent. While these strategies should not be your main source of content, they can help you publish more regularly without eating up precious time or resources.
2. Stay Organized
To make the most of your content strategy and implement all your great ideas, you must develop a plan and hold yourself and your team accountable. Use tools such as Workfront, Kentico and Marketo to help promote organization and ensure that tasks are completed in a timely manner.
3. Write For Your Audience
The best strategy for creating content is to consider the consumer journey. Who is your target audience, what are they trying to solve and how can you provide them with a solution?
4. Make Data-Driven Decisions That Matter
It’s in your best interest to collect and measure data that actually matters to your success as a brand. For starters, focus on cost, performance and engagement. While the most important metrics vary depending on your goals and industry, monitoring this data will determine if your return is impactful, or your strategy needs to be reconsidered.
5. Develop Publishing Partnerships
Developing meaningful external publishing partnerships is an important way to expand your reach and establish your brand as an authority within your industry. If you’re not exactly sure how to build relationships and pitch content to external organizations, start by:
- Building a strong social presence to give potential partner publications an opportunity to expand their visibility and reach.
- Think critically about what type of content might benefit each publication before you start writing or pitching ideas.
- Research the topics each publication covers, who their audience is and any content guidelines they have.
6. Don’t be Afraid to Take Risks
In the digital landscape, there is always room for improvement. What works today may not work tomorrow. The best marketers take chances when it comes to changing up their form, content and style. If you’re hoping for a successful 2017, you must embrace new and better ways to engage with your target audience.
Regardless of which strategy you use, remember that the effectiveness of any marketing strategy ultimately derives from the value it provides. Thoughtful, well-written content will always stand out in the sea of information in the digital space.
source: business.com
