Content marketing has elevated beyond a cottage industry and into a necessary marketing tool. As content marketing gains momentum, it’s now more important than ever to get back to the basics of developing a successful content strategy surrounding remarkable content.
Business-to-business marketers are perhaps the most fluent content marketers and content strategists. “On average, B2B marketers employ eight different content marketing tactics to achieve their marketing goals,” according to Eloqua and the Content Marketing Institute.
What are the most popular? We’ve detailed five of them below.
1.Blogs
Thinking like a publisher is huge in content marketing and blogs are the basis to this theory. “It’s where new content gets distributed, conversations are hosted, context for news is provided and personal brands are born,” according to Eloqua.
2.eNewsletters
eNewsletters are still a popular mode of distributing content and should be a part of your strategy as a whole. At the top of the list of tips for running successful eNewsletter distribution is: Do not spam. eNewsletters are “a permission-based means of recurring communication with current and prospective customers.” Always ask for permission to email participants and always offer opt-out links.
3.Whitepapers
Whitepapers have been around since the dawn of content. They are topical, lengthy reports that address technical issues or subjects that require intensive explanations. Even though they are the “grandfather” of content, they are still essential to establishing yourself as a thought leader. Just remember to send whitepapers in PDF format and consider including a lead capture form.
4.Videos
Smartphones and cheap video cameras coupled with YouTube and Vimeo help content marketers create, publish and share videos more easily than ever. Just remember to not film “talking heads.” Consider a long-term video series and not just a one-shot approach. When you do post your video, always consider posting an accompanying transcription or report, CMI suggests.
5.Infographics
CMI says infographics are a “visual storytelling told through data” and that they “rise above the noise to deliver data in a visually appealing way.” A good tip is: good data=good infographic. Once you’ve completed your infographic, develop a marketing plan around distributing it.