Editorial articles and blogs are the most popular business content format for Millennials and Generation Xers, according to a new survey released by Clutch.
Young adults are often criticised for their lower attention spans, which have played a role in the rise of shorter bite-size formats such as video, but this does not appear to be true in the B2B space, where 18 to 34-year-olds prefer engaging with written word materials in the form of either blogs or articles.
Four in ten people consume business content to keep track of the latest industry trends, which is a takeaway that can help brands to identify relevant topics for their own content campaigns. More than two-thirds also believe that the content they read offers value and is useful.
Value is an important factor for B2B readers as they want to improve their own knowledge. In order to achieve this aim, Clutch notes that marketers should identify keywords to create materials that address wants, needs and preferences, answer a “core question” to push brand authority, and optimise for SEO.
Transparency is also crucial in today’s world of fake news and unreliable promotional output. To improve business content, brands should ensure that their message is unique, clearly communicated, accurate, and based on factual information from trusted sources.
Those that deliver value-added content will benefit from increased engagement and sales. 86% of the 384 consumers surveyed said that content marketing had pushed them into purchasing a product or service from a brand, while 55% had researched a company after consuming a piece they enjoyed.
