In our previous blog post, we looked at three ways to use content to meet the rising digital expectations of customers and clients.
With half of B2B buyers eager to hoover up high-quality content to research key decisions, putting forth breaking news, engaging blogs and fact-driven articles is very important in the B2B industry.
B2B buyers now need content for each stage of the sales cycle, so what can you do to meet their growing needs and expectations?
Awareness
The top of the funnel, or the awareness phase, is a time when buyers want to be educated and consume content that addresses issues and specific pain points. Three quarters of buyers use Google at this stage and many input fairly generic queries and phrases. You could meet their needs by talking about industry best practices. Formats that work best here include:
- Blog posts
- Editorial content
- Infographics
- Social media posts
Consideration
Buyers are now aware of your offerings, but they probably need a little more information about how it can solve their own problems. The consideration phase is also the perfect time to outline how exactly a certain product or service works. Buyers want objective information at this point. A few possible formats include:
- Case studies
- How-tos
- Testimonials
- Webinars
Decision
Converting is the aim during the decision phase. You want content that pushes customers along the final part of the sales cycle so that they actually make the decision to complete a purchase. B2B buyers will be looking for pricing info and tech specs. Generally, anything that offers a more in-depth look at products is recommended. You should also highlight the value of buying from your brand. Possible formats here include:
- Free trials, estimates and quotes
- Customer stories and reviews
- Technical product guides
- Comparisons
Retention
Most of the hard work is now done, but, perhaps ironically, keeping a one-time customer around and turning them into a regular paying client is a difficult task. Take advantage of the ‘feel-good’ phase after a purchase by supporting them with content that will help them get more out of their products and make them feel like they are part of a special club. Potential formats for retention include:
- Insider tips and guides
- Tutorials
- Offers for upgrades
- Newsletter for customers
