The B2B technology buyer’s journey can best be described as a windy, twisting road up a steep mountain, and B2B technology marketing organizations see a lot of unique challenges as a result. The B2B buyer isn’t just one person; often, it’s a conglomeration of end users, developers, operations, and director-level decision-makers. Roadblocks come in the form of C-level executives curious as to why, for example, the company needs a CEM system when the CRM system seems to be working just fine.
In the Technology Content Marketing 2019: Benchmarks, Budgets, and Trends study, the Content Marketing Institute and MarketingProfs examined these challenges and how B2B technology marketers are facing them, including how they deal with multiple buyer roles, what content they use, and how they’re informing their content marketing strategies. Of particular interest:
B2B Technology Marketing Departments Listen to Sales
According to the study, 80 percent of B2B technology content marketers are using information gleaned from the sales department to shape their content. This is great news! The sales team hears everything from the customers and prospects: their pain points, their triumphs, their wish lists. They know why a B2B technology buyer is looking for an industry-specific add-on to an ERP system and what the buyer wants to achieve by using artificial intelligence for customer service.
The takeaway: If you’re not meeting with your sales team, schedule a lunch now to pick the brains of your top performers.
Marketers Prioritize Content for Existing Customers
It’s easier to retain a customer than to attract a new one, and it seems like this adage has seeped into B2B technology content marketing organizations. CMI found that 82 percent of B2B technology marketers prioritize creating content for existing clients and customers, which helps foster loyalty.
The takeaway: Build loyalty and establish yourself as a trusted resource for your customers with content.
Written Content Is Still King
While B2B technology marketing organizations did increase multimedia content production, written content also received a bump. According to the CMI survey, 63 percent of content marketers upped their creation of written digital content, including articles, blogs, and e-books. Only 5 percent decreased the use of this content.
The takeaway: B2B technology buyers like written statements they can bring to the person writing the checks. They like to read useful information and use it in their decision-making processes. Make sure they have enough.
Keep That Long-Form Content Coming
In the last 12 months, 81 percent of B2B technology content marketers used or developed long-form content. That included in-depth articles and guides. They’re not ignoring the power of the written word by any means.
The takeaway: Long-form content is a given. In-depth articles and guides help B2B technology marketing efforts and help with customer loyalty.
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