Dipping your toes into B2B waters looks different from arriving on the scene as a B2C startup. You will need to pay special attention to carving out your niche and practice plenty of patience in your journey through the wild world of content marketing. However, if you play your cards right, you could be turning a profit sooner rather than later. Here’s how to get started.
Try using a template
If you are struggling with quick turnaround times, it might be a good idea to use a template. Their popularity in content marketing is rising, and for good reason. It is always important to find effective methods of increasing productivity. If you don’t want to create your own template, there is no shame in availing yourself of a template from an expert. Plus, if the source is legitimate, the templates are already tried and true. Save yourself some time and check out this gigantic list of templates to jumpstart your marketing strategy.
Don’t neglect the power of the blog
Your blog is where potential customers will gravitate to get a sense of who you are as a company and what you can provide. Make it interactive and include resources to download and digital freebies that keep people coming back. Apart from standard blog posts related to your industry and before introducing guest posts and multimedia content, try writing “alternatives” pieces.
These posts are just what they sound like: lists of alternatives or other options for a similar product or service. This is a great place to take control of the rhetoric. You can subtly position yourself as the best option while making your competitors sound inferior. For example, if your main competitor is called Juniper Web Solutions, your blog post would be titled “Juniper Web Solutions Alternatives.” This will naturally attract people who are interested in the product or service but feel like something is missing from what your competitor is offering.
Just be careful not to skew in too negative a direction; otherwise, your readers will likely assume that you are biased and will consider you undeserving of trust. As long as you strike the right balance and are as honest as possible while promoting your brand, your blog can be your superpower.
Long-tail keywords are your friends
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While it may seem counterintuitive, focusing your attention on long-tail keywords—longer, more specific phrases people use when they search for a service—can deliver excellent results. It is kind of like going to a specialist instead of a general physician. Let’s look at an example.
Calendly is a B2B startup that has seen remarkable growth since its inception. When it was first starting out, it would not come very high up in anyone’s search results if they only used keywords such as “online calendar,” “scheduling,” or “organizational software.” However, it would immediately be bumped to the first page of search results if someone searched for “scheduling software for business meetings” or “shared calendar to organize with coworkers.” Now, the business is booming, and Calendly is the go-to software for people who want a specific service.
Long-tail keywords might attract slightly less traffic to your website, but the traffic they do attract will come from people who already know exactly what they want and are prepared to pay for it. This is incredibly helpful when you are starting out and trying to gain a competitive edge in the market.
Thought leadership is not just a buzzword
If you have spent time in the startup world, there’s a good chance you have heard the term “thought leadership.” Everyone throws it around, but how can it actually be defined?
What it is:
- Expertise in a field that you can easily share to benefit a company or organization
- A type of content marketing that relies on passion and drive
- A way of answering the deep questions your community and consumers have
- A tactic of building credibility and authenticity
- Working to become the most reliable resource in your industry
What it is not:
- A marketing video that goes viral on social media
- An article published in Forbes or The Wall Street Journal
- Automatically obtained with a fancy degree
- A LinkedIn profile that lists all of your accomplishments
- Being an influencer or product reviewer
To be a thought leader, you need to become the go-to person or company in your industry. Stand out in a saturated market by backing up your belief in your product with a unique philosophy—and remember that most press is good press, so don’t hold back.
Starting from scratch doesn’t have to be overwhelming. If you break it down bit by bit, you will hopefully be skyrocketing in search results in no time. If you want robust ROI and want it quickly, take these easy options into consideration while you’re laying the foundation for your business. Future you will be glad you did.
