Content Marketing: Big Picture vs. Tactical Thinking in 2016
by MGB2B
As you enter the new year, it is crucial that you take a step back and look at the bigger picture, asking yourself “What story is my brand trying to tell, and to whom?” According the Content Marketing Institute’s 2016 Budget and Trends Report, 76% of B2B marketers plan to increase the amount of content they produce in the coming year, yet only 30% of them say that their organizations are effective at content marketing. Why is this the case?
One of the most persistent problems brands encounter with content marketing is the sporadic creation of content without a clear and set strategy that ties the content to the organization and its goals. Content dispersion tactics like social media and email marketing may certainly be helpful to an organization, but without a strategy, you are simply throwing content at the wall and hoping it sticks. Developing an effective B2B content marketing strategy begins with understanding (or defining, if necessary) your brand’s identity. Whether you are a well-established company or just starting out, your brand’s identity stems from frequently asking yourself big picture questions like: “What are our objectives? What are our company’s values? Who do we want to identify with our brand?” Similar questions should be asked when it comes to content – and you’ll have to add in a few extras as well:
- What do our customers need? What will they find useful?
- Which persona will our content will be directed at?
- Who in our company has the job of “content” – who is responsible for it?
- Who will create it and how often?
- How can we get our sales and marketing teams to collaborate on content and not work in silos?
- What are the benchmarks we will use to make sure our content is working?
Prior to creating new content, your organization (that means everyone in it) must understand why it needs to be created in the first place. The main reason for creating content is to achieve previously set goals such as lead generation, website clicks, product inquiries, or social media engagements, and benchmarks that will help you envision what will be deemed as “successful” or not. To separate yourself from the pervasiveness of competition, tie in your brand’s story by defining your unique selling points (USP). Understanding the roots of your organization and how you can best serve your audience will allow you to successfully align your business goals with your content goals.
In order to reach your target audience, identify which specific tactics have been or will be successful. The Content Marketing Institute’s report predicts that the 5 most used marketing tactics in 2016 will be Social Media, Case Studies, Blogs, e-Newsletters, and In-Person Events. While these some or all of these tools may prove to be effective at certain times, gauging when, how, and why you will use them, and how they will tie into your overall strategy, is critical in order for your organization to reach its set goals.
Before you implement your marketing tactics in 2016, be sure to examine the bigger picture. As you enter the new year, take a step back and develop a content strategy that incorporates your company’s values and USP in a way that drives your audience to want more from your brand. With a powerful content strategy and effective marketing tactics, the sky is limit for 2016.
Tags: 2016 marketing strategy, big picture thinking, effective B2B marketing strategy, tactics