B2B Myth of the Week: Instagram for B2B Marketing Doesn’t Work
by MGB2B
Myth: Instagram is Only for B2C Brands
Fact: Using Instagram For B2B Marketing Is Not Only Smart, It’s Necessary
So how do you go about this? Where do you begin?
Answer: Instagram for B2B marketing.
We have officially progressed into an era of marketing based on likes and followers. As much as the B2C community dominates this field, the approach of reaching users through visual content includes you too. As content continues to flood our phones by the millisecond, grabbing your audience’s attention effectively is an essential aspect of social media marketing. You must cut through the competition’s noise and shout from the rooftops, “Look at our content! Learn how we can solve your problems! And we’re engaging and relatable to boot!”
Instagram Personifies Your Brand
If you’re unfamiliar with the term Instagram-worthy, it’s a new “kids-these-days” way of describing something aesthetically pleasing. But don’t be fooled, this isn’t only applicable for trendy food pictures. Your brand has the opportunity to provide personal, visual hooks to reel your audience into your newsfeed and furthermore, your company.
Not every photo will encapsulate the mantra of your company’s motto or the services and products you provide. That’s okay; maintaining an excessively professional social media presence can be off-putting. Establish an unfiltered look at your company culture and you’re guaranteed to grant your audience a sense of familiarity that in confidence says, “This is who we are.”
[Take a look at Google’s Instagram account. There is nothing regarding search engines or computer software. Instead, you’ll find happy puppies, happy consumers, and colorful creations of the Google logo made of Fruit Loops. This may constitute as B2C branding, but as any consumer can see, Google is a bright, user-friendly company with a feed that associates happiness to their name — a universal message that will reach both consumers and businesses alike.]
We’re All People
Instagram reminds you over and over of the ‘real person’ on the other end of the content you consume, and it’s essential to establish that sense of personal presence. I’m here to remind you that in this case, that real person is you! It’s extremely important to appeal not only to the receiving business’ standards but their personal inclinations as well. Sure you’d like to maintain a professional appearance, but weekly newsletters and a well-designed website can tow that line. Using Instagram for B2B marketing is your opportunity to sell your company with personality and a purpose to please. Creating a unique hashtag, communicating directly with followers, and publicizing your employees with ear-to-ear smiles will show your business to recognizes the importance of authenticity.
Stay Up to Date on Niche Trends
Businesses want to work with other businesses that appeal to their priorities and present themselves in an approachable manner. Many times, pictures do a better job of this than words. How do you maintain this as an effective and relevant Instagram feed? By staying thoroughly active in the social media-verse. There’s nothing more impressive than scrolling by a professional account referencing a popular trend. Understandably it’s not your first priority in selling your brand, but it’s important to remind your audience that your company is keeping up with the times and in relation, holds the capacity to deliver time-relevant content for all consumers.
Stay Buyer-Focused
At the end of the day, you’re still selling — so be mindful of your target audience. What are their goals? Their pain points? What do they need? Then answer these questions, but not just in terms of your products and services. Here’s where the human connection can come to play once more. Consider their values, lifestyles, and visions and think about how your services can echo them.
The story-telling strategy behind B2C marketing is becoming increasingly applicable in the B2B space. Instagram now has 1 billion users worldwide. If you think they’re all millennials, think again. Over fifty percent of Instagram users are between the ages of 34 and 64. In the coming years, this trend will only grow, so it’s important to start testing the waters now.
If you’re still unconvinced that using Instagram for B2B marketing is worth your time, take it from these companies that continue to nail it!
Continue ReadingB2B Myth of the Week: Any Video Is a Good Video
by MGB2B
The Myth: Any Video Is Good Video
The Truth: Good Video Starts with Good Strategy
Video! Video! Video!
“Everyone wants video. We better get one made pronto!”
Sound familiar? It’s a sentiment echoing in conference rooms and boardrooms all across the country. Everyone knows that video is important because it’s what most customers like to consume.
But before you dive into the world of video, it’s important to determine a few things. You need to build a video strategy. Because not all videos are effective for every brand and every industry. Every company’s needs and goals are different. So the best way to get started is by asking yourselves – and possibly your customers – some key questions.
Here Are 6 Questions to Drive Strategy and Inspire B2B Video Ideas for Your Brand:
- What Kind of Video Do My Customers Want/Need? This is the most important question you can ask. Sure, everyone loves a good cat video. But what kind of video do your customers crave that is relevant to your brand or products. Presumably, you have a database. Send your people an incentivized survey. They’d be happy to tell you if they want to see product training videos, Q&A with an industry expert, or a simple whiteboard video with tips on certain types of projects. After all, these are the people you want to look at your videos. Why deliver them something generic when you can actually give them helpful insights that establish your brand as a thought leader?
- What Is the Purpose of the Videos We Are Creating? Developing video content without knowing why you’re doing it is a waste of money. Hence, it’s important to have clear goals in mind. Are you simply trying to build awareness of your brand? A factory tour or brand video might work best. Or do you want prospects to take some sort of action based on what they see? In this instance, you might want to use a video case study. By figuring out what you want to get out of the videos you create, you can be more effective. Plus, you’ll be able to measure your success to determine which types of videos you should create down the road.
- Are There Videos That Can Be Helpful Internally as Well as to a Broader Audience? Sometimes your internal salespeople or reps can use video to sell or train clients. Ask them what they would find helpful for closing a sale. Sometimes the answers to Questions 1 & 3 can result in a video that serves both purposes.
- What Resources Do We Have Access To? Do you have someone internally that can produce and edit videos? Do you work with an agency or a freelancer who can do it? Perhaps you have a ton of footage on file and just need help making it flow better. You can also tap production people for ideas. Sometimes those who touch video every day can see things from a different perspective you haven’t considered. Therefore, it’s a good idea to make a list of everyone who can help. Then figure out where the gaps are, and start researching who can fill them.
- What Is Our Budget for Video? Obviously, the type of video you create depends on your budget. If you have a pie-in-the-sky budget, there are no limits to what kind of video you can produce. But if you have a tight budget, you’ll need to tailor your ideas to what you are capable of producing without sacrificing quality. A day of professional filming on-site, for instance, can cost a lot more than a video that uses vector art. So you’ll have to examine the demand from your audience against your budget and come up with ideas that satisfy both.
- How Will We Distribute the Videos We Create? Are you creating a video just to put on your Facebook page? Then you might want to do something geared specifically toward an audience that is already in your sales funnel but may not have converted. A case study or how-to video might be more effective in this case. Are you planning on putting it on your website for everyone to see? That’s where your general brand video or product demos might work best.
There are lots of things to take into consideration. You can scan the Internet for B2B video ideas all day long and come up with an extensive list. But in order to create good videos that guide prospects into and through your sales funnel, you need to sit down, look at the big picture, and answer the questions above. It’s the difference between video content that sits on YouTube collecting dust and video content that converts into sales.
Continue ReadingHow to Make Your B2B Content Stand Out
by Emily Swet
The B2B content marketing landscape is like a riptide. It moves strong and fast and has the potential to sweep your marketing out to sea if you don’t have a plan in place. But your content needs to do more than stay afloat – it needs to stand out. Here are a few tips to make sure you do both:
Know the Basics.
Before you can think about standing out, make sure your team nails the following:
- Identifying the valuable organic keywords for your market.
- Creating standout content optimized for search, but written for a human.
- Leveraging that content with visuals and rich data.
- Using strong calls-to-action wherever relevant to bring leads in.
Create a Content Mission Statement.
An ambiguous goal results in ambiguous results. A clearly defined mission statement can help define your goals in the content marketing process. Knowing what you want your content to do helps you decide what to create, where to post it, and how to promote it. Here are two examples to get the ball rolling:
- “Our content will increase qualified leads by ___% annually by providing a resource on purchase decisions” or
- “Our content will establish our brand as a trusted authority in the field of ____”
Don’t Imitate Your Competitors.
It’s tempting to look at what the other guys are doing and hop on the bandwagon. Don’t. Instead, look at what your competitors are offering and analyze it. What customer needs aren’t being met? What questions can your brand answer that they don’t? And how is your brand voice different from theirs? And on that note…
Deliver What You Promise.
Your content must give your audience what they are looking for. If it doesn’t, scrap it. Even if you aren’t giving them the ol’ bait n’ switch, content that promises a deep dive and doesn’t deliver will leave your audience feeling duped and annoyed.
Be Authentic.
This one goes across the board. Customers are savvier than ever before and have comparison tools in their pockets. Be forthright and truthful to your brand in your voice, in your campaigns, and in your content, and your audience will respect your authenticity.
Analyze What Worked and What Didn’t.
Conduct A/B testing throughout your campaigns to determine what’s a success, and what isn’t. Once armed with that info, you can tweak your less successful campaigns to mirror what worked in others. You can test everything from headlines and visuals to ad placement, social channels, and call-to-action placement.
Don’t Rely Solely on Organic Reach.
Social channels continue to change their algorithms, making organic reach more difficult to rely on. Paid distribution is far more effective in connecting content to potential leads.
Whatever you choose, don’t wait too long. According to the Content Marketing Institute, 72% of B2B marketers say having a strategy in place has contributed to the success of their programs. The longer you wait to adopt a content strategy, the harder it will be to rise above the tide.
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