Content marketing in 2014: How B2B brands can excel

January 15, 2014

In our recent blog post, ‘6 social media 2014 predictions from some of the most influential industry authorities’ one of the core predictions identified for this year was to embrace the power of content.

‘All the research at the end of last year suggests that marketers know that content is crucial. And without a doubt we will see a proliferation of videos, images, white papers, news stories, vines, etc. But what is going to be hot when it comes to content – well that is still up for grabs!’

We know that content marketing will be big in 2014, just as it was last year – but instead of just producing whitepapers, videos and other marketing collateral – the focus for 2014 needs to be producing smarter content.

The infographic ‘The science of B2B online marketing’ below highlights just how important content is in the world of B2B marketing. 71% of B2B marketers use content as a means of generating leads, which highlights just how much emphasis is being placed on content.

The Science of B2B Online Marketing infographic designed by circle S studio.

But the key to success is through highly targeted, original and useful content that puts itself in the shoes of the decision maker. How does your content help them in their job? How can it help them solve their pain points?

Content is extremely effective at nurturing prospects through the purchase process. The average consumer consults 10.4 sources when making a purchase decision, and content can be an effective way of giving sales teams a reason to communicate, no matter whether they are in the interest and consideration phase, or right before purchase.

So instead of throwing content out into the big world of social media this year, consider your approach. One piece of content that really resonates with your audience and is shared on to multiple people is more powerful [and rewarding] than creating videos, infographics, whitepapers – whatever the medium – that lack all substance and relevance.

To sum it up, take a look at the Slideshare below for why informative, original content is the way forward:

How will you be using content to shape your marketing in 2014? Let us know and comment below or send your thoughts to @iftweeter