B2B Content Marketing

base one group ©2009

sepTeMber 2009

Content marketing for b2bWhy it works, how you can make it work, and the two issues most likely to stop it working...

John Bottom, Base OneFriedrichshafen, Germany, Sep 2009


Two sides of social media:

direct (product) influence (issues)


Content marketingThe changing face of publishingWhat it means to B2B marketsInfluence and controlHow does an agency offer content marketing?Problems & solutions



The traditional publishing model

• Money

• Machinery

• Mass economies

new


The traditional publishing modelnew

new



• Ideas

new

new



• Ideas

• Popularity

new

new



• Ideas

• Popularity

• Individuals

new


Welcome to the Buyersphere


How it was in 1999


How it is in 2009


Welcome to the Buyersphere


The Information Superhighway

Designed by the few for use by the many.Fixed, pre-determined.Extension of previous thinking.


The Social Media Stream

Designed by the many.Flexible, ever-changing.New thinking.


ScaleHow influential, how big is the Buyersphere?

How powerful is social media?


Pew Report: "27% of bloggers are motivated by the idea of influencing other people's opinions"22.5m "influencing" bloggers in 2008

Add "influencing" users of other social networks...Add mobile content producers......Wiki contributors...commenters...reviewers... ...and, of course, Twitterers


Welcome to Content Nation.


Great.

But how can B2B brands harness this influence?


Content is produced by organisations with the established editorial and logistical resources to distribute it. Companies advertise alongside it to establish links between that content, the target audience and the brand.the brand.


Content is

the brand.


Thought leadership

"Leveraging your natural expertise to provide valuable insight on the issues that your target market care about"


Thought leadership



Thought leadership



Thought leadership



Thought leadership

Product


Where does your content come from?

Articles from in-house experts

Interview customers

Commission research

Online survey

Create how-to guide

Review other content (be honest)

Comment on feedback

Relate important news (and give your opinion)

Aggregate information


What form does your content take?

Your own blog

Other blogs

Videos on YouTube, Vimeo, VideoJug

Discussions on LinkedIn

Presentations on Slideshare

Facebook/Hyves/Hi5/ Bebo/Habbo/Orkut etc

Specialist industry forums

Podcasts/ vodcasts

Bookmarking sites: Digg, Reddit, Delicious etc

Images on Flickr etc

Twitter


...but what's in it for you?


What do you get out of thought leadership?

Earn respect: add value to your offering




Generate leads; build your database





Progress the sales cycle






Give sales a reason to engage






Give sales a reason to engage

Boost your SEO performance


How should agencies approach content marketing?


The 3 'must-haves' for successful content marketing• Something to say (expertise)

• Somewhere to say it (technology/planning)

• Someone to help (time/skills)


The Base One approach

CLIENT EXPERTISE

CONTENT PRODUCTION TECH/PLANNING



CLIENT EXPERTISE




CLIENT EXPERTISE




CLIENT EXPERTISE



Obstacles


Obstacles• Identity crisis


Obstacles• Identity crisis • Lack of expertise


Social media = individual identity...but what if you are doing it for the client?

1) Use real client name2) Use your own name2) Create user name


1) Use real client name

• ghostwriting with involvement • needs participation from client• significant investment in time• ego trip• best in long run but very difficult to maintain


2) Use your own name

• you represent the client • serious learning curve• admin easier


3) Create user name

• an alias to represent the brand • writes as an individual, or collective• allows third-party involvement• allows the brand name to be mentioned• eg: powwownow_green• admin needs to be carefully managed


How expert are you?


Complex market Simple market


Complex marketDistinctive brand

Simple marketMe too brand


Complex marketDistinctive brandAccess to experts

Simple marketMe too brandNo expertise



Quality


Quantity



QualityRecommendation


QuantityUbiquity



QualityRecommendation


QuantityUbiquity

Thought leadership

Presence marketing


Thought leadership

Presence marketing


Thought leadership

Traditional advertising

Presence marketing


Thought leadership


Presence marketing

You create original content to represent your brand

You create and aggregate content which is linked to

your brand

Someone else creates the

content. Your brand uses the traffic.


Thought leadership


Presence marketing

You create original content to represent your brand

You create and aggregate content which is linked to

your brand

Someone else creates the

content. Your brand uses the traffic.

SOCIAL MEDIA

TRADITIONAL MEDIA


Content marketing summarised...• Marketers are no longer in control• Buyers are social; brands need to socialise • Give people what they want• Enormous potential – for winning and losing• When are you going to start?


Business

B2B Content Marketing