B2B Lead Generation—Using Content to Acquire New Customers

©2011 eMarketer Inc.

Lauren T. FisherWriter/Analyst

N O V E M B E R 3 0, 2 0 1 1

B2B Lead Generation—Using Content to Acquire New Customers

Sponsored by:

©2011 eMarketer Inc.

Today’s Agenda

A brief B2B content marketing overview

Put simply, why content marketing?

Four-step content marketing strategy Build it, Gate it, Promote it, Measure it

Practical applications Examples of B2B companies practicing good content

marketing

Twitter – #eMwebinar

B2B Content Marketing(A Quick Recap)

What B2B marketers are up against:

The average cost-per-lead is rising...

Inbound leads are significantly cheaper than outbound leads

What value does content marketing bring B2B companies?


Content marketing is hardly a new concept for B2B companies

A proper content marketing strategy contains these four steps:

Building content: Who is it for, what solution does it offer and how should it be packaged?

Gating content: How does content translate into leads?

Promoting content: Where will the audience look for content?

Measuring content: How well did a piece of content translate into leads?


Step #1: Build it

Knowing the audience will shape the content tone and topic selectionBut it’s not just “who,” it’s “who else”

Each stage of the buy cycle has question B2B marketers should look to answer


Maria Pergolino, director of marketing, Marketo

“Every message you’re sharing is a form of content.”

B2B marketers must decide how to package content


Formats such as blog posts, webinars and white papers are ideal for sharing top-funnel content

Webinars, white papers, case studies and enewsletters guide buyers down the path toward conversion

Brian Kardon, CMO, Eloqua

“People want to say, ‘Hey, a webinar is better than a video

or a blog post.’ It’s less about the medium and more about the subject

matter and how you execute. It’s what’s inside the vessel,

not the vessel itself.”


The value of each content format…

…is tied to multiple factors, including industry, DM department, job level and the content itself.

Creating content can be a shared responsibility

Additional sources of content topics and inspiration include:

Customer service and sales feedback

Issues and topics competitors are—or aren’t—addressing

“Pain points” discussed in industry forums

Topical industry updates or news Repurposing content from other formats


Step #2: Gate it

There is a limit to how much information prospects will provide in exchange for content

Marketers must weigh their data collection wants versus their needs


Multistep registration offers a balanced approach to collecting lead information

Marketers can also give prospects control to customize future content marketing dialogue

Step #3: Promote it

Social media is a prime channel for sharing content that B2B decision-makers seek

Sharing content on social media sites can help to attract—and convert—leads into customers

Maria Pergolino, director of marketing, Marketo

“If somebody is not asking the question, then you shouldn’t

be forcing the answer.”

Companies that engage in dialogue benefit when it’s decision time

Paid media provides additional content promotion

Understand where prospects gather online and concentrate on those areas

Marketers are already thinking about mobile for lead generation

Mobile makes content sharing and viewing easier for busy B2B decision-makers

Tablets are great for viewing informational and instructional content

Before jumping into a content distribution or promotion strategy, make sure to have the metrics to justify the investment

Step #4: Measure it

The metrics for measuring content marketing success are straightforward

The actual measurement process is a bit more complex


The majority of B2B companies worldwide track lead activity with a customer relationship management tool…

…But a minority are integrating their CRM system with a marketing automation tool

Lisa Horner, director of campaigns, Citrix Online

“When you think about lead nurturing programs,

you have to be able to continue the story and

the conversation as your prospects and your customers evolve their

knowledge.”

Without tools to measure the value of each content marketing asset, marketers can’t expect to prioritize their efforts or grow their programs

B2B Content Marketing Examples


Citrix Systems: GotoWebinar

Clean, organized approach to sharing content topics and formats

Simple registration that provides the baseline for future dialogue and encourages content share and promotion

Promotion via email and earned promotion via social networks

IBM

Solving problems through education and community interaction

Tailoring content for each type of B2B purchase decision-maker

Repurposing event presentations into video content

American Express OPEN

What American Express is selling small businesses:

Repackaging content to meet decision makers’ needs

Conclusions

How you package content matters, but what’s inside matters more. Take time to identify the topics that resonate most with prospects’ pain points or educational and informational needs.

Content marketing was made to be a community task. Leverage internal expertise and manpower. Look to clients, fans and followers for topic inspiration and additional content creation.

Know where to fish. Promoting content takes time and effort. Pick a few networks and communities you know prospects frequent.

Be respectful when asking for information, and listen! Multistep registration allows prospects to ease into a relationship with a brand. As they share more information, make sure to have the tools necessary to tailor content to their individual needs.

Measurement is a must.

Conclusions: B2B Content Marketing

2 Minute Case Study: Marketo

Jason MillerContent Marketing and Social Media

Page 59

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http://www.marketo.com/_includes/wp/news/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/Sales-2.0-logo-small1.jpg

Page 60

Content Optimized for Search

Plus: •Keywords•Meta Descriptions•Title Tags

Page 61

Social Content

Page 62

Repurposing Content Example

• Use all types for nurturing and scoring

• Use all types to drive traffic to your website and in social media promotions

ARTICLE

WHITEPAPER

SLIDES

VIDEO CLIP

PODCAST

• Website• iTunes

• Website• Youtube

• Website• Slide Share

• Website• Blog• Guest Blog

• Website• Slideshare• Sribd

Webinar

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Demographics: 30 points based on manual Prospect review 0-8 points based on title -20 to 0 based on inferred country

Source and Offer: Website lead source: + 5 Thought leadership offer: -5

Latent Buying Behavior: Attend webinar: +5 Download thought leadership: +3 Visit any webpage : +1 Visit careers pages: -10

Active Buying Behavior: Install AppExchange app: +15 Download Marketo reviews: +12 Visit website 2X in one week: +8 Download buyers guides: +8 Watch demos: +5 each Search for “Marketo”: +5 Visit pricing pages: +5

No activity in one month: Score > 30: -15 points Score 0 to 30: -5 points

Sample Scoring Rules

B2B Lead Generation—Using Content to Acquire New CustomersQuestions & AnswersRegistrants will receive an email tomorrow that includes a link to view the deck and webinar recording.

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Sponsored by:Presented by:Lauren FisherWriter/Analyst, eMarketer, Inc.

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