Content marketing continues to prove itself as an effective tactic for generating quality sales leads. With most buyers now doing their own research on the Web before having any contact with a salesperson, the need to create and offer compelling, informative, relevant content for those buyers is more critical than ever. However, most marketing organizations are finding that content marketing is easier said than done. In this e-book, the author presents ten all too common content marketing mistakes and how to avoid them. Readers of this e-book will learn: * The three key areas on which to focus * Ten common content marketing mistakes, and how to avoid them * Tips for success in content marketing Want more like this? Visit our Resource Center at www.wingreenmarketing.com/resources for more e-books and information on content marketing and lead generation. #contentmarketing #leadgeneration

1. Ten B2B Content
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Marketing Mistakes and
How to Avoid Them
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2. Ten B2B Content Marketing Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
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10 B2B Content Marketing Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
By Kim Cornwall Malseed
Not sure what content marketing is? A quick definition: Content marketing
is a marketing technique of creating and distributing relevant and
valuable content to attract, acquire, and engage a clearly defined and
understood target audience - with the objective of driving profitable
customer action. (Source: Junta42)
Note the bold terms - relevant and valuable, clearly defined and understood
target audience, profitable customer action.
These three areas are the most critical parts of content marketing, but are
often not delved into deeply enough by BtoB marketing pros. During my
initial discussions with clients about their content marketing strategy or a
specific piece of content they want me to produce, most have a general
idea of who they are marketing to, what is valuable, and what action they
want the audience to take. But as we discuss these areas further and
go into detail, many clients either can’t describe specifics or they make
assumptions, both of which can lead to failure.
In order to succeed with content marketing, BtoB marketers should focus
on those three key areas and avoid these 10 big mistakes:
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3. Ten B2B Content Marketing Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
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Mistake #1: Not Developing Buyer Personas
Once you’ve determined the target audiences you want to influence, develop
“buyer personas” for each target group. A buyer persona is a detailed profile
of an example buyer that represents the real audience - their goals, concerns,
preferences, and decision process that influence their choices. Developing
buyer personas helps you understand exactly who you are marketing to, and
therefore what content will be most valuable to them.
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4. Ten B2B Content Marketing Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
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Mistake #2: Not Understanding the Needs of
the Audience
If you want people to read your content it should be about
them, not about you. If your content provides practical,
helpful knowledge to the reader that they can use to solve
a problem or make their lives better, they will continue to
read it and recommend it to others.
However, if your content reads like an
advertisement and lacks useful information
they will leave and not come back. Rely
on your buyer personas and free online
‘listening posts’ such as Google Alerts and
Twitter to figure out what is (and is not)
interesting and helpful.
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5. Ten B2B Content Marketing Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
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Mistake #3: Failure to Plan
Plan out content in advance and you won't have to rush to get
content out. Set up an editorial calendar including topics, writing
deadlines, publishing deadlines, promotion deadlines, who each
piece of content is assigned to, and any other information that
keeps the process organized and manageable.
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6. Ten B2B Content Marketing Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
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Mistake #4: Lack of Focus on a Niche
With so much information
freely available on the
Internet, you need to stand
out by focusing on a niche
that interests your buyer
personas. This enables you
to demonstrate and share
your unique knowledge and
attract a dedicated audience.
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7. Ten B2B Content Marketing Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
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Mistake #5: Not Keeping Content Fresh
Once or twice a year, do a "content
audit" to determine what content
is still relevant and up-to-date, and
what videos, white papers, case
studies, customer interviews, articles,
and other information needs to be
refreshed. You can also refine your
content based on feedback from
readers.
It's also important to keep publishing
new, original content on a regular
basis in order to attract a dedicated
audience.
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8. Ten B2B Content Marketing Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
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Mistake #6: Not Asking for Help
Many companies rely solely on their internal marketing or PR staff to do everything involved
with content marketing. But based on my own experience while managing marketing and
PR for a multiple B2B software companies, these people have many other responsibilities
that often push developing content strategies and creating the content itself to the back
burner and it can take weeks or months to accomplish one white paper or article. Almost all
businesses can afford to partner with an independent consultant or writer that has expertise
in content that is important to their audiences.
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9. Ten B2B Content Marketing Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
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Mistake #7: Giving Up on Content Marketing
Too Soon
It takes time to build a
real relationship with
your audiences and
develop a loyal following.
Some companies start
a blog, newsletter, or
other tactic and expect
to see fantastic results in
three months. It doesn't
usually work that way.
But stay with it, and
your patience will be
rewarded!
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10. Ten B2B Content Marketing Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
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Mistake #8: Not Integrating Content Marketing with
Overall Marketing
In some companies, a corporate
newsletter, magazine, articles
contributed to other publications, and
similar content are done separately
from other marketing initiatives
like the company website, blog,
and events. Integrating all of these
initiatives so they support each other
is extremely powerful.
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11. Ten B2B Content Marketing Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
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Mistake #9: Forgetting Search Engine Optimization
Your content strategy really pays off when it appears
in the first few pages of Google, Yahoo, and Bing
search engine results. This will drive many more
people to your content, at no additional cost. However,
for this to happen you need to optimize your content
and its landing pages so the search engines can
find them and rank them. Receiving links from other
websites and blogs to your content is also key to
receiving high search engine rankings.
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12. Ten B2B Content Marketing Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
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Mistake #10: Using Social Media as a Bullhorn
Instead of a Two-Way Radio
Social media isn't a medium for simply
promoting your company and content,
without interacting with others and
sharing helpful information that you
didn't create but may help someone
you're connected to. If you use Twitter,
LinkedIn, Facebook, and other social
media avenues simply to toot your own
horn, you are missing an invaluable
opportunity to get closer to your
key audiences and begin to better
understand their needs.
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13. Ten B2B Content Marketing Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
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Kim Cornwall Malseed, principal at MarCom Ink [http://www.marcomink.com], has over a decade of global marketing, public relations, analyst relations, and inside sales experience with Fortune 500 and startup high-tech companies. As the founder of B2B technology marketing and PR firm MarCom Ink, Kim has worked with clients on marketing strategy and implementation that significantly increased lead generation and sales conversions, leading to improved revenue.
Check out the B2B Technology MarCom Blog [http://www.marcomink.com/b2b-technology-marketing-blog/] for more practical advice on what works - and doesn't - in B2B high-tech marketing.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kim_Cornwall_Malseed
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This e-book is part of the Marketing White Paper Series sponsored
and brought to you by WinGreen Marketing Systems. WinGreen
commissions original new e-books and white papers and curates
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Do you have a topic you’d like to see covered in a future e-book or
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About the Sponsor
WinGreen Marketing Systems is a content marketing agency specializing in inbound marketing, outbound marketing, and high-impact lead generation programs for technology companies in the United States and Canada. Headquartered in Downingtown, PA, the company was founded
in 2009, and is a business partner of Salesforce.com, Microsoft, Ringlead Inc., and Predictive Response.
WinGreen’s content marketing services include authoring and publishing of clientbranded content in all digital forms, including white papers, e-books, articles, blog
posts, social media posts, webcasts, videos, and podcasts. WinGreen delivers compelling content that attracts target buyers and influencers across the entire spectrum of
buyer personas and buying phases.
The company’s inbound marketing services utilize WinGreen-authored content in its
many forms to attract and engage target buyers and influencers to its clients’ websites.
WinGreen uses Hubspot’s world-leading inbound marketing automation to manage content, campaigns, and analytics. The combination of
content published by WinGreen and inbound marketing supported by Hubspot tools is unbeatable for building prospect pipeline and revenue
growth.
WinGreen also provides outbound content marketing services for predictable, reliable, cost-effective lead generation. In addition to authoring all required content, WinGreen also builds target email databases, delivers mass email marketing, plans and executes regularly scheduled
campaigns, and utilizes its own commercial-grade, cloud software infrastructure for all marketing automation. WinGreen’s outbound content
marketing is the perfect way to get immediate lead generation results while building long-term inbound marketing engagement.
Contact WinGreen at www.wingreenmarketing.com/contact-us or call (650) LEAD GEN (650-532-3436). Learn more at
www.wingreenmarketing.com.
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