Despite what you might have heard, content is still very much king. But, much like the tales of old kingdoms and their monarchs, myths surround its reign. Some of these myths have been whispered in conference rooms; others passed down from one marketing generation to the next.
But here’s the twist in our tale: not every widely held belief in the B2B content arena deserves its throne. In fact, many are simply relics of the past, waiting to be dethroned by the bold and informed.
Here are our top 10 content marketing myths B2B CEOs and CMOs need to rethink:
Myth 1: B2B content should be strictly professional.
Too often, B2B content is presented as a never-ending sea of monotonous jargon, pie charts, and white papers. Now, we’re not saying throw out the rulebook, but let’s add a few colorful pages to it.
Why? Because behind every B2B decision is a human—a human who loves a good story, connects with emotions, and yes, even enjoys a chuckle or two.
The brands making waves in the B2B space today? They’ve mastered the art of weaving in compelling narratives, tugging at heartstrings, and, dare we say, even slipping in the occasional GIF or meme.
Need proof? Take a gander at some of the B2B giants who have dared to think outside the traditional box.
HubSpot
Outside the Box: They’ve developed a comprehensive inbound B2B marketing platform, but what really makes them shine is their extensive library of free resources. Ebooks, webinars, courses, and other tools have made them an educational hub for all things related to digital marketing.
Benefits: This approach has positioned them as an industry thought leader and a go-to resource, ensuring that when businesses think of inbound marketing, they think of HubSpot.
Maersk Line
Outside the Box: One wouldn’t typically expect a shipping company to have a dynamic social media presence, but Maersk does. They tell visual stories of their global journeys, share the life of seafarers, and provide glimpses into the intricate world of global shipping.
Benefits: Their approach has boosted their brand visibility and humanized their operations, fostering deeper connections with their audience.
General Electric (GE)
Outside the Box: GE has consistently reinvented its brand image through captivating content campaigns. Their podcast series, “The Message” and “LifeAfter,” dive into the world of science fiction, attracting an entirely new set of audiences.
Benefits: Through content that blurs the lines between entertainment and promotion, GE demonstrates its commitment to innovation and captures the attention of both industry professionals and the general public.
Slack
Outside the Box: While known for its communication platform, Slack’s blog “Several People Are Typing” delves into topics like remote work culture, productivity, and team dynamics rather than just focusing on product promotion.
Benefits: By addressing broader topics that resonate with its user base, Slack has built a community of readers and reinforced its position as more than just a communication platform, instead becoming a catalyst for modern work culture transformation.
Adobe
Outside the Box: Beyond their suite of creative tools, Adobe’s blog offers a treasure trove of content dedicated to digital marketing insights, trends, and interviews with industry experts.
Benefits: Adobe underscores its position at the intersection of creativity and technology, making it a go-to resource not just for design tools, but also for marketing insights.
The takeaway? Adding a touch of personality, flair, and relatability to your content can make it more engaging, memorable, and shareable.
Myth 2: Content quantity over quality.
In an age of algorithms, there’s a temptation to churn out content at the speed of light, hoping that more posts will result in more visibility. But, and this is a big ‘but,’ producing content just for the sake of it can be like throwing spaghetti at a wall—messy, wasteful, and leaving everyone wondering, “Why?”
Companies that realize the marathon of content marketing is measured by meaningful strides are those that get ahead. This includes companies like Forrester, who, instead of daily posts, focus on comprehensive monthly reports that become industry benchmarks. Or Basecamp, which went viral not because they posted every day, but because their deep-dive case studies and broader discussions on work culture and productivity were so rich in insights, they became the talk of the town.
While having a consistent content rhythm is key, it’s the substance, relevancy, and value of your content that’ll have audiences coming back for more. Think of it as preparing a gourmet meal— it’s the carefully chosen ingredients and the love you pour into the dish that make it memorable, not how quickly you throw it on the table.
Myth 3: Every piece of content must directly promote your product or service.
Imagine attending a party where someone keeps talking about themselves. Sure, it’s impressive at first, but eventually, it wears thin, right? Similarly, in the content party, if you’re always talking about your product, your audience might just sneak out the back door. The game-changers? Brands that understand the art of conversation—it’s a give and take, a dance that provides value and gracefully weaves in product mentions.
For example, instead of consistently pushing their email marketing tools, Mailchimp dives into success stories, business tips, and even design insights. It’s a wider net, but guess what? It captures a broader audience. Then there’s Shopify, which doesn’t just talk about its e-commerce platform, but educates users on entrepreneurship, trending products, and the future of online retail.
Content that educates, informs, and entertains can be as impactful (if not more so) as direct promotional content. It’s about building relationships, fostering trust, and yes, occasionally letting your audience know about your fantastic product or service.
Myth 4: B2B buyers don’t consume video content.
Here’s the Reel (get it?) truth: B2B video content can give your brand a face, a voice, and an emotional touchpoint that text often can’t. It’s not about crafting Spielberg-level blockbusters; it’s about resonating with your audience in a dynamic, visual, and auditory manner.
Take Cisco, for instance. They’re not just about routers and switches; they’ve produced video content ranging from customer testimonials to animated explainers on intricate tech concepts. Then there’s Oracle, stepping out from the shadows of database jargon to create video interviews with industry leaders, shedding light on the future of tech in a format as engaging as your favorite talk show.
A study by Google found that over 70% of B2B buyers and researchers are watching videos throughout their path to purchase. This is a 52% jump in just two years. Wyzowl’s State of Video Marketing Survey found that a whopping 96% of individuals have viewed an explanatory video to gain a deeper understanding of a product or service, while 89% of individuals report that viewing a video persuaded them to make a purchase. Although these stats aren’t exclusively B2B, they underscore the influential nature of video content.
Whether it’s a behind-the-scenes office tour, an animated explainer, or a heartwarming customer success story—let the cameras roll.
Myth 5: Social media isn’t relevant for B2B marketing.
Where is everyone, including our esteemed C-suite executives, spending their time? You guessed it, on platforms like LinkedIn, Twitter, and even Instagram. Social media has become a vibrant hub for networking, industry insights, and yes, business decisions!
Social media platforms are evolving, and with them, the opportunities for B2B marketing are expanding. It’s not about fitting into the B2C mold, but about carving out a space that resonates with your target audience where professional meets personal.
On social media, no one is merely a spectator; we are all active participants contributing, learning, and leveraging. A simple post can lead to partnerships, collaborations, and new ventures. After all, it’s the age where an insightful webinar link on LinkedIn or a behind-the-scenes look at a company event on Instagram can generate more buzz than a full-page magazine ad.
Myth 6: Only industry leaders can create impactful thought leadership content.
Thought leadership isn’t a privilege reserved for the Goliaths. In fact, many Davids have slung their insights with precision, hitting the bullseye! In the arena of ideas, it’s the weight of your insights, the depth of your expertise, and the genuine passion to share and uplift others that truly matters.
Smaller Brands Making a Mark with Insightful Content
Buffer
While there are numerous social media management tools out there, Buffer distinguished itself not just through its product, but with its content. Their blogs, transparent business practices, and case studies have established them as a trustworthy source for social media strategies.
Groove
A helpdesk software that’s smaller compared to its giant counterparts, its journey of “From $0 to $500k in Monthly Revenue” has been a captivating narrative that many startups and businesses have followed closely, learning and growing with them.
Moz
Although there’s no shortage of B2B SEO tools, Moz has crafted a niche for itself with its Whiteboard Friday sessions, in-depth blogs, and open forums, all while navigating in waters filled with larger competitors.
Myth 7: B2B content doesn’t need a personal touch.
Thought leaders, CEOs, and industry specialists are no longer anonymous figures behind logos and corporate banners. They are the faces, voices, and stories that define and shape the brand’s identity.
Between LinkedIn influencers and the surge of B2B-focused podcasts, it’s clear that people resonate with personalized branding in the B2B space. B2B leaders are sharing insights, stories, and even personal anecdotes, bridging the gap between corporate facades and genuine human connections. This shift has shown us that people resonate with voices—literal and figurative. Industry specialists sharing their journeys, challenges, and ‘eureka’ moments have become a valuable resource and a testament to the power of personal branding.
Why is that?
Personal anecdotes humanize a brand, making it more trustworthy. When potential partners or clients know the faces and stories behind a business, they are more likely to trust and engage with it.
While B2B transactions are often perceived as purely logical and transactional, the reality is that they’re driven by emotions just as much as B2C ones. A poignant story or a shared experience can be the emotional nudge that seals the deal.
Personal experiences offer fresh, unique content. Instead of the typical industry jargon and generic insights, personal stories provide a refreshing change, ensuring that content stands out in a crowded B2B landscape.
Myth 8: Email marketing is dead.
Despite the rise of countless communication channels, email marketing is alive, kicking, and delivering (pun intended)!
Studies have shown that the average open rate for B2B email campaigns is around 20%, with click-through rates averaging at about 3.2%. And for every $1 spent on email marketing, businesses can expect an average return of $36. If you want to talk demographics, 73% of millennials, who are quickly becoming decision-makers in many B2B sectors, prefer communications from businesses to come via email.
So how can B2Bs revive and optimize B2B email marketing efforts?
For starters, segmentation is key. Don’t just send generic emails to your entire subscriber list. Segment your audience based on their behaviors, interests, and position in the sales funnel. Tailored messages resonate better. And please move beyond promotional emails. Share valuable insights, industry news, case studies, or even behind-the-scenes glimpses of your company.
With a significant chunk of emails being opened on mobile devices, ensure your emails are mobile-friendly. Test different devices and screen sizes to ensure readability and clarity. Regularly test different aspects of your emails, from subject lines to CTAs, to find out what works best for your audience.
And as for the content of your email, add interactive elements like polls, quizzes, or embedded videos to engage the audience and make your emails stand out. Use data to personalize emails, addressing the recipient by name and referencing their specific interests or previous interactions with your brand. And always have a compelling CTA—whether it’s reading a blog post, checking out a product demo, or RSVPing for a webinar, make sure the next steps are evident and enticing.
As with all content marketing, consistency is crucial. But avoid flooding inboxes. Find a frequency that keeps you in the minds of subscribers without being perceived as spammy.
Myth 9: You must target every platform equally.
The key to marketing is not omnipresence, but strategic presence. That’s why platform prioritization is crucial. By specifically targeting platforms where your audience primarily dwells, there’s an opportunity for more focused efforts, translating to a higher impact with content and digital campaigns tailored to their needs.
This approach also provides the added advantage of resource optimization. Rather than diluting your budget across several platforms, it’s wiser to invest more robustly in channels that truly resonate with your audience, ensuring both enhanced quality and more tangible results.
The labyrinthine world of managing numerous platforms can be overwhelming, to say the least, but by judiciously selecting where to exert your energy, you bring clarity and orderliness to your content strategy. This concentrated attention on fewer platforms enables brands to immerse themselves more profoundly in analytics, facilitating the extraction of richer insights and the refinement of strategies with precision.
And the cherry on top? Such meticulous platform choices pave the way for authentic engagement, allowing for a deeper, more genuine, and more consistent rapport with the audience. It’s not just about being everywhere, but being where it matters most.
Myth 10: Metrics like page views are the best measure of content success.
It’s easy to get caught up in the glitz and glam of high numbers. A page bursting with views? Must be a roaring success!
Page views, while an indicator of reach, aren’t necessarily the hallmark of content efficacy. In the nuanced dance of content marketing, other metrics often provide a more profound insight into your content’s actual performance and its alignment with business objectives.
Consider the engagement rate, for instance. Beyond clicks, engagement emphasizes genuine interactions—how captivated is your audience by what you present? This engagement manifests in comments, shares, and even the duration a viewer lingers on your page. But there is also dark social to account for—and brands may never truly be able to gauge just how much action they’re getting in dark social conversations.
There’s the tangible realm of lead generation, where content becomes more than just words—it becomes a bridge to potential business ventures. Through strategic tools and CTAs, like prompting readers to download a whitepaper or register for a webinar, you usher them from mere viewership to actionable leads. And, naturally, the crowning jewel is conversion. Beyond the initial attraction lies the ultimate test: Are these leads culminating in the desired business action?
Stellar content not only draws an audience but also keeps them enchanted. Repeated visits, newsletter registrations, or subsequent purchases spotlight the magnetism of content that cultivates loyalty. We’re in a digital age where feedback isn’t just welcomed—it’s sought after. Through comments, polls, or even direct engagements, your audience can provide instantaneous insights, shining light on your content’s relevance and potential avenues for enhancement.
But how do we ensure our content is not just singing, but hitting the right notes? It starts with crystalline clarity. Each content piece must have a defined objective, be it brand amplification, lead cultivation, or driving sales. A deep comprehension of where your potential customer stands in their journey is crucial, guiding the content to cater from awareness all the way to decision-making. And, when marketing combines its efforts with sales, brands can ensure that each piece of content is a supportive pillar, nurturing leads seamlessly through the sales funnel.
Embrace the dynamism of the B2B landscape. Recognize that content isn’t a static entity, but a living, evolving tool that can tell your brand’s story in myriad ways. Prioritize authenticity, value, and genuine connection over mere numbers. And always remember: in a world buzzing with information, the brands that leave a mark are the ones that communicate with clarity, purpose, and heart.
And if you’d like to kick your content marketing up a notch, reach out to us here at Zen Media.
