Content engagement Archives

Avoiding bland B2B content: Use AI tools wisely

llustration by Muhammad Afandi on Unsplash

AI tools like Grammarly can be useful for a final polish of writing, but use them with a healthy dose of caution.

These tools are clever, not just spotting typos but also things like repeated words or wrong words. They also take a stab at grammar.

But some tools try to be a bit too clever.

Grammarly, for example, makes suggestions for writing improvements. It works by giving the most likely or common words or phrases. In essence, it’s delivering the median version of any writing.

The danger of blindly following all the AI suggestions is that your writing ends up bland and lifeless.

Grammarly can also tend towards brevity, which might make writing sound too clipped or robotic.

Everyone has access to the same AI tools, which make it easy to churn out copy.

But to help it stand out, writing needs to be above average, have points of difference and sound human.

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Social media, What journalists want

New UK Government agenda: How to engage and build visibility with B2B content

Ayo Abbas, Stacey Meadwell and Shirin Iqbal

Four months into the new UK government and more detail on its agenda is emerging, but how can you use B2B content to engage with that agenda?

Speaking ahead of the budget, I went live on LinkedIn with co-host Ayo Abbas of Abbas Marketing and special guest Shirin Iqbal of Shirin Iqbal Consulting to talk about how to get involved, align your content strategy, boost visibility and position yourself as a sector expert.

We all work with built environment clients, so our examples come from that sector, but the overarching strategies apply to any industry.

Here are the edited highlights of our conversation and you can watch the replay which includes our budget predicitons here.

What channels are available for built environment firms who want to share their knowledge and expertise?

Ayo: You have to understand which areas you care about and where you can add to the conversation – which parts of the story you want to focus on.

Then, look at who is talking about these issues and championing causes. For example, in the past few years, Architects Journal has talked about retrofitting rather than knocking down buildings.

Then there are associations and campaigning groups like the London Society and non-government groups like Business First.

The government also puts together expert panels such as the New Homes Accelerator. Who’s on those panels, and how can you join that conversation? Plus, there are consultations where they ask what the industry thinks.

It’s all an opportunity for you to join the conversation.

Shirin: There are also thought leadership articles, trade press, panels, conferences and podcasts.

Add your voice, not just to add to the noise, but to add value to the conversation and really showcase your expertise.

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Uncategorised

3 common B2B content mistakes to avoid

B2B content marketing is a learning curve and there maybe things you are doing that damage your content’s reach and engagement without realising it.

Here are 3 mistakes to avoid with your B2B content.

1. Not making B2B content about the audience

The hard truth is that people don’t have time for all the content out there, including yours.

They are discerning about where they choose to invest their time (just as you are). This means your content has to work hard to make the time investment worthwhile: What’s in it for them?

Making a B2B audience care about your content means it needs to be helpful, interesting (to them), relevant, relatable…entertaining even.

There is always a place for news and business updates, but shoe-horning in referencing to the business and services at every opportunity is salesy and won’t serve.

The same goes for content that always starts from the perspective of the business, regardless of the topic.

Smart content marketing starts from the audience’s perspective, delivering something relevant and worthwhile.

It focuses on what the audience wants to know, not what the business wants to tell them.

Smart and effective content is clever with its messaging; it builds a positive reputation and respect.

Being known for being helpful, interesting, relatable and knowledgeable is more powerful than being a business that is just self-promoting or selling.

This leads neatly onto:

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General

6 tips for creating B2B content which connects and engages

A B2B content strategy can build brand visibility, but what does the tone and style of your content say about your brand?

Is it a conversation starter? Is it relatable? Does it make you approachable?

Business is forged on connections, and content can be the start of a relationship with a potential client, customer or collaborator.

There is a misconception that ‘sounding professional’ means stripping out the human and personality and making content sound a certain way (corporate).

However, the tone of content contributes to how a brand is perceived; being easy to read, approachable, and relatable is simply more engaging.

Content that sounds like it’s written by a human for another human is still professional.

Here are some ways to make your content sound less corporate and more approachable:

1. Jargon and technical language

Never assume people understand technical language and jargon; you don’t want to alienate readers because they don’t understand what you mean.

You don’t want your content to be a slog; what impression does that leave? At its worst, jargon can come across as intimidating, arrogant or a cover for something.

Clear and easy to understand is more engaging and cleverer.

2. Conversational language

Don’t substitute everyday words for something fancier: Facilitate/help, commence/start, utilise/use, etc. Use the terminology your audience uses (that’s what they will use in Google searches).

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General

From sceptic to supporter: The case for B2B content marketing

Not everyone sees the value of B2B content and content marketing, so how do you convince the sceptics and get employees on board to help boost the visibility of your posts?

This was the topic of the August episode of the B2B Comms Breakdown live webinar, which I co-hosted with Ayo Abbas. You can catch up with the video replay (scroll to the bottom) or read on for an edited transcript.

We started the discussion with the case for creating B2B content…

What is worthwhile about content marketing?

Ayo: One of the biggest things about content marketing is that it is a way of positioning yourself as a thought leader, getting your views and projects out there and getting known for what you want to be known for.

It’s about building a brand rather than letting others build it for you. It’s how people get to know, like and trust you and keeps you front of mind. So when I want to buy, I think of you.

The LinkedIn B2B Institute put out some research that showed 95% of the market isn’t in a state to buy. That means only 5% of your target market is actually ready to buy.

So, how do you keep them warm? That’s where content marketing is a valuable tool to help you do that.

Stacey: I see content as a conversation, as a narrative with your existing and potential clients. It’s about nurturing that relationship and keeping that channel open.

There’s a practical element, too. Adding content to your website is good for SEO; that content is sitting there, and people can find it.

It’s all part of your brand building, but it’s not just about the hard wins, the business sales and people wanting to work with you.

That is part of it, but it can lead to speaking opportunities, networking opportunities, and opens the door offline just as much as online.

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