Content writing Archives - Page 3 of 8

How to write B2B content with purpose

A person sitting outdoors holding a black notebook titled “MISSION” on their lap. They are wearing blue jeans, a white top, and a black bracelet, and a white-and-brown tote bag rests beside them. — *Photo by David Iskander on Unsplash*

What is the business purpose of your B2B content? No one is putting fingers to keyboard for fun, but how do you angle your content so that it delivers on your goals while still engaging the audience?

Business goal: Raise visibility and become an authoritative voice

Through your content, whether that is on LinkedIn, your website or a newsletter, you need to demonstrate a good understanding of the sector/industry you work in. Obviously.

It’s important to have ideas or a fresh take. Talk about the problems that no one else is talking about, or if it’s ground that has already been well discussed, can you add a unique take?

Lots of people talk about well-known problems and challenges, but few are offering a way of navigating issues.

Can you highlight alternative approaches and a means of delivering a positive change? Is there a different way of doing things that isn’t really talked about? Can you move the conversation on in some way?

Could you spearhead a campaign behind which you can rally industry peers to make a material difference to your sector?

Building a reputation as an authoritative voice takes time and consistency, but it opens a lot of different doors:

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Starting point: Four questions to deliver effective content

Effective B2B content starts before the creative work. There are a number of key questions to answer, which should set you on the right path to delivering effective content.

What is the purpose?

Or another way of putting it is: What does success look like?’ It doesn’t matter if it’s a panel event, video, podcast or piece of writing, you need to be clear about the aim.

Success is unlikely to be just one thing. Getting attendees along to an event or downloads or clicks might be a short-term goal.

Longer-term success might be building trust and authority so that it leads to more business or earned media as an industry expert or speaker invites.

It will take time and consistency in delivering good quality content.

Who is it for?

Who is this for, and why would they care?

Purpose means diddly flip if you don’t know who your audience is. I’ve written before about being specific, so I won’t repeat that.

Why would they care?

Once you’ve identified them, you need to determine why they would care – what’s in it for them? Why should they invest the time?

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Too clever for words: Why clear copy is more important

I saw a post on LinkedIn about a cold DM asking for a chat but which failed to give vital information. The messenger didn’t say who they were, what they did or why they wanted to set up a meeting.

We’ve all had something similar, but lack of clarity in communication is a problem that is replicated in lots of different areas of business writing.

It might be an obscure LinkedIn profile headline or business website that leaves you none the wiser about what the company actually does.

Bad communication wastes time and leaves a lot of value on the table. For some, it might just be poor communication skills, but for others, it may be the result of a desire to stand out or sound impressive compared to the competition.

If you are a property developer, for example, and say you are a property developer, you sound like everyone other property developer. If you say you provide ‘delivery solutions for client’s built spaces’, it sounds different and perhaps more dynamic.

Too cool for school copy

But it’s what I like to refer to as ‘too cool for school’ copy. It might generate fleeting respect for the fancy language but ultimately will only harm you.

Now, there is nothing wrong with individuality and being clever with words – it’s something I actively encourage. But if it’s not simultaneously communicating clearly what you do or want to say, then the words you’ve chosen are pointless.

If you are an office fit-out company, say you are an office fit-out company, don’t use a fancy phrase like ‘end-to-end workplace solutions’, which is meaningless – and yes, I’ve seen that used on a website.

Fancy language like this also does little for SEO because people aren’t searching for ‘end-to-end workspace solutions’.

So the takeaway is, by all means, be clever, but make sure what you write is still clear. Whether it is a LinkedIn profile, a DM, a website or a piece of content, don’t be too cool for school with what you are communicating.

RELATED: This quick Monday tip, I wrote on LinkedIn focuses on ‘clever’ article headlines that don’t serve and you can read that here.

Found this helpful? Sign up for my email newsletter the B2B Content Clinic to receive fortnightly tips, ideas and inspiration https://www.subscribepage.com/b2bcontentclinic

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Better B2B content: lessons from a comedian

I’m a firm believer in looking outside my industry for B2B content inspiration, ideas and lessons.

An interview with comedian James Acaster proved unexpectedly valuable in how to create better B2B content.

It was The Comedians Comedian podcast, which is funny but also quite a geeky unpicking of comedians’ careers and processes.

So here are four B2B content-related takeaways from the interview to help improve what you write:

🤣 Earlier in his career, James Acaster was a support act, and he explained how he learned different things from the contrasting styles of each comedian he worked with.

B2B content lesson: Learn from different writers and different types of content. Comedians, for example, can teach you a lot about pace and storytelling structure.

🤪 James Acaster has learned (the hard way) that adapting his material to the audience is important.

What material will go down well with a room full of stag and hen parties is different from what will go down well with a room full of comedy connoisseurs.

B2B content lesson: Understand who you are creating the content for and adapt your approach.

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B2B content marketing: How to think like a journalist and get more readers

Journalists are expert information gatherers, storytellers and writers – they have to be, they want people to pay to read what they’ve written or get clicks on their website to satisfy advertisers.

Here are four tips and techniques B2B content creators and content marketers can adopt to make sure content grabs attention, is compelling and stands out from the competition.

1. Finding a good story angle 🔎

AUDIENCE

Journalists are described as having a nose for a story. The first consideration will always be their readers/viewers/listeners: What is most relevant, useful or of interest?

You can see this in action by comparing national newspaper headlines on similar stories. Each publication will angle the story to the interests and demographic of their main readership.

People will read what is useful, interesting and what resonates.

POINT OF DIFFERENCE

Journalists operate in a competitive market. The same press release will likely have gone to their rivals, so they look for a point of difference to make their version of the story stand out.

That might mean finding extra information their rivals don’t have. Or looking beyond the obvious for a different way of telling or illustrating a particular story or idea.

They are good at getting creative.

2. Adding the human and relatable 🕺🏻

Journalists understand the power of people in stories, from profiles and case studies to pull-out quotes and reactions.

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