We've all heard the phrase "Content is King." There is no question the content of your emails, blogs, websites, and even social media outlets has never been more important for driving engagement and meeting the needs of customers. In 2011 more than ever, it is essential to provide not just more new content but more content that is relevant and useful to readers. The experts over at MarketingProfs have come up with Key B2B Trends in Content, Social Media in 2011 to help you stay ahead of the curve. We've outlined three key points below.
1. Social media = Lots of room for growth
It's clear many businesses have at least tested the waters when it comes to social media and B2B marketers understand the value of social media as a tool to connect with customers and grow their businesses. However, few companies have yet to use the social tool set to its complete potential. According to a recent study by Harvard Business Review Analytic Services only 12% of business executives answered their companies were using social media efficiently. Why is that? Many are unsure of how to approach social media while others still doubt of the real value of using social outlets.
Tip: Use social media as a platform to promote existing blog posts or an email offer. Don't forget you can easily use Social Sharing from within your VerticalResponse account (under VR Statistics > Account Information) to share sent emails using social networks like Twitter and Facebook.
2. Say Yes to Content Marketing
Most B2B marketers have come to accept that they are also "publishers." In addition to simply selling their products they must also produce useful content to gain the interest of potential customers and to educate readers. Producing just any content will not suffice. It's important to create engaging and empathetic content for full marketing effectiveness. Producing the right kind of content can be a marketer's largest hurdle. To create useful and relevant content put yourself in the shoes of a potential customer and consider what you can to do to best suit their needs. By learning to create interesting and compelling content your website or blog will undoubtedly become a valuable resource.
Tip: Content is more than words. B2B companies should differentiate content to include other forms of material such as audio files, videos, charts and even live demonstrations. You can repurpose existing text content you already have into other content forms. Check out the weekly VerticalResponse for SalesForce live demonstration or browse our How To Do Everything SalesForce page for inspiration!
3. Look at the Big Picture
It's easy to get caught up on the day to day fluctuations in social media stats: number of fans or followers on Facebook, number of email retweets, number of YouTube views, and on and on. Although, the details and daily numbers are interesting to look at, what really counts is sales.
Just as you would with any marketing investment, it's important to measure the affects of social media and the overall ROI. Stay focused on the big picture to maximize the benefits of social media. For B2B and social media this means connecting with your customers in a meaningful way that actually makes them want to do business with you.
Tip: Remember, you can always view the return on investment and click-to-conversion of your email campaigns in your VerticalResponse account. For more on ROI, click-to-conversion and Google Analytics integration in your VR for SalesForce account, view our how to video tutorials: Turn on Google Analytics Integration, Click-to-Conversion Tracking and Revenue & ROI Calculator.
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