Expert Tips to

Generate More Engagement

From Your B2B Content in 2016 8

of marketers list brand engagement as the number one objective best supported by content marketing.

[Source - Digiday]

67%

of B2B content marketers say creating engaging content is one of their most

prominent content marketing struggles.

72%And yet,

[Source - Content Marketing Institute]

Engagement matters, but more and more B2B marketers are struggling with creating engaging content.

So, we decided to ask the experts — the marketing leaders who are executing some killer content strategies — to share their sage wisdom and help shed some light on how to tackle the engagement issue.

Here’s what they had to say! ~>

Figure out how engagement will help you reach your goals.

Michele Linn

1

I would first consider why engagement is the metric you are seeking. How will more shares and comments help you achieve your goals (such as subscribers, leads, revenue)? If you do see a correlation between shares and your goals, I would use a tool like BuzzSumo to see which of your content — as well as that of your competitors — have had the most engagement on a specific platform. Are your readers looking for templates? Videos? Advice on a certain topic? I would then consider how you can produce more content in that vein.

VP  of  Content,  Content  Marke/ng  Ins/tute  

Michele Linn

Do your research.

Steve Rayson

2

I think content marketers need to pay more attention to research, amplification, and monitoring. However, the key is research. Ensure you know what questions your audience are asking and the issues that keep them awake at night. The real opportunity is before you create your content. Research will help you identify the content that works, what gets shared, the headlines that engage, how content gets amplified, and where the opportunities are.

Steve Rayson Director,  Buzzsumo  

Start from step zero.

Anum Hussain

3

Engage from step zero. Marketers are always thinking about how to earn a click, comment, or share once someone arrives on a post — but what about the medium through which they land on that post? Take subscribers for example. Most new subscribers begin receiving the next new post a blog publishes, regardless of if that post will be a success or failure. For the Sidekick Blog, we entered new subscribers into an email workflow that sent them our very best content the first few weeks they were subscribed (more on that here), leading to stronger engagement right from the beginning of our relationship. We found this led to greater reader retention over time.

Senior  Growth  Marketer,  HubSpot  

Anum Hussain

Use content to "remove a step".

Jay Acunzo

4

Jay Acunzo VP  of  PlaBorm  and  Content,  

NextView  Ventures  

To determine [if content is interesting for an audience], I turn to a great idea by Ev Williams. He says that innovating online is about identifying a desire someone has, lining up all the steps it takes them to fulfill that, and then using technology to remove those steps. We can do the same with content! Maybe your audience is struggling to secure more budget from their boss. An advice column could be okay, but if you notice a lack of engagement, ask what step you can remove from their process entirely — say, through a pre-designed, pre-arranged deck to tell a compelling story to their boss. Suddenly, you'll notice people not only engage with their content, but their nice comments start ending not in periods, but in exclamation points. Few things are better signs of a truly engaged reader, prospect, and customer.

Get the conversation going.

Matt Heinz

5

Most content is flat, one-dimensional, and non-engaging. Even a simple blog post can turn those negative attributes around! Use your content to ask questions, engage your audience, and invite them to respond. Get them involved in a conversation, then engage right back! We all want to know people are listening, that our ideas and responses are recognized and appreciated. That’s incredibly easy to do with your content, and the impact it has on engagement, response, attention, and trust is exponential.

President,  Heinz  Marke/ng  

Matt Heinz

Think beyond B2B.

Owen Fuller

6

Forget the phrase 'B2B'. That might be your business model, but shouldn't describe your communication style. Think person-to-person — 'P2P' — instead. In 2016, go for more segmentation and personalization. Don't know where to start? Talk with 100 customers this month in person or by phone, and you'll gather the insights that you need to hatch your master plan.

Owen Fuller Chief  Evangelist,  

Movement  Ventures  

Listen to your customers.

Cassandra Jowett

7

Most B2B marketers struggle to create engaging content because their customers are not involved in the content creation process — at all. Start by actively listening to your customers' feedback: ask what they'd like to see as a customer and what would have been valuable to them during the buying process. Long before you A/B test any subject lines with your whole database, you should be A/B testing those ideas with your customer base to allow the best ones to rise to the top. Then, find ways to feature your biggest advocates in the content you end up producing. If a piece of content isn't informed by and/or doesn't feature your advocates, you're going to keep struggling.

Content  Marke/ng  Manager,  Influi/ve  

Cassandra Jowett

Do the unexpected.

Barry Feldman

8

Barry Feldman Owner  &  Crea/ve  Director,  

Feldman  Crea/ve  

Toss some sparks into the engine room. Really. Engagement means action. If you want people to take action, you need to fire 'em up. Present something passionate, opinionated, bold — something unexpected.

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