You know that feeling when you connect with someone who shares your passion for marketing? Maybe you swap success stories, share links to your favorite niche publications, or use industry jargon like you’re both in on a sweet inside joke.
Too often, we fail to realize the bubble created around industry professionals. Unfortunately, that exclusivity can start to affect our marketing strategy, especially within B2B content marketing.
Yes, we’re all professionals with a solid foundation of industry knowledge. But remember, we’re people too. We like clear, personable, and relatable messaging as much as any other consumer.
Let’s stop marketing to each other like we’re robots.
Here are four ways to humanize your B2B content marketing strategy:
1 – Convey your product’s value with a user-friendly voice.
Too often, we get caught up in speaking with internal jargon. Instead of promoting a product with the user in mind, we make the mistake of speaking from a stale, professional point of view.
To give your content more mileage to run (and resonate), talk about your product’s value in terms of how your audience will benefit.
Speak to the context of their lifestyles and pain points. Your product is the best solution to their problem. Show them how.
When you level with your audience, your content is more likely to resonate. A little break from the corporate vocabulary means more candid opportunities to learn about how you can serve your customer. In turn, you’ll likely gain insight as to how and why they use your product.
nTopology, a market leader in advanced manufacturing software, does that well with saying exactly what their platform is and what it was built to do.
Source: https://ntopology.com/
2 – Mix it up with multimedia – No one person learns the same way.
It’s no secret we all learn differently. We each have our preferred methods for learning with styles ranging from audio to visual to multi-sensory.
Everyone is different in how they process and retain information. In fact, there are eight recognized learning types you can use to better appeal to your customers.
Maybe they’re a visual learner with images and videos as their preferred way to absorb information.
Maybe they’re a verbal learner, best absorbing information when it’s written, read, or spoken out loud.
Maybe they’re a logical learner, relying on tried and true procedures to help them master a topic.
These are just some of the ways we learn. Even these classifications barely touch on the complex experiences of your audience.
According to workdesign.com, one in eight people is considered neurodiverse with fewer than 50 percent knowing it.
Why doesn’t our marketing speak to that?
It’s our role as marketers to create content that clicks with our audience. It’s also our role to ensure that content is accessible.
Product inclusion has been gaining traction as essential to any company’s product roadmap, but marketing is the voice that solidifies that inclusive perspective for your audience.
Be sensible of these differences. For example, a visually stimulating ad that catches your eye might confuse and discourage those working differently to process the information.
Find the sweet spot between content that’s compelling AND accessible.
With the rise in consumption of video-based content, the introduction of audio-based platforms like Clubhouse, and increased demand for features like Instagram’s latest auto-captioning for Stories, we’re seeing static content become the exception to an increasingly inclusive environment.
Here are some ways you can diversify your content with more inclusive formats:
- Create video testimonials and explainers with directive text overlay so there are multiple ways to absorb the information. Loom is a GREAT product that enables auto-captioning, native call-to-action boxes in every video frame as well as several features which allow you to edit with ease to push out product marketing videos in as little as a few minutes.
- Create engaging auditory content like audio blogs featuring clear and expressive speakers for those who learn best by listening in.
- Create captivating product GIFs/memes. These work as excellent silent ads for those who can’t hear.
Source: Loom.com
3 – Personalize at scale by segmenting your audience.
If you’re overwhelmed by all the goodness in this article, fear not. This one is an easy way to humanize your B2B marketing strategy without sacrificing too much time and energy.
You’ve probably noticed similarities between your audience segments. Maybe they have similar interests, similar trends, or even similar learning styles.
Humanize your efforts AND make your job easier by targeting multiple personas in the same campaign. Just be sure you’re speaking to their pain points. Mailchimp has done this with showcasing different features via outcome-driven messaging in their display campaigns. Driving home, the how and why, they should be your premier choice when evaluating a marketing automation solution for your SMB or enterprise.
Source: https://moat.com/advertiser/mailchimp
4 – Be consistent on the platforms that matter the most to your prospects.
Note we said most. Between Linkedin, Twitter, and now Clubhouse, keeping up feels impossible. Resist the temptation to give in to the overwhelm. Stick to your purpose and you’ll stand out.
Focus on remaining reliable, consistent, and engaged in the spaces where your audience is most active.
Where do you see the most user comments, mentions, clicks?
Do users mention your website or app when reviewing your product on sites like G2 or Capterra?
Use tools like Google Analytics to understand where your traffic is going. Which pieces of content seem to click with your audience?
Platforms like Gong provide additional market intelligence, helping you understand what’s happening in your market while pointing out any areas for potential improvement.
Use these insights to invest in the channels that matter the most to your customer’s buyer journey. Give the people what they want!
Let’s recap, shall we? Here’s how you’re going to humanize your B2B content marketing strategy:
- You’re going to drop the marketing speak and talk about your product’s value from the user’s point of view.
- You’re going to diversify your content types so they’re accessible for the varying needs and learning styles of your audience.
- You’re going to simplify, targeting multiple personas with similar interests in the same campaign.
- You’re going to show up in the same online spaces as your audience, using insights to maximize the resonance of your content.
Now that you’re armed with these actionable tactics, you’re ready to trade the robot act for effective, personable messaging that speaks right to the heart of your audience. Let’s do this!
