Mastering the art of B2B content in 2024

In the world of B2B marketing, content is indeed still king. It serves as the bridge that connects your brand to your target audience, providing valuable information, building trust, and ultimately driving conversions. 

Of the 1,600 B2B ads shown to a sample of 6 million people worldwide over the past four years, 75% scored one star or less on System1’s FaceTrace emotional measurement tool. In this context, a one-star rating means a piece of creative is contributing absolutely zero in terms of long-term market share growth. A one-star rated creative essentially means the brand is entirely reliant on out-spending in its category, rather than benefiting from the strength of good creative. 

In this blog, we will explore the crucial elements of a winning content strategy that will elevate your B2B marketing efforts in 2024 and beyond.

What type of content is hot in 2024?

Effective B2B content marketing involves a diverse range of content types, each serving a specific purpose in your marketing strategy. Let's explore some of the most valuable content formats - short form video, case studies, testimonials, podcasts, blogs and downloadables. 

Short-form Videos

Short, snappy videos are not just a B2C tactic. They work remarkably well on B2B channels, such as LinkedIn. When combined with other paid tactics, short-form videos can cut through the boring clutter and act as an attention magnet for prospects. Whether it's explainers, product demos, or thought leadership content, videos offer a dynamic way to convey complex information and engage your audience visually.

Hot tip:

Set aside a half or full day per quarter to film a bunch of these all in one go. It’s the easiest way to engage your senior executives and subject matter experts inside your business, without it feeling like a constant nagging burden. Plan around a few key themes, and then break them down into bite sized chunks of 15-30 seconds. 

Blogs

Are blogs still relevant in a world of bite-sized and snackable content? Short answer is yes. They’re still a staple of content marketing. What’s different in 2024, is that AI has raised the “floor” of content quality, but it also means that you need to do more to stand out from a sea of homogenous AI-produced content.

Blogs still allow you to establish your expertise, provide insights, and engage your audience with informative articles. Regularly updated blogs can improve your website's visibility and drive organic traffic. 

Hot tip:

Use the likes of ChatGPT to produce your ‘evergreen’ informational blog content, but ensure you tailor it to your audience and with your own tone of voice, and pepper it with relevant real-life examples of how you do it.

Case Studies & Testimonials

Customer testimonials and reviews are powerful forms of social proof. They provide authenticity and build trust with potential clients. 

Case studies showcase your success stories. They provide real-world examples of how your product or service solved a specific problem for a customer. These tangible results can be incredibly persuasive for potential clients who face similar challenges.

Hot tip / tool: 

Pulling case studies together can feel like pulling teeth… But we’ve cracked an easier way to do it (for yourself and for your customers). We use VideoAsk to give your clients a structured, easy way to share their experiences and insights. It gives us video content, plus transcriptions, that we can break down into multiple variations for use on different platforms.

Podcasts

Podcasts are an excellent medium for delivering valuable insights in a longer-form audio format (plus bonus video content if you film them as well, which you absolutely should!) 

Often, these longer conversations come across more naturally and will lend themselves to a more conversational tone, really enhancing the presenter and guests’ industry knowledge and insights.

Podcasts can also be repurposed into other forms of content, such as blog posts or video transcripts.

Hot tip: 

Just like the short form video content above, book a podcast recording session once a quarter to get a few episodes (conversations) in the can all at once. We have a podcast studio built for this very purpose!

Downloadable eBooks & Guides

Before you ask the question, the answer is YES! People do still download eBooks and guides that provide in-depth knowledge on specific topics! They are valuable assets for lead generation, as you can offer them in exchange for basic contact information. These comprehensive resources position your brand as an authoritative source of information. 

Hot tip:

Be over-the-top in your generosity of information. If you’re going to do an eBook, make it the most useful thing you’ve ever done! Pack it full of helpful links, stats, tools and tips (like this one). 

Tailoring content to the buyer's journey  

Not all content is created equal, and it shouldn't be. Different stages of the buyer's journey require different types of content. Here's a breakdown of how to tailor your content to each stage:

Awareness

At the awareness stage, your audience is quite possibly not even problem-aware, or only just discovering that they have a pain point. Your content should focus on providing educational and informative content that addresses their challenges without directly promoting your product or service. Content types for this stage include:

• Social content that speaks to your brand’s high-level pains & gains

• Brand ads with key messaging

• Clear, easy-to-digest website and landing pages with high-level information

Consideration

During the consideration stage, your audience is actively evaluating potential solutions. This is where you can start introducing your product or service, but always with a focus on how it can solve their problems. Content types for this stage include:

• Case studies & testimonials 

• Tailored, campaign-specific landing pages

• FAQs

• Whitepapers or eBooks on specific topics

Decision

At the decision stage, your audience is ready to make a purchase decision. Your content should provide the final push they need to choose your product or service. Content types for this stage include:

• Pricing guides

• Product demos or webinars

• In-person events

• Assessments, free quotes, strategy calls

• Direct, detailed information about your offering

• Clear calls to action (CTAs) guiding them to contact your sales team

By tailoring your content to match the buyer's journey, you can provide the right information at the right time, increasing the likelihood of conversion.