How to Build an Effective B2B Content Marketing Strategy

What We Discussed with Brad

On this episode, host Eric Dickmann interviews Brad Smith about how to build an effective B2B content marketing strategy. Here are some highlights of our conversation:

• [00:02:39] The big trends in SEO and content development – SEO rules are constantly changing. According to Brad, SEO has always been like a zero-sum game where to get all the results, businesses have to be in the top one or two or three positions on the most commercial terms in their space or the ones with the largest volume. As the trends change and the competitors multiply, so does the difficulty to rank higher in Google. Search engines are also prioritizing paid ads and listings over free listing spaces. Smith adds that with this confluence of factors that are happening simultaneously, it has become more difficult to rank and get visibility on your content. 
• [00:04:49] Will Apple be joining the search engine game? - Brad Smith believes that there is a large possibility that Apple will enter into the search engine game. He adds that it will only be a matter of time before Google is no longer able to have the same monopoly that it currently does because of the evolution of voice search and other big online features. You won't be seeing a better Google. Instead, voice search will become a bigger problem or a bigger opportunity.
• [00:06:37] Creating content in the era of video content – Marketing is getting increasingly complex. What was once a single work stream turns into multiple streams to get content in front of prospects. There is much video content and people prefer watching content more than reading 10,000 word long posts. Smith explains that for the time being, he and his team gets the best of both video and written content by doing video summaries and snippets on top of written blogs and articles. It is a question of how they can create video or other media types to satisfy users and give a two-minute takeaway with summaries.
• [00:07:50] The complexity of marketing – Marketers are required to exert much more effort into their strategies and content building. Despite the struggles, Brad finds modern times challenging and exciting. For instance, Brad Smith is not just looking for good writers; they are also searching for people who can design, polish, and produce quality content. He adds that as much as possible, it would be great for businesses to consider publishing more than one piece of content every week. Doing this will give them a higher chance to scale faster and connect with their desired customers. 
• [00:09:49] The problem agitate solution – Some businesses don't have an organized blogging strategy. Sometimes, they just publish content that is only related to their product or service. Brad advises companies not to expect a significant volume of traffic if all their content is product-centered. As much as possible, check your Google analytics and monitor what aspects are actually bringing people to the company's website. Brad then introduces a formula called problem agitate solution. In other words, if your product is the solution, what are the various problems that the product is solving for people? Businesses usually get that by talking to customers, looking at support requests, and talking to customer service. He further adds that doing proper keyword research and discussing the topics on top of the list are also great ways to keep the audience engaged and interested in revisiting the company's online platforms.
• [00:13:23] Creating unbiased content – It is best to observe what the competitors are writing and publishing. Businesses don't have to endorse their products or services all the time. Give the audience unbiased and valuable information that will help them in their journey and position the content In a way that customers don't feel that they are just being sold.
• [00:15:19] What should I do if the article I published is ranking for something different? – Brad Smith strongly advises to leave it as it is and try again because businesses don't want to break something that is not broken. Even if they didn't intend to obtain a good ranking on that particular search topic, they have to let that article stand and create a new attempt on the original objective.
• [00:22:08] How do you take a more aggressive stance against competitors? – Businesses may become frustrated that a good and valuable piece of content still ranks low and their competitors ranks higher.  How can businesses rank higher than a page that has less value or no value at all? According to Brad, there are five variables that should be taken into consideration- Is your content good? Is your content written well? Is it informed? Is it insightful? Is it long enough? He also adds that applying more effort on PR, link building, and driving site awareness are great tactics to level the playing field and outrank your competitors.
• [00:25:09] The upsides and downsides of link-building - Though back links are essential to increasing  web visibility, businesses should refrain from accepting all writing offers. It Is crucial for businesses to filter the personalities who will be featured on their product or service website. The content should be in line with the nature of their business, and they wouldn't want readers to ask- Why is this particular topic being discussed all of a sudden? Brad encourages businesses to do something interesting because it's always about finding their unique and interesting angle or hook.
• [00:28:33] Think about how to scale for everything – It takes a lot of effort to research, email, and follow up the people with who they want to build links with, and sometimes at the end, the results don't match your efforts. Brad Smith encourages moving the needle and exploring different ways to increase your visibility and engage with diverse groups of people. Businesses must be able to leverage the activities that can get them the volume and quantity without wasting so much time and investments.
• [00:31:15] How do you find the right companies to work with in order to create the kind of content that's really going to be valuable for your business? – There are many SEO services and content companies out there selling their expertise in creative writing or content creation, but most of the time, their writers only have general knowledge of an industry. Since businesses may not have time to write blogs or fill in their content calendar, there is a need to hire VAs or experts who are familiar with the business and can write in the business's voice. How can businesses hire the right people? Smith informs business owners that they  have to identify their budget and try to invest in real experts in the field because they don't just write from the textbook definition; they write from experience.
• [00:36:22] Are pillar pages still worth it? – Brad believes that pillar pages are still worth investing in. As much as possible, he urges business owners to sit with writes or subject matter experts and consult with them about improving their content strategy for their business. Businesses can't conceptualize and write everything alone, so they will be needing people who can help them achieve their business goals.
• [00:38:33] Wordable – Brad Smith explains how Wordable works and how it can help companies write and publish content faster and effectively.