Blog Bundle: Creating a Content Machine

Over the last couple of months, our ‘No Contest’ blog series has outlined how to build effective B2B content marketing programmes. The central principle is simple: do less, better. Business decision makers are overloaded with content and it’s only the very best that cuts through.

If you’re not content with your content, summarised below is our best advice to help you win.

Where does most content go wrong?

Martin highlights the five biggest content marketing mistakes, covering a lack of clear direction; bad planning; ideas being watered down by the rest of the business; fragmented sales and marketing departments; and hoping that a one-off email will be enough to make change happen.

The risk of all this, he believes, is marketers “spend a lot of wasted time and budget on assets that don’t work... Worse still, you risk confusing them with poorly planned messages”.

Is your business suffering from any of these issues? Good news if so as our next blog explains how to overcome them!

How can you fine tune your content machine?

Including elves, sheep and plenty of car puns, Toby’s blog looks at what steps to take to overcome each of the five issues outlined in the first blog. Highlights include ‘content strategy shouldn’t come from a spokesperson’s latest musings’, and ‘start with a compelling theme and idea’.

Our next blog goes into this final advice point in more detail.

Is one big idea really enough?

Rachael claims it is, in fact she thinks that a ‘big, stretchy idea can be the elixir to cure most B2B content marketing ailments’. Quite an ask but stick with her! If done in the right way ‘this idea (or overarching message) ties your content together into one cohesive theme, providing the inspiration for multiple content assets that can be repurposed across all of your channels.’

How do you create this ‘hero’ content?

Thanks to Duncan, we learn how to really make that killer idea work. Create, Adapt and Repeat is his adage:

• Create: Design hero content assets that position companies as ‘thinking brands’ and industry thought leaders.
• Adapt: Repurpose that hero content across channels, geographies and, where possible, verticals.
• Repeat: Use the content across the buying cycle and throughout the sales funnel.

What does the buyer journey look like?

Now this is where it gets really practical! Our very own Marketing Director Lauren talks in our penultimate blog in the series about how to create content for each stage of the buyer cycle – early (awareness), middle (evaluation), late (purchase).

Don’t miss the checklists and frameworks that will ensure you’re making the most of your content and putting yourself in the best position to create and support sales.

What does a good piece of content look like?

From attracting leads to securing a face-to-face meeting to signing on the dotted line, we bring to life what your content should aspire to using dating analogies. It is both an insight into Tara’s life and effective content: “Don’t let the relationship fizzle out. Surprise your partner with fresh ideas and new approaches”.

As if that wasn’t enough, for more frameworks and ideas download our free ebook: A marketer’s guide to winning the content race.