If this year is anything, it’s uncertain.

But while lockdowns are implemented, lifted, and reimplemented, the fate of the global economy is in chaos, and the nation’s Christmas plans are up in the air, we marketers, at least, know one thing for certain: content marketing has changed in 2020 and paying attention will mean you’re ahead of the selling game as we move into 2021.

Whilst we’ve always had to stay on our trend toes when it comes to keeping our content converting, the unique challenges of this year have filtered into a need to adapt how we use and produce our B2B content even more smartly and quickly than usual.

With in-person meetings and conferences suddenly turned digital along with our subsequent reliance on video meetings and digital pivoting, 67% of B2B buyers, according to Demand Gen’s 2020 Content Preferences Study, say they now rely even more on content than they did last year to research and inform their purchase decisions. And this upsurge in demand for content isn’t just for the purposes of self education. Buyers are calling for, and expecting, richer content experiences from the brands they are engaging, too.

As a marketer, keeping up with the shifts in consumption, format and purpose is integral to finding a level of certainty with the success of the content you’re producing and ultimately, hoping to sell with.

Let’s take a look at the most predominant ways in which content has changed this year, and how you can adapt and vary your offering to create functional, profitable sales processes that keep you ahead and keep your content working for you.

Take Your Leads on a Strategic Content Journey

We’ve always known that no single piece of content – however, good it is – will catapult a client-in-waiting from a state of vague interest to signing on the dotted line in one swoop of a blog post. It just doesn’t happen. It is a journey you need to take them on and offer different content at different stages. And according to the Content Preferences Study, this remains true for 2020:

47% of prospects consume 3 to 6 pieces of content before making a decision or even engaging with a salesperson – and 14% devour 7 pieces.  Much of this is in their self-directed research stages, too, before they even consider consulting a salesperson.

And while a single piece of content won’t make you a sale, it is an integral part of the sales process. In many instances, your content journey can now even be considered as the sales process.

What this means for you:

Think of, plan, and produce your content as part of your selling strategy and treat your content calendar as a sales process. Rather than producing one-off pieces that don’t take your client-in-waiting on a journey, create compelling funnels that engage and nurture your potential client from cold right through to converted. Many of my initial conversations with HR suppliers reveal that they are seeking a single silver content bullet to function as a standalone conversion tool. In working with my clients to map out the journey that their prospects, or clients-in-waiting as I like to call them, will take through their content into a sale, I make it clear that their content is exactly that; a journey.

You Need a Multimedia Cocktail of Collateral

So what is it consumers are looking for in their journey through your content?

There is a clear, growing preference for more visual, interactive and engaging formats when it comes to content.

It’s a multifold desire, and like 2020 itself, content format this year is bucking the norm. No longer will a couple of static blog posts lead to sales --- buyers are poised to be entertained, immersed, stimulated, and impressed by visually rich content offerings.

Indeed, for the first time in the history of the Demand Gen Report survey, video topped the list of formats for buyer consumption with 65% of respondents having engaged with video in their buying process, and video is the medium they are most likely to share.

Yet despite the clear desire for fast, colourful images and sound, and contrary to many marketers’ proclamations that the white paper is dead, classic written formats including white papers remain valuable and have held their own amid the sound and colour, a testament to their enduring efficacy. It’s important to emphasise, though, that while currently trendy multimedia has its value within a strategy, more classic forms of content are still valued. Be mindful to serve up an engaging assortment to broaden your reach but don’t get caught up in the fancy stuff that you skimp on still-respected formats. 

In fact, 60% of B2B buyers consult white papers during the buying process, with 20% of them researching white papers for up to 30 minutes, second only to video. Shorter blogs have also retained their popularity, earning engagement from 56% of buyers.

In a recent interview, the Commercial Director of one of the UK leading HR websites shared with me:

“White papers have always been popular, but we've seen a huge surge in downloads over the last couple of months because people are at home. They're thirsty for knowledge and have a bit more time to read. They want the stats and detailed insights. They want something meaty.”

What this means for you

Experiment with your content offerings. Devise a rich, shareable and engaging content plan that makes use of classic, reliable white papers and blogs, along with interactives, podcasts, webinars, video format, and social media. Aim for snackable content that is rooted in a more in-depth, long form piece. Repurposing content is the aim.

And Make it Shareable

If your content is now hyper-engaging, then by default you’ve likely created content that is shareable.

Peer to peer influence is growing with 70% of potential buyers sharing content with colleagues over email and 81% via LinkedIn.

This means that if your content is captivating your initial viewers enough to prompt them to share it across their networks, you have the potential to gain immediate influence with potentially thousands of new audiences without any extra work on your part.

Again, the sharing trend isn’t reserved only for newer forms of content.

41% of B2B buyers say they share white papers with their peers. And with almost 50% of buyers willing to leave their information, including their email address, company name, and job title, in exchange for a white paper, this content form has huge leverage potential in forming important parts of your sales process.

This supports the assertion from that same Commercial Director, that white papers “are a preferred form of content in HR. We see that around 85% of clients’ white papers generate truly valuable leads. It’s THE marketing tool out there at the moment.”

What this means for you:

Don’t be modest with where you post your content. Share your links to multiple social media platforms, particularly Twitter and LinkedIn. This makes your collateral accessible and easily shareable and it will therefore enjoy wide reach across a variety of audiences.

But don’t forget the strong and direct CTAs that prompt your readers to share and include sharing buttons on blog posts and newsletters to make it as easy as possible for them to do their part in extending the reach of your sales process!

Cater to Consumption Habits

Like most of us these days, buyers are usually on the go or skim reading and with the switch to working from home, more people are turning to their phones for a quick swipe between Zoom meetings and while boiling the kettle. Your reader therefore requires quick and concise answers, which they won’t even get to unless you hook them with smart and fast headlines.

Although, this isn’t the case across the board. Different formats of content perform differently between mobile and laptop viewing with longer-form content more likely to be digested on a laptop whereas shorter, faster, more skimmable content such as video earns more engagement on mobile.

What this means for you:

Be aware of where people are viewing your content, use analytics to track their consumption habits and adhere to their preferences in your strategy for maximum efficacy. For instance, we might not be watching video content silently on the sly now we’re working from home, but it pays to know when your audience is watching on mobile, and that video captioning will therefore remain an advantage if you want your videos watched, engaged with, and shared.

On the other hand, white papers are unlikely to be read on mobile and are also less likely to be skimmed, so forget the flip book style that is hard to print or cannot be referred to later.  Instead, make your white papers easily downloadable, saveable and shareable -- but know that it never hurts to ensure they are also mobile optimised.

Become a Trusted Source

Consumers are getting savvy when it comes to authenticity and are more discerning than ever with whether they trust the producer of and sources within the content they engage with. It makes sense when you consider that buyers firstly need to be convinced themselves, but it’s likely they then need to present their purchase decisions to their team members, so they need solid means of backing up their case. Help them out with that, and you earn their trust.

More than half of B2B buyers now place a higher emphasis on the trustworthiness of the sources presented to them and 43% seek content with industry and thought leader contributors as a sign of credibility – so credentials are essential.

What this means for you:

It’s time to grow your thought leadership – and lead with thought.

Consider the types of content that can best showcase you as a leader and your ability to solve a business's challenges. Whilst fast form video and social media might get you that reach and present your ability to adapt, it’s blogs and white papers that will display your credibility.

To earn the trust of your audience, consider how you employ tone of voice and present research and multiple perspectives to develop an inclusive, approachable voice of authority. Make use of psychology with astute language use and copy. Use proper citations and expect them to be followed up on by your reader. Learn who your audience trusts and find inspiration in their messaging and style. Devise your content calendar to include interviews and collaborations with industry experts within your network and make sure they share your content to their audience.

Finally, know that whilst data, research and citations are important, no statistics will convert your buyer if your content is lacking in the human touch. We might have all retreated behind masks and screens this year, but we’re still people behind the shields, and so are buyers! So write with the intention of educating rather than selling, be diligent with your proof but don’t trade being technical for the magic touch of classic emotion.

If you’re ready to talk about how content marketing needs a rethink in your marketing plan, then get in touch.