Did you miss #ContentWritingChat this week? You can catch up with all of the amazing tips shared during the chat with our recap. Keep reading to learn about content writing for B2B and B2C!
#ContentWritingChat Recap: B2B vs. B2C Content Writing: Best Practices & Strategies with Sparxoo
Join us for #ContentWritingChat on August 30th at 10 AM CDT with @emilymariemc of @sparxoo! pic.twitter.com/1Kfht7Ah1M
— Express Writers (@ExpWriters) August 23, 2016
Our guest host this week was Emily Culclasure from Sparxoo. Emily is their Content Marketing Specialist and had tons of knowledge to share with us!
Q1: What are the main differences between creating content for B2B and B2C?
If you aren’t already aware, let’s first talk about what B2B and B2C stands for. B2B means Business to Business. B2C means Business to Consumer. There are a few differences for creating content for each of these that you want to be aware of! Here are some tips from Tuesday’s chat:
A1:B2B content has a heavier focus on thought leadership to establish authority and trust. #ContentWritingChat
— Emily Culclasure (@emilymariemc) August 30, 2016
A2:B2C content emphasizes benefits, such as cost effectiveness or added value, to create buzz about brands. #ContentWritingChat
— Emily Culclasure (@emilymariemc) August 30, 2016
As Emily said, B2B content often has a heavier focus on thought leadership to help establish both authority and trust. She said B2C content emphasizes benefits to the consumer.
A1: It’s about their audience. Everything should start with your audience, and they are different btwn B2B & B2C. #contentwritingchat
— Annaliese Henwood (@MktgInnovator) August 30, 2016
The main difference is the audience B2B and B2C are targeting. As Annaliese said, you have to start with knowing your audience.
A1: You’re writing for different audiences, which drastically changes the tone you use to write & content you share. #contentwritingchat
— Netvantage Marketing (@netvantage) August 30, 2016
Lexie agrees that one of the main differences is the audience you’re creating for. It can change the tone in which you write, the type of content you share, and more.
A1: B2B usually focuses on educational content and industry knowledge. B2C can focus more on emotion, etc. #contentwritingchat
— MioDatos (@MioDatos) August 30, 2016
When it comes to B2B, the content is usually focused on education content and industry knowledge. When creating content for B2C, it’s often more focused on emotion to draw in your audience.
@writingchat Understanding the needs of both audiences and adapting your content to provide value for each #ContentWritingChat
— Keystone Click (@KeystoneClick) August 30, 2016
Keystone Click knows you need to understand the needs of your audience and adapt your content accordingly. You should always focus on providing value, no matter who your audience is.
A1 Different tones, more intensive research. Talk to the audience in their language. Use the right voice (fun vs. dry) #ContentWritingChat
— Julia McCoy (@JuliaEMcCoy) August 30, 2016
Our CEO, Julia, said the tone is often different when creating content for each. You want to make sure you’re speaking to your audience in a language that resonates with them.
Q2: How does user into factor in B2B and B2C content? What are the differences?
What are the differences between the two? Find out what some of the participants in this week’s chat had to say:
A1:B2B buyers are often further along the buyer’s journey and seek data or statistics that prove a brand’s authority. #ContentWritingChat
— Emily Culclasure (@emilymariemc) August 30, 2016
A2:B2C consumers can be in any stage of the buyer’s journey, so brand awareness and relationship-building is essential. #ContentWritingChat
— Emily Culclasure (@emilymariemc) August 30, 2016
Emily said B2B buyers often seek data or statistics to prove a brand’s authority. Because a B2C buyer can be at any stage in the journey, brand awareness and relationship building is essential.
A2: B2B users (often) do thorough research to choose credible biz; B2C (often) rely on emotion #ContentWritingChat https://t.co/tcFqUa35o8
— ThinkSEM (@ThinkSEM) August 30, 2016
Sarah said B2B users often do thorough research when choosing a credible business. B2C often rely on their emotions.
A2: Both are looking for information, but very different info. B2B wants more in-depth info. B2C is more awareness. #contentwritingchat
— Netvantage Marketing (@netvantage) August 30, 2016
Lexie knows that both are looking for information, but they’re often looking for different kinds of information. B2B wants more in-depth information while B2C is more about awareness.
A2. a) B2B needs to be more direct- a reader often lands on your page looking for a solution for an existing problem. #ContentWritingChat
— Cheryl Joy (@CherylJoy2) August 30, 2016
Cheryl feels B2B needs to be more direct. She said a reader will often land on your website looking for a solution for an existing problem. You need to be able to provide that solution for them.
A2. b) The ‘B’ doesn’t stand for ‘boring’ in B2B. However, the need to inform & educate overrides entertainment in B2B. #ContentWritingChat
— Cheryl Joy (@CherylJoy2) August 30, 2016
As Cheryl said, content for a B2B doesn’t have to be boring. You can still inform and educate your audience without being dull.
A2. But be careful in assuming that your B2B consumers have the same knowledge you do. Everyone benefits from education! #contentwritingchat
— pamelahughes (@pamelahughes) August 30, 2016
Pamela said that everyone benefits from education. Don’t assume your audience knows everything you know. Make sure you’re informing them.
@writingchat A2 – The sales cycle is longer for B2B, so it generally takes more touches for B2B to purchase. #ContentWritingChat
— globalHMA (@globalHMA) August 30, 2016
You also want to keep in mind that the sales cycle for B2B is often longer. Make sure you’ve created content for your customer at every step of their journey.
Q3: What are some tips for creating an effective editorial calendar for your content?
We all know an editorial calendar is important. To help you create one that’s effective, keep these tips in mind:
A:Account for seasonality and timeliness. Balance content creation and curation, and always keep the user in mind. #ContentWritingChat
— Emily Culclasure (@emilymariemc) August 30, 2016
Emily said to make sure you account for seasonality and timeliness. Consider what’s coming up and adapt your content accordingly. She also recommends balancing creation with curation and keeping your audience in mind.
A3: Knowing your audience, first & foremost. How often do they expect/want to see your content? #ContentWritingChat https://t.co/S5c5t21ghW
— ThinkSEM (@ThinkSEM) August 30, 2016
As Sarah said, knowing your audience is essential. You have to know what they want from you, plus how often they’d like to see content from you.
A3. Identify the problem and ‘consistently’ solving it through content, establish a content voice, track progress. #ContentWritingChat
— Cheryl Joy (@CherylJoy2) August 30, 2016
Know the problems your audience is facing and plan out content that will help them.
A3) get together with your sales team. What/who is in the pipeline? How can you plan along that process? #ContentWritingChat
— Jeff Reno(e) (@Renoe) August 30, 2016
Jenn feels it’s helpful to get together with your sales team to create content that’s appropriate for your audience.
.@ExpWriters #ContentWritingChat A3. Do it together. You can’t surely leave out your SEO person or copywriter while creating the calendar.
— Pratik Mohapatra (@mohapatrapratik) August 30, 2016
Pratik said to include multiple people on your team including your SEO person and your copywriter.
A3: Plan for the upcoming month. Don’t procrastinate till you’re overwhelmed / at a loss. Be thorough but flexible. #contentwritingchat
— Annaliese Henwood (@MktgInnovator) August 30, 2016
Annaliese’s advice is to plan for the upcoming month. Don’t leave your editorial calendar until the last minute. When you have your content planned in advance, it makes content creation so much easier.
A3. Know which dates impact your customers the most and plan ~1 month in advance if you can. #contentwritingchat
— Kristen Dunleavy (@KristenWritesIt) August 30, 2016
Kristen also recommends planning at least one month in advance. She said to keep in mind any important dates for your customers.
A3: Plan ahead of time. Try to map out the best times/days to post your content. Get to know your audiences’ user habits #ContentWritingChat
— Father. Food. Fun. (@FatherFoodFun) August 30, 2016
Planning ahead of time makes things so much easier. Figure out your best days and times to post. Get to know your audience and how they respond.
A3: Consistency! Being consistent will help your audience know when to check back fro new content. #contentwritingchat
— Netvantage Marketing (@netvantage) August 30, 2016
Lexie knows consistency is key! You want to stick to a schedule that works for you so your audience knows when to expect new content. It gives them something to look forward to.
@writingchat A3: Testing, testing, testing. Be sure to test different forms of content to find out what works #ContentWritingChat
— Tracy Willis (@tracywillis_) August 30, 2016
Testing is a must! As Tracy said, you need to test to see which kinds of content resonate with your audience. It’ll let you know what you should create more of and less of.
a3: We love @trello!!! The boards make it too easy to move things around and make everyone aware of changes. #ContentWritingChat
— Jobs2Careers (@Jobs2Careers) August 30, 2016
The Jobs2Careers team finds Trello very helpful in organizing their editorial calendar.
A3: Plan your time. Either using technology or good, old-fashioned pen and paper (my choice.) #ContentWritingChat
— Justine Perry (@justine_perry) August 30, 2016
For Justine, she relies on good ol’ pen and paper to create her editorial calendar. Do what works best for you!
Q4: What are some tips for succeeding at content marketing for a B2B? A B2C?
How can you succeed at content marketing for a B2B or B2C? Check out these tips from the chat:
A1:For B2B content, demonstrate industry expertise and use industry jargon. Make sure your USP is direct and clear. #ContentWritingChat
— Emily Culclasure (@emilymariemc) August 30, 2016
A2:For B2C content, build a relationship with your audience. Focus on aspirations, positive emotions and storytelling. #ContentWritingChat
— Emily Culclasure (@emilymariemc) August 30, 2016
With B2B content, Emily said to demonstrate your industry expertise and use industry jargon. She also said to make sure your USP is direct and clear to your audience.
For B2C content, she said to focus on building a relationship with your audience. She recommends focusing on aspirations, positive emotions, and storytelling.
A4: Know how to write to your audience’s pain points; solve their problems REGARDLESS of B2B/B2C #ContentWritingChat https://t.co/hlcdXrzdhr
— ThinkSEM (@ThinkSEM) August 30, 2016
Whether you’re writing for a B2B or a B2C, you still need to know the pain points of your audience. Create content that solves their problems.
@writingchat A4: LISTEN TO YOUR AUDIENCE. They always tell you what they want! #contentwritingchat
— Tracy Willis (@tracywillis_) August 30, 2016
Listen to your audience! They’ll tell you what they want to see. Great advice, Tracy!
A4: For a B2B, you need to know what content you’re going to create for each stage. Don’t give them a reason to abandon. #contentwritingchat
— Annaliese Henwood (@MktgInnovator) August 30, 2016
Annaliese said to make sure you know what content you’re going to create for each stage of the customer’s journey when it comes to a B2B. You want to make sure they don’t get lost or abandon you.
@ExpWriters A4: Write what you would want to read. If you know it is boring, ask why you are doing it #ContentWritingChat
— Jacob Rouser (@J_Rouser) August 30, 2016
Jacob’s advice is to write what you want to read. If it’s something you’d enjoy, your audience might enjoy it as well. If you don’t enjoy it, they won’t either.
.@ExpWriters #ContentWritingChat A4b. Once you know your audience, craft relevant, persuasive and sticky content. Become a pro at that.
— Pratik Mohapatra (@mohapatrapratik) August 30, 2016
Pratik said that once you know your audience, you can create content that is relevant, persuasive, and sticky.
.@writingchat A4 be consistent and timely in your content, look for ways to engage, be available #ContentWritingChat
— Amanda Vera (@amnda_vera) August 30, 2016
As Amanda said, you should be consistent and timely in your content. She recommends looking for ways to engage and be available to your audience.
Q5: What kind of goals would a B2B or B2C company set for their content marketing?
What kind of goals would they set? Here’s what we found out during Tuesday’s chat:
A1:B2B content goals should include increasing lead generation, lead nurturing, brand awareness and engagement. #ContentWritingChat
— Emily Culclasure (@emilymariemc) August 30, 2016
A2:B2C content goals should include increasing sales, audience engagement, brand awareness and customer retention. #ContentWritingChat
— Emily Culclasure (@emilymariemc) August 30, 2016
Emily said goals for a B2B include increasing lead generation, lead nurturing, brand awareness, and engagement. Goals for a B2B include increasing sales, audience engagement, brand awareness, and customer retention.
A5: Doesn’t matter who you’re writing content for; you want them to CONVERT, that’s goal No.1!!! #ContentWritingChat https://t.co/HlxQvNRwab
— ThinkSEM (@ThinkSEM) August 30, 2016
No matter which audience you’re writing for, conversions are key!
A5: Goals will vary based on industry. The overall goal is to create a relationship that turns into a conversion. #contentwritingchat
— Netvantage Marketing (@netvantage) August 30, 2016
Lexie said your goals will vary based on your industry. However, she believes the overall goal is to create a relationship with your audience that ultimately turns into a conversion.
A5 Tailor your end goals to content + audience expectations. Tie in relevant CTAs, look for ROI/conversion from clicks #ContentWritingChat
— Julia McCoy (@JuliaEMcCoy) August 30, 2016
As Julia said, you should tailor your end goals to your content and audience expectations. You should be sure to add relevant CTAs and track your ROI/conversions from the clicks you receive.
A5: Know you goal eg) get mailing list sign-ups, enquiries, online sales etc. The content can work to achieve said goal. #ContentWritingChat
— Justine Perry (@justine_perry) August 30, 2016
Justine said your goal might be to get more sign-ups to your email list, more business inquiries, sales, etc. Make sure you just tailor your content to help you achieve those goals.
@writingchat A5: Know what you want to do with your content – brand awareness, sales, etc. Then you can measure success #ContentWritingChat
— Jacob Rouser (@J_Rouser) August 30, 2016
Whatever your goals may be, keep them in mind and make sure you measure them to see if you’ve been successful or need to tweak your approach.
Q6: How can you ensure you’re always producing quality content online, no matter what kind of business you run?
How can you make sure your content is top-notch? Read these tips from the chat:
A: Use industry trends to fuel your content. Keep the focus on providing value, not just self-promotion. #ContentWritingChat
— Emily Culclasure (@emilymariemc) August 30, 2016
Emily recommends using industry trends to fuel your content. You should also focus on providing value, no matter what kind of content you’re creating.
A6a Take the TIME to make sure it’s your best. There’s no other way. You CAN’T cut corners with great content marketing #ContentWritingChat
— Julia McCoy (@JuliaEMcCoy) August 30, 2016
A6b Before you put content out… ask yourself, are you 101% happy with it? Do you feel YOU’D want to read it? #ContentWritingChat
— Julia McCoy (@JuliaEMcCoy) August 30, 2016
Julia’s advice is to take the time to make sure it’s your best work. You don’t need to rush. It’s more important to take your time to create something that’s valuable and high quality. Before you hit publish on anything, ask yourself if you are happy with your work. Would you want to read it? If the answer to those questions is yes, then you’re good to go.
A6: You can test in the background (Your CTA, offer value, etc) or simply ask your audience for their input. #contentwritingchat
— Annaliese Henwood (@MktgInnovator) August 30, 2016
Annaliese said to test in the background. Measure results from your CTA and more to see how well it’s performing. You can even ask your audience for their input.
A6. Your content should always prompt someone to take action. #contentwritingchat
— Kristen Dunleavy (@KristenWritesIt) August 30, 2016
As Kristen said, your content should prompt your audience to take action.
A6: Run it by your team and see what they have to say! #contentwritingchat
— MioDatos (@MioDatos) August 30, 2016
Don’t be afraid to run content by your team. Get their thoughts and implement any feedback you receive.
A6: Good grammar. Don’t misuse apostrophes. Know its & it’s, your & you’re, whose & who’s etc. #ContentWritingChat https://t.co/oqSGGN9m7u
— Writer Leah Ingram (@theleahingram) August 30, 2016
Don’t forget that proper grammar always makes a huge difference. Take the time to edit your content.
Q7: Which content formats are great for a B2B to share? Which ones are great for a B2C to share?
Which content formats should you be sharing for a B2B or B2C? Take a look at the tips our chat participants shared:
A1:Case studies, webinars, white papers and blogs are some formats that work well with B2Bs. #ContentWritingChat
— Emily Culclasure (@emilymariemc) August 30, 2016
A2:Social media content (branded and user-generated), photos, videos and infographics work well for B2Cs. #ContentWritingChat
— Emily Culclasure (@emilymariemc) August 30, 2016
Emily’s advice is to share case studies, webinars, white papers, and blog posts for B2B. For a B2C, she said to go for branded and user-generated social media content. She also said photos, videos, and infographics work well.
A7: For B2B: white papers, infographics, webinars. For B2C: Fun blog posts, social posts, etc. Blogs are great for both! #contentwritingchat
— MioDatos (@MioDatos) August 30, 2016
For B2B, white papers, infographics, and webinars are great. When it comes to B2C, go for fun blog and social media posts.
A7: B2B = whitepapers, webinars and demos (among others); B2C = eBooks and blog posts (among others). #contentwritingchat
— Annaliese Henwood (@MktgInnovator) August 30, 2016
Annaliese recommends white papers, webinars, and demos for B2B. For B2C, she suggests eBooks and blog posts.
A7: B2B – Create case studies, infographics, etc. that prove you are capable of doing what you do. #contentwritingchat
— Netvantage Marketing (@netvantage) August 30, 2016
Lexie suggests creating case studies and infographics for B2B. She said they prove you’re capable of doing your job.
B2B- Podcasts and Webinars are really catching up apart from guides. B2C- Infographics, videos, Interviews are great. #ContentWritingChat
— Epictions (@epictions) August 30, 2016
Try creating podcasts and webinars for a B2B audience. Share infographics, videos, and interviews for B2C.
A7 Case studies are meaningful for B2B. Video content is relevant and meaningful for both B2B and B2C. #ContentWritingChat
— Michael Roach (@mr0ach) August 30, 2016
Michael also feels case studies are beneficial for a B2B to share. He also said video content works for both.
A7 Long-form, useful content wins for both, esp. B2B. Cs will appreciate fun, light video content. #ContentWritingChat
— Julia McCoy (@JuliaEMcCoy) August 30, 2016
Julia knows the power of long-form content. She said it can work well for both a B2B and a B2C.
A7 The types of content you should use depends not just on the audience you’re targeting, but the industry you’re in. #ContentWritingChat
— Megan McCarthy (@thlittleartiste) August 30, 2016
As Megan said, you should consider your audience and also the industry you’re in. This will help you choose the right kind of content to share.
Q8: What are some B2B brands that do a great job online? What about B2C brands?
Which brands do a great job at creating and sharing content online? Check out some of these:
A1:For B2B, I’ve always loved how HubSpot offers value to its platform by offering certifications, best practices, etc. #ContentWritingChat
— Emily Culclasure (@emilymariemc) August 30, 2016
A2:For B2C, I’ve always admired Taco Bell’s use of humor and bold branding to communicate directly to a Gen-Y audience. #ContentWritingChat
— Emily Culclasure (@emilymariemc) August 30, 2016
When it comes to B2B, Emily said HubSpot does a great job. She said they offering certifications, best practices, and more that add value to their audience. For B2C, she said Taco Bell’s humor and bold branding are effective in attracting their younger audience.
A8: I think @HubSpot is great at producing marketing content of value. I’m a marketer, so I like companies that help me. #contentwritingchat
— Annaliese Henwood (@MktgInnovator) August 30, 2016
It looks like Annaliese agrees! HubSpot does a fantastic job at providing value to their audience.
@writingchat A8a: B2B — @HubSpot, @Moz, @socialbakers, American Express OPEN #ContentWritingChat
— Betsy Bash (@tweetsbybetsy) August 30, 2016
All of these brands do a great job online!
A8. B2C- Too many! B2B- @SlackHQ @hootsuite @buffer @Square @basecamp @NovartisPharma Okay, that’s all I can think of. #ContentWritingChat
— Cheryl Joy (@CherylJoy2) August 30, 2016
Cheryl shared an amazing list of brands that are all worth checking out!
We look forward to seeing you at the next #ContentWritingChat! Mark your calendars weekly for Tuesday at 10 AM CDT for great chats centered around content writing and marketing. Follow @ExpWriters to stay updated on our new topics and guests!
Need help with better blog content, monthly topic planning, web copy and more? Visit the Content Shop!