Digital marketing strategies that cater to the two main models, Business to Business (B2B) and Business to Customer (B2C), differently, promise better results. Since these business models differ in their focus and end users, it’s best that you adopt a customised approach to online marketing as well.
Through content marketing, tailor your language, style, tonality and approach to achieve your desired goals. For instance, content writing for businesses must feature well-thought-out, logical conclusions and that for end customers may adopt an emotionally-charged narrative.
However, to put together a fool-proof content strategy, understand the differences between business-to-business and business-to-customer content marketing first.
Approach
In B2B content marketing, the product or service offered is of utmost importance and efforts made are focused on increasing sales. This is facilitated by promotions and direct business marketing. Similarly, the content developed is specific to the business and is aimed at driving sales and sustaining a long-term relationship with the business.
There is a stark difference in approach when it comes to B2C content marketing. As customers are of different types, ages, genders and are in various locations, the content marketing needs to be more diverse too. A one-size-fits-all approach rarely works. In fact, a generic B2C content strategy risks alienating audiences, which is why defining target audiences is key.
Strategy and planning
When planning and strategising B2B content, the main goal is ROI, so your efforts must lead to generating returns. To ensure this, a B2B content marketing strategy typically includes content that is data-intensive and demonstrative. Content centred on tangible benefits and features that set the product/service apart are crucial and the ‘what’ and ‘why’ are elements you simply can’t ignore.
On the other hand, building a strong consumer connection is the main focus of a B2C content strategy. In this case, content taps into the power of emotional marketing to form a bond between the consumer and the business in order to nurture the purchase intention and propel returns. A B2C content marketing strategy must handpick various features of a product/service and show the consumer how it can help improve their life. In a nutshell, context is everything. By combining this with a narrative and incorporating entertainment value in the marketing mix, you can achieve your KPIs more effectively.
Executive process
The B2B executive process is long as it employs several resources and involves many stakeholders before arriving at a sale. Therefore, the content created here is highly-specific and addresses key decision-makers. Ideally, B2B content should establish a relationship between the two companies and celebrate the possibility of a potential partnership. Additionally, B2B content marketing must develop and nurture trust between the two businesses by showcasing in-depth knowledge of the business and the industry it is a part of. To achieve this, B2B content generally includes white papers, case studies, thought leadership articles, reports, long-form blogs and any other content format that prioritises well-researched data.
The B2C executive process is relatively shorter as individual customers make a purchase. Therefore, content is developed to target a larger audience and capitalise on buying patterns. B2C content marketing also employs a number of content formats that are snackable and persuasive in nature, be it videos, print ads, radio spots, contests, social media posts and more. The goal here is to captivate the customer enough to motivate a purchase.
While this rundown of B2B vs B2C marketing may have cleared up the big picture for you, fine-tuning your marketing strategies is key to achieving the desired results. To ensure that every piece of communication is tailored to your clientele, get in touch with us.
