Over the holidays, I bought myself a gift – a juicer. For me, deciding on the right kitchen appliance involves more research than I care to admit. I probably spent more time picking a juicer than I did picking a university! I spent hours on the Internet, comparing models and brands and figuring out which juicer would do the best job processing vast amounts of kale.
Whenever I did a Google search for “Juicer X vs. Juicer Y” or “best juicer for juicing X” or “how to juice greens”, the same thing always happened … I found videos by John from DiscountJuicers.com. Before I watched his videos, I wondered if he was just someone who was trying to game Google with loads of keyword-stuffed content.
However, as a B2B content marketer, I should have known better …
The reason why his videos kept coming up at the top of my search results was because they were good. As of my last check, John had 302 videos with over 6.1 million views on this YouTube channel that demo how to use juicers and pit various models and brands against each other in juicer showdowns. Essentially, everything you would want to know before buying an expensive gadget that will take up loads of space in your kitchen.
My juicer-buying process was similar to how today’s customers search for B2B products and services – tons of online research, heavy use of social media and a slow decision-making process. I even consulted with my “team” of raw foodie friends on which juicers they have used and prefer. Based on my juicer-buying experience, here are three things you can learn from John and apply to bring more visitors to your B2B content:
1. Develop the ability to read your customers’ minds. As I typed question after question into Google, a video by John always came back with the answer. I began to feel like he was reading my mind and knew what I was going to ask before I thought to ask it. You can appear to read your customers’ minds by gaining a deep understanding of their key concerns and biggest questions. To do this, you can create a list of every question a customer would ever ask about your products or services. Answer these questions in blog posts, videos, white papers and your other B2B content.
2. Know what social channels your audience uses and get there! If you don’t think that your audience uses social media, think again. An IDG report revealed that 96% of B2B technology buyers use social media, while 43% have stated that a vendor’s social media presence has increased their likelihood of making a purchase. Start by determining which channels your audience uses to research B2B products and find information about their key challenges. Once you know this, focus on sharing helpful and informative content.
3. Know that what is boring to some could be mesmerizing to your target audience. Sure, some people may find a 28-minute kale “juice-off” a bit of a snooze-fest. However, this information is vital to someone who is about to buy a juicer and needs to know which model will produce the best yield. If you’re in B2B, chances are your content will be boring to most people. However, if you’re providing your target audience with answers to their biggest questions, you may seem (almost) as entertaining as the latest blockbuster.
Also remember to stick with your content marketing plan. According to the DiscountJuicer website, the company started posting educational YouTube videos in 2000. Not only did the company gain the advantage of being an early adopter, but it has also built up its 14,200+ subscribers by regularly posting useful content. In B2B, customers don’t come overnight. When you commit to producing educational content and sharing it on social media, you can bring more leads to your website and ultimately increase your sales.
What about you? Is there anyone else in the business-to-consumer world who you feel can teach B2B marketers a thing or two? Feel free to leave your opinions, along with your favourite juice blends, below.