B2B blogging is one of the most useful tactics for any business as it allows you to connect and engage with your audience.
As per a report by Demand Gen, nearly 49% of B2B buyers rely on content to research and make purchase decisions.
Successful integration of a B2B blogging into the marketing mix provides companies a wide range of benefits, including increased leads and improved brand awareness. You should build a strategy, publish different blog posts based on user intent and put across your message effectively. These are the top 5 blogging platforms recommended by experts.
However, before you start, you must know the different types of B2B buyers. There are four specific types of B2B buyers that blogging helps you to target. Let’s discuss these groups of buyers and how you can use blogging to persuade them towards your business.
1- Producers
B2B producers are the manufacturers and service providers who buy goods and services from B2B sellers and suppliers. They transform these goods and services into other products. B2B producers are an integral part of growing the economy as they buy, create, engineer, design, and produce the products that we use today.
Some of the most prominent producers are Procter & Gamble, General Motors, McDonald’s, and Dell. These producers have to buy certain products to create goods and services.
For instance, General Motors needs steel and other products to produce cars. McDonald’s needs beef and potatoes to serve you food items.
Example: How to target B2B producers through blogging
Marlin Steel Blog covers all aspects related to steel production, its use, and technology. In their blogs, they talk about the usage of specific steel tools and products. Besides, there are several posts around developments and changes in the steel industry.
The reason for the success of Marlin Steel Blog is that they create content about steel products and educate readers about the steel industry. They keep their potential customers up-to-date on business trends and advancements.
Most importantly, they prefer writing blogs in several engaging formats, including interviews, how-to’s, and listicles.
2- Resellers
B2B resellers are mainly wholesalers, retailers, and brokers that sell goods and services produced by other organizations without making any alteration to the product. The most popular examples of retailers are Walmart, Alibaba, and Amazon.
These B2B resellers buy products in bulk and sell them to the consumers they are targeting. These resellers often look for buyers that can move their product without having to worry about the hassle behind discounts that the big companies demand.
Example: How to target resellers through blogging
The Reseller Bible posts content related to reselling online. It shares lots of different ideas for reselling items after buying them at a discounted rate.
Enough information is available for people to find the products to choose for reselling and the platform where they can resell the products online.
People are persuaded to become a reseller after reading useful tips and tricks shared on the Reseller Bible blog.
They are successful because they focus on educating readers on the business’ product line so they can make the right purchase.
3- Governments
Governments are known to be the largest purchasers of goods and services across the world. They buy everything from aircraft to paper clips, from training services to scientific research. Business-to-Government deals often involve contracts.
For instance, buyers looking for transportation services at the state level for their citizens. Business-to-government markets represent a major selling opportunity, even for smaller sellers.
Several government entities mention that their agencies need to give a certain amount of business to small businesses, businesses owned by minorities and women, and businesses owned by disabled veterans.
Example: How to target Government through blogging
SeamlessDocs is a startup whose software instantly converts PDF or Word docs into dynamic, smart, and cloud-based forms. They began with a vision, a couple of people, and a rough product, selling to small businesses.
However, SeamlessDocs targeted the government, an industry drowning in permits, registrations, applications, contracts, and surveys. They saw the perfect market for their product.
With time, SeamlessDocs learned that governments love efficiency. The whole team decided to shift gears in their sales strategy to dominate the government-industry.
4- Institutions and NGOs
Institutional markets involve non-profit organizations and non-governmental organizations (NGOs). A few examples are the American Red Cross, churches, hospitals, charitable organizations, private colleges, and civic clubs.
Non-profit institutions also buy products and services in bulk, as holding costs down is very crucial to them. Reduced costs imply that they can provide their services to more people.
These B2B institutions are generally interested in buying local food and other products. These buyers provide lucrative marketing and sales opportunities for medium to large-scale firms.
Example: How to target institutions and NGOs through blogging
GuideStar by Candid is a clearinghouse of non-profit financial and leadership information. The GuideStar blog provides you a place where you can learn about running or volunteering a non-profit organization. Their content revolves around non-profit news, best practices, and information about leaders.
The blog covers all non-profit work, such as the latest trends, tips, and news. This is to ensure that there is information for volunteers and leaders of all kinds.
Through their blog posts, they try to educate readers on what successful organizations are doing and which strategies they are implementing.
Final Thoughts
B2B blogging is not going anywhere anytime soon. It is still relevant in 2020 and is steadily rising for 2021. If you want your B2B blogging to be successful, you need to be consistent in posting content that is valuable and engaging. Your blog should not act as an isolated channel. Instead, your blog content should help feed campaigns across all other platforms.
The most imperative aspect is that once you understand how your target audience consumes business content online, you will be able to improve your overall B2B marketing strategy. A smart B2B marketer will check all the above markets to see the potential opportunities. The Red Cross will have no use for an aircraft. However, a company that produces toilet paper might be able to market it to both the Red Cross and the government.
