A blog is a blog is a blog, you say? Elementary, my dear Watson! But a B2B blog is not a blog. Well, yes it is, but it’s a specialized one. And this makes it a singularity. So I prepared a singular (!) list for you with five effective tips if one day you should decide to create your own B2B blog.
1. Make like Guillaume Tell. → The best way to reach your target audience is to aim straight.
It’s useless to rush into the creation of a blog without first defining a goal and the strategy to reach it. The type of strategy you choose will dictate the type of content to be created. For example, if you choose an inbound marketing strategy, your blog posts must cater to the needs of the clientele that you are targeting so that they may find the information they are searching for in your blog posts. This aspect of content strategy is inherent to inbound marketing. Don’t hesitate to make any relevant research!
Aim straight! (Source : acoeuretacris.centerblog.net sur centerblog.)
2. Watch your language. → B2B doesn’t justify the excessive use of your professional jargon.
Remember to popularize. If you wish to speak to your peers, join a forum reserved for the elite of your profession or participate in discussion groups on LinkedIn, for example. Even if your audience is properly targeted, the chances are your average reader is a layman. If he was already an expert on the subject, then why would he read your blog posts? You would probably like to attract qualified prospects, but you will have to initiate them to your world. How? Yes! By popularizing.
3. Leave the mystery to the Mayans. → Getting lost in enigmas means losing your readers and potential clients.
Readers of a B2B blog are often company directors or executives. You want to get their attention? Then it’s important to understand that they don’t have much time to read your posts. So say what you have to say and say it fast! If the main idea of your message is always at the end of your posts, then your blog might end as dramatically as the Mayan civilization.
The sudden and inexplicable disappearance of the Mayan civilization remains a mystery to this day. (Source : lefigaro.fr)4. Moderate your grand ideas. → Don’t confuse “blog post” with “white paper.”
Blog posts have a different objective than white papers. Although the latter are written in a small book format, blog posts need to be brief and to the point. If, when writing your post, you get a whiff of inspiration that moves you to explain in technical rather than user-friendly language, put on your turning signal and take a right-hand turn down white paper boulevard. You can always announce the arrival of the white paper in a blog post. By popularizing, of course!
5. Get off your high horse. → You’re not blogging to triumph over your adversaries.
Elitism does not belong in blogs. Of course, you want your competition to know you are “oh-so perfect,” but more importantly, your prospects want to recognize a little bit of themselves in your writing. If you appear out of reach, they’ll go to another, more approachable blogger. Don’t blog to promote yourself, you and your professional position, because you will see relatively quickly that there aren’t many people there to listen to you brag.
Action item? Popularize!
There’s no harm in moving down a notch to the level of your potential clients. If you show yourself as being too good for them, they’ll take you at your word and look elsewhere for their business solutions.
Now, speak to me! Tell me what you think of my advice. I look forward to reading your comments!
