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8 minute read
B2B content marketing: It’s a battlefield.
Buyers from all walks of life are bombarded with information every waking moment. That’s good. That’s life in the digital world, and it’s integral to content marketing success. After all, people make purchase decisions based on what they learn online. As reported by ZoomInfo in February 2024, a whopping 47% of B2B buyers will check out around three pieces of content, such as blogs, product pages, and newsletters, before even thinking about talking to a salesperson. Up to 84% expect the companies they work with to be putting out content. In other words, if you’re not in the content game, you’re out.
And it’s not just about creating any content. It needs to be good. Really good. That’s why the demand for content marketing services is exploding. But here’s the catch: that demand has driven creation prices sky-high. We’re talking about some agencies charging $5,000 to $20,000 a month for full services; others are billing $800 to $10,000 per month for SEO and then adding on fees for content. Some may be charging a proverbial arm and a leg for reports that you could probably pull on your own.
Some charge prices that will make your head spin for basic tasks like insight into a sales tool’s value or a quick conversation around planning for the next quarter’s webinar.
We’ve seen it all: the good, the bad, and the downright greedy.
At JCI Marketing, we put transparency and delivering real value first. That’s why we’re pulling back the curtain, painting a landscape view of our industry and sharing some insider truths about B2B content marketing—no fluff (well, maybe a bit here and there), no jargon—just our experiences.
Secret 1: Demand-Driven Marketing for B2B Companies Is Always a Long-Game
“Get leads in 30 days!” or “Double your traffic in two months!”
These promises may sound tempting, but the reality is that genuine B2B leads take time to cultivate. If an agency guarantees instant or breakneck results, unless they’re creating some downloadable piece of content or building out an ad-based plan, they’re likely resorting to shortcuts that can harm your brand reputation and domain authority in the long run.
True success in B2B marketing requires a long-term commitment and a focus on quality over quantity.
SEO, for instance, is a gradual process that demands consistency and patience. Expect meaningful results (the initial gain in search traffic) to take at least 6 months, more likely 12-18. Don’t fall for the trap of turning SEO on and off sporadically; it simply won’t yield the desired outcomes. Plus, your content won’t start generating hundreds of thousands of visits overnight with SEO. That’s not going to happen in 1-2 months, but a longer-term plan yields a viable B2B SEO ROI that far exceeds expectations.
We’ve witnessed firsthand the power of the long game with a client who published just 1-2 blog posts monthly. Over 16 months, they went from virtually zero organic traffic to receiving $3,200 worth of quality organic traffic monthly. This remarkable achievement underscores the value of high-quality content, even in smaller quantities. Remember, B2B marketing is a marathon, not a sprint. Embrace the long-term perspective, invest in quality content, and build a sustainable strategy that delivers lasting results.
Secret 2: Video Engages Audiences, Even Imperfect Takes
While meticulously crafted blog posts and white papers have a place in every B2B content marketing strategy, there’s an often-underutilized goldmine right within your company: your sales team. These individuals possess invaluable market insights and a natural ability to connect with potential clients. Encouraging them to step in front of the camera and share their knowledge through short, impactful videos can work wonders for your brand, especially when doing so via social media posts.
LinkedIn videos, in particular, offer a fantastic platform for organic engagement for strong, reliable, and engaging B2B business outreach. Technically, it’s still considered inbound marketing, but you could even include those videos in your email marketing campaigns.
While written content remains crucial, video adds a human touch that resonates deeply with viewers interested in your products and services. Combining both formats creates a powerful synergy–my personal avoid-at-all-costs phrase but so applicable in this instance–that captivates your audience and builds trust.
Don’t underestimate the impact of “on-the-fly” videos. Authentic, unpolished content often outperforms highly produced videos, showcasing the human side of your brand and fostering genuine connections.
Remember, video use in your B2B content marketing plan doesn’t have to be complex or perfect. It just “needs to be,” to quote Isabella from Encanto. Quick market updates from your logistics team, a behind-the-scenes glimpse into your company culture, or even a simple testimonial from a satisfied client can all contribute to building credibility and driving engagement.
Secret 3: We’re Not Marketing Gods, Despite What Our Certs, Badges, and Profiles Suggest
Some B2B marketing agencies operate from a Mount Olympus-worthy pedestal, dismissing client input and concerns-disastrous for the client-agency relationship. At JCI Marketing, we embrace collaboration, not condescension. We understand that while we possess marketing expertise, our clients are industry experts. That’s why we actively seek your insights and encourage your questions and ideas to infuse your content with the authenticity and relevance that truly resonates with your audience.
Remember, your marketing agency should partner with you, not strike your opinions down with thunderbolts. They ought to value your input and work alongside you to achieve shared goals. If your agency isn’t listening or is resistant to collaboration, it might be time to reconsider the relationship.
Here’s an example. We create recurring blog content for a freight industry client of ours. While we have a deep understanding of marketing principles and logistics, we welcome and actively incorporate our client’s industry first-hand knowledge and insights to ensure the content is accurate, informative, and engaging for their target audience. This collaborative way of working not only supports a solid B2B content strategy framework but leads to a real friendship and trust-based relationship where we work together.
This joint approach produces content that ranks well in search engines, truly connects with readers and establishes the client as a thought leader in their field.
We take pride in creating powerful, effective teams with our clients and have seen time and time again how open communication and valuing client input foster exceptional results.
Secret 4: Repurpose Some Content and Save Money
B2B content marketing isn’t about one-hit wonders; it’s about maximizing the value of every piece you create for your audience and search engines like Google. It’s ok to keep your content from gathering dust after its initial publication.
Repurposing content isn’t just about saving time and resources; it’s a strategic way to boost your SEO efforts. Google values fresh, relevant content, and repurposing lets you keep your website updated without constantly creating new material from scratch.
Consider the “white paper roll-up” strategy: Craft a series of blog articles that seamlessly combine into a comprehensive white paper. This approach saves on copywriting costs and provides a valuable lead magnet to attract and engage potential customers.
Repurposing extends beyond white papers. Publish your LinkedIn articles on your website, curate blog snippets into engaging newsletters, and explore other creative ways to breathe new life into your existing content. Turn webinars into podcasts, infographics into social media snippets, and blog posts into downloadable eBooks. The possibilities are endless.
By strategically repurposing your content, you’ll create a perception of scale and abundance, demonstrating your commitment to providing valuable insights to your audience. Google’s ever-watchful eye, which can quickly feel like the flamed iris of Sauron, continuously reviews fresh, relevant content. This will boost your SEO and attract more organic traffic to your website.
Secret 5: Certain Processes Aren’t Nearly as Complex as Hype Suggests
Some agencies love to make things sound more complicated than they are. It’s a way to justify hefty fees for tasks that are quite straightforward. Take connecting Google Search Console data to Google Analytics. It’s a simple 5-minute process, yet some agencies charge you a premium. In other cases, you might think that paying an agency to manage certain ads is a fantastic idea, especially if you have a high ad spend. Still, we’ve seen cases where agencies charge fees rivaling the ad spend.
Through our reconnaissance, we’ve encountered agencies charging up to $2000 when a client needs help running a single ad with a total budget of less than $2000. In other scenarios, we’ve seen agencies flat-out refuse to help if the spend is less than $1000 per month. Unless a ton of creative work or 30 different text variations are involved, what exactly does that fee cover?
To be honest, I’m not sure, even after doing in-house recon. And if you’re not sure, maybe it’s time to ask.
Our pricing structure is simple and based on a percentage, but even still, we have a few clients that run ads that spend only $100-$200/month, and in these cases, we don’t charge extra. Often, we set up the initial ad and then let them work with minimal oversight. Why should you pay extra for ad management when nothing much is being done after the initial setup?
If something feels fishy, investigate. A good agency will be transparent about the work involved in completing a task. A great agency will record a video showing the steps they took and how they achieved results. Yes, we’ve done this to show technical SEO improvements in the past.
At JCI Marketing, we empower our clients as part of our Rising Tide philosophy. We encourage everyone, whether we work with you or just meet you at a conference or dinner, to make that Search Console-Analytics connection from the get-go. It streamlines your data, improves transparency and makes reporting a breeze. And guess what? We don’t charge a dime for it, either. It’s another one of those soft marketing cost benefits we spoke about recently.
Secret 6: Agencies Who Claim Never to Use AI Are Lying to You
Let’s face it: AI is everywhere. It’s in your marketing automation tools, email platforms, and even your grammar checker. So, when a marketing agency claims they never touch AI, it raises a red flag and makes my hair stand on end.
The truth is, there needs to be a foolproof way to detect AI-generated content for this claim to be even remotely valid. I ran this exact sentence through an AI detector, and the results were 80% likely generated by AI. But I can tell you that this paragraph was written by hand, by me as the Dr. Pepper stains on my desk can attest to.
Now, let me show you how an AI-powered grammar checker tried to rewrite that last line just for a giggle:
“But I can tell you that Dr. Pepper wrote this paragraph, and the stains on my desk can attest to it, too.”
Clearly, AI has some flaws, but its value is immense and always in play at an agency–no matter what they say. Sure, AI-generated content might have telltale signs like overly complex sentences or excessive punctuation, but AI is getting smarter by the day.
The point is, don’t be misled by agencies claiming AI abstinence. It’s likely someone, somewhere in their process, is leveraging AI for brainstorming, research, or even drafting content. And that’s not necessarily a bad thing. It’s what they do with it and how they keep its use safe and above board that makes a difference.
At JCI Marketing, we believe in transparency. We embrace AI as a powerful tool to enhance our creativity, efficiency, and, ultimately, the quality of our work. We also recognize its limitations and prioritize human expertise to ensure content is accurate, insightful, and aligned with your brand voice.
As a side note, we encourage clients to utilize AI responsibly, avoiding sensitive or proprietary information and always maintaining a critical eye on the output. When used strategically, AI is a valuable asset but not a replacement for human creativity and expertise.
So, the next time an agency boasts about its AI-free approach, remember that honesty is the best policy, and they’re likely LYING! Choose a partner who embraces technology while upholding the highest quality, ethical practice standards.
Get Real in Your B2B Content Strategy with JCI Marketing
Businesses come to agencies for many reasons. Sometimes, they have an in-house idea for a content plan or know the basics of what content they need but not how to make it engaging and SEO-worthy. But when that agency pulls the curtain over the steps they take and passes it off as highly billable magic, pay close attention. Whether you feel you should be getting more for $6500 a month or are consciously overpaying in the hope of avoiding AI content being passed off to you as original, we’re keeping it real at JCI Marketing.
It’s time for a truth-based strategy in marketing. Our JCI team takes these truths to heart.
One of our core values is to “Set the bar.” While this blog will likely anger many of our competitors, that’s not the intention. The goal is to share our truth.
Want to have an honest conversation about your online marketing? Schedule a consultation with the JCI team today.