by Michael Premo

If you want to rank higher on Google search results pages then you need to get your plan in motion. Having a content strategy is no longer an option—it’s an imperative.

Organic Search Results for B2B Digital Marketing

A successful B2B inbound marketing plan has to include website content that is frequently updated. According to a Demand Gen report, this is especially true for B2B, because almost half of the buyers out there need to view 3 to 5 pieces of content before contacting a sales rep.

Buyers need to see content that helps them benchmark their strategies. They also want to see how other businesses faced the same challenges and were successful.

This type of content builds credibility and a like mindedness prior to forming potential relationships. It takes a lot of time and effort to build new relationships, even with businesses that are critical to operations or sales. So, content has become business critical tool for communication with outside buyers.

Develop a Strategy

Google, YouTube, Bing and all of the other search engines love content, especially new updates and relevant titles. Frequently updated content on you website brings people in to see how you can help them.

It’s most effective when clearly stated and authentically represented. This takes preparation and time. It’s a long-term process and it’s one that’s not about to change any time soon.

Implementation Is Easier Than You Think

Many businesses have a difficult time putting their plan in motion, which may be reassuring to know that you’re not alone. But, it’s no longer okay to kick this initiative down the road. You need to act on it now, because of the time it takes for everything to come together.

Digital content strategies evolve and grow over years, not days or months. I know, I said it early, but it’s really important to get it going or else your competition will win.

Try These Tips

Writing takes time and effort. An inexperienced writer may take a half day or more to complete 750 words for a blog post. It still needs to be edited and fact checked. Grammatical errors and unsubstantiated claims will turn readers away.

After a month of writing, they will inevitably get tired of doing it or just run out of ideas. So, let’s be realistic about the process. These tips will help you get your strategy moving and set in place for the long term.

  1. Prioritize

Remember, this is an inbound marketing priority. There are over a billion websites competing for buyer’s attention. And, 51% of buyers use online research first. Almost half of the people searching for their business needs will use a smartphone. If you want to be found, your company has to make content a priority and it has to be mobile ready.

  1. Set Realistic Goals

Your content marketing efforts should generate some interest, definitely revenue. Just keep in mind that it’s an investment that needs nurturing and supervision. If it didn’t, then your major competitors wouldn’t be doing it.

Content will also contribute to your social media efforts. And newsletters. And press releases. You get the idea. It’s used across many platforms.

  1. Be an Expert in Your Field

Real world experience and industry knowledge have contributed to your expertise, so you need to let others know about it. This will help them in one way or another and show how you’ve gained your expertise on the subject.

It’s also important to show how you gained advanced certifications in your field. There’s a story there and you should share it, because it’s another way let others know of your expertise.

  1. Low Hanging Fruit

Start with the low hanging fruit and list the topics that you want to cover. Then make a list of topics your audience wants to see. When you combine these lists, you’ll have duplicate topics and those are the ones to be published first.

For the first posts, begin with a broad focus then narrow it down. Get granular. The more granular or unique tends to be the ones that sparks the most interest. And don’t forget to be patient. Google takes its time to bring pertinent search results to the top of the list. Waiting six months is common across the industry. If six months seems long, just think of the alternative—never getting found.

  1. Hire Outside Help

Frequency is an enormous obstacle for any business—even for writers writing their own blog. It takes a team to consistently write once or twice a week for 52 weeks (yes, even the holidays).

Outside help can take overflow work that marketing specialists can’t do. They will also keep the projects organized and can provide insight into new topics. Or, if you can afford it, put them in charge of implementing your strategy. That will give you more time to do the things that are necessary to keep your business running efficiently.

No Excuses

I’m sure that you’ve already heard about the importance of a digital content strategy before reading this post. Now, it’s time to put your plan into motion or else they won’t be found by potential customers, clients and partners.