Posted on October 24, 2024October 24, 2024

10 B2B Content Marketing Examples that Will Inspire You to Draw Outside the Lines!

B2B Content Marketing

Source: https://droga5.com/work/mailchimp/

If you read the title of this blog and thought, “Nah, this isn’t how B2B works.” – this section is for you. If you want to check out some killer B2B content marketing strategies – read on.

You may define an average Monday morning as dry, and mundane, but the way you promote B2B doesn’t have to be like that. With 91% of B2B marketers using content marketing in their strategy, there’s need to push the limits and convey the brand message to the

audience differently. Don’t just take our word for it, check below the list of 10 amazing B2B content marketing strategies (a.k.a. success stories) that are saying this aloud: step out of the comfort zone.

1. HubSpot – The Marketing Blog

Often hailed as a pioneer of inbound marketing, HubSpot brings an added layer of value to the table with their marketing blog – which is the cornerstone of their marketing strategy. HubSpot’s Inbound Marketing Blog is an immersive platform offering content on a variety of topics, ranging from sales to customer engagement to marketing. These blogs are formatted in the form of how-tos, comprehensive guides, case studies and industry insights, which makes the platform a Mecca of sustainable business learning for everyone.

The X-factor: HubSpot unleashes golden value upfront, sharing the finest content with others for free. They don’t hard-sell their product; They position their brand as the most credible resource a business professional can turn to for advice. The outcome? When companies plan to spend on tools, it takes just a little moment for them to consider HubSpot!

2. Zendesk – Video Campaigns That Connect

Bad customer service is the pain everyone frets over at some point in their life. Zendesk knew this and guess what? They capitalised on this major issue by creating a series of crisp videos showing the ugh-but-real face of customer service. They gave these videos a humorous touch to make it worth watching with audiences, while – of course – making it resonate with them.

The X-factor: What makes this strategy hit the right mark on the hearts is the realistic approach. Any customer support team watching the video would feel Zendesk understands their struggles. Where’s the marketing? By sharing just the snippets of customer support life in their short videos, Zendesk subtly conveyed how their software eliminates the problems – all without going into the technicalities.

3. Adobe – CMO

Adobe is not limited to selling software to the marketing professionals and creative junkies. The brand goes beyond their offerings and taps into the educational opportunities in the guise of CMO.com, a website cum treasure trove for the marketing world. CMO provides the professionals from various sectors and departments with the research, articles, interviews, and more forms of content that helps them gain a better understanding of how things were, how they are now, and how they will be. From leadership tips to trends, guides to data, it’s simply a one-stop destination for leaders willing to play ahead of the curve.

The X-factor: Before we go further into it: This strategy of Adobe is not intended for selling their products. Instead, the brand has focused on presenting themselves as your go-to resources for all things marketing. CMO is clad with (and richly so) the quality content that appeals to the leaders and budding leaders. It reinforces trust and gives the readers a hunch of authority about the brand, without giving a hunch.

4. Wistia – Brandwagon Series

Wistia is one of the best examples of killer marketing strategies. The brand made B2B marketing go from brand to Brandwagon, and suddenly checking up on industry trends became fun. Wistia launched a video series called Brandwagon featuring top marketers. It is a talk show-styled video series presenting interviews with leading marketers. The series has a quirky, binge-worthy kind of flavour in it, which is mixed with valuable marketing insights. So, the viewers not only get to catch up on the learning about the industry leaders and business landscape but also get a dose of entertainment.

The X-factor: Wistia’s Brandwagon series gives business advice without sounding dry. In fact, they play it with a whole lot of entertainment, which is not your typical B2B content marketing strategy. This strategy captures viewers’ attention, making them come back for more. And let’s admit: It’s a win-win for the viewers too.

5. General Electric – GE Reports

General Electric aced the art of storytelling and how? The answer is: GE Reports. This online magazine is all about covering technological and scientific innovations and trends and bringing them on a silver platter – to a broader audience. GE Reports discusses complex topics, like healthcare and energy, by breaking them into easy-to-grasp content that is accessible to more and more readers. Each story in this magazine is conveyed with an engaging hook and often features behind-the-scenes snapshots of cutting-edge projects.

The X-factor: With this educational strategy, GE is trying to explain to the audience how the brand is their window to the future of innovation. They are humanising their voice by talking about revolutions and impact, while making the complicated technical stuff easy to understand. So, not being an engineer is not an excuse at GE.

6. Mailchimp – The “Did You Mean Mailchimp?” Campaign

Mailchimp left us all to feel amused with this one! The marketing automation and email marketing giant took a playful dig at the B2B marketing conundrums with what many people called “weird but funny”. They launched a “Did You Mean Mailchimp?” campaign, focusing on the classic mistake of mispronouncing their brand name. The campaign was a series of humorous ads featuring “Mailshrimp,” “Jailblimp,” and “KaleLimp” and other such variations of mispronunciations.

The X-factor: With this campaign full of quirks, Mailchimp was trying to tell us all that they don’t take themselves too seriously. This led them to become even more relatable and memorable than ever – and viewers finally learned their correct brand name. The creativity and humour of this entire series was probably of those that stood out in a crowd of predictable marketing campaigns.

7. Microsoft – Stories

Microsoft’s Stories series is one of the sophisticated but killer B2B content marketing strategies that focuses on the organisations and people leveraging Microsoft ecosystem to achieve goals. Whether it is a story of a student devising robots for nonprofits or Artificial Intelligence solving global challenges, each brings the spotlight on Microsoft tools that are enabling users to make an impact. The human-centric approach of their strategy makes the technology feel more like a necessity than a product – something that will help people shape the future.

The X-factor: Instead of telling, Microsoft shows how their technology makes all the difference. They focus on the outcome to solidify the connection with the users and build one with more.

8. Trello – User-Generated Content Campaign

A popular project management tool, Trello approached content marketing differently by inviting their users in the strategy. What does that even mean? Well, they orchestrated a user-generated content campaign where customers would tell their story of how Trello changed their daily workflows. The brand turned these stories into case studies, social media content, and even blog posts, showcasing real-world use cases of their tool.

The X-factor: User-generated content (UGC) strategy is famous for building trust and driving engagement. Trello saw that, leveraged that, and made customers feel confident about using their tool. Bonus points: this strategy is cost-effective.

9. Gartner – Magic Quadrant

Gartner rules the world of B2B research, and their research reports are the most fun testament to their dominance. The Magic Quadrant reports by Garther are a must-read for business professionals making decisions. These reports rank vendors from specific sectors based on factors, including competency and vision. Moreover, Gartner boosts the morale of businesses by featuring them in their Magic Quadrant reports. It reflects credibility and sustainability at best.

The X-factor: Gartner’s Magic Quadrant reports offer in-depth, reliable research that enables companies and professionals to act on informed decisions. Their reports are ‘The’ standard, and businesses count on them when planning to make large investments or partner with a brand.

10. Intercom – Inside Intercom Blog and Podcast

Leaving the traditional blog in the backyard, Intercom decided to refresh the way information and insights are conveyed. Result: Inside Intercom. It is a platform where you come across a wealth of blogs, podcasts and a huge library filled with business resources. The intent of this platform is to cover and provide topics spanning topics, like product management, customer management. and more. The tonality across all the assets remain engaging and conversational, changing from the way a person would perceive the blog language (which used to be “boring” or “lengthy”). The fact that their podcasts often feature leading industry names poke the interest among the audience.

The X-factor: Intercom’s content feels like a casual chat with a friend. By making technical topics accessible and enjoyable, they make it easy for businesses to understand how to improve their customer communication efforts.

Takeaways from the Top B2B Content Marketing Strategies

Most of the examples that you saw on the list above share a similarity: the brands are thinking beyond the promotion of their products and/or services. They are trying to form a relationship with their audience and to stay relevant. They are trying to tell their audience that they understand them and their needs.

So, here’s what the best B2B content marketing strategy examples encourage businesses to do: