Whether you’re just getting started with content marketing or you’ve been at it for
awhile, it’s important to have a variety of content in your arsenal.
However, it isn’t useful to generate content without a serious intention – especially when it comes to the B2B market.
Done correctly, great content can support B2B lead generation by providing valuable information that speaks to the needs of your target market.
Let’s take a look at 7 types of content that can help you generate leads:
1. eBooks and Whitepapers
2. Guides and How-To’s
3. Research and Data
4. Case Studies
5. Webinars
6.Templates, Tools, and Resources
7. Blog Posts
Creating a mix of these types of content will help you attract new leads, as well as nurture relationships with those who are already in your sales funnel.
Let’s explore these types of content in greater detail and look at how you can apply them to create leads in practical ways.
1. eBooks and Whitepapers:
eBooks and whitepapers are great ways to provide valuable information to your target market. They can be used to introduce new leads to your company or to nurture relationships with those who are already in your sales funnel.
When creating these pieces of content, be sure to focus on the needs of your target market. This means doing some research and finding out key questions people are asking. I recommend using tools like AnswerThePublic, People Also Ask and SEO platforms to help.
You can create a helpful ebook or whitepapers describing solutions to these questions and pain points.
Some ideas for eBooks and whitepapers include:
- The state of (your industry or customer’s industry) in 2022
- Findings from studies you’ve conducted in a problem area
- Statistics
- Interviews from CEOS and experts and so on
These can be gated with a form, or offered for free in exchange for an email address.
2. Guides and How-Tos:
Guides and how-tos are another great type of content that can be used to generate leads. These are usually more hands-on than ebooks or whitepapers and provide detailed instructions on how to do something.
People love guides and how-tos because they are easy to follow and provide value. They are also great pieces of evergreen content that you can use to attract new leads long after they are published.
When creating a guide or how-to, focus on topics that your target market frequently need. For example, templates, checklists, how-tos, resource lists, infographics, and so on.
Here, you can create content in a variety of formats like YouTube videos, podcasts, blog posts, graphics, interactive content, and more.
Make sure that the content you create and the format you use are relevant to how potential clients work.
3. Research and Data:
Research and data are always valuable to your target market. If you can provide original data that is not readily available, you will be able to generate leads and nurture relationships with potential clients.
To get started, you can:
- Conduct surveys and polls
- Analyze data from your own product or service
- Curate data from other sources
- Some ideas for research and data-based content include:
- Demographic studies of your target market
- Comprehensive guides to trends in your industry
- Definitive lists of statistics in your industry
This type of content can be very helpful in convincing potential leads that you are an authority in your field.
4. Case Studies:
A case study is a great way to show off the success of your product or service. It provides potential leads with a real-world example of how your company has helped others achieve their goals.
When creating a case study, make sure to focus on the results that your client will find relevant. If you’re a content agency, you could share how your content strategy boosted traffic, increased leads, or helped close deals.
Be sure to include key details and statistics, as well as quotes from happy customers. This will make your case studies more credible and convincing.
Such case studies work in your favor in two ways – by
5. Webinars:
Webinars are a great way to generate leads and nurture relationships with potential clients. They provide an opportunity to show off your expertise and connect with real people live.
Imagine sharing an hour showcasing your expertise to people who could invest in your services. You’re in a position to put a face to your brand, answer questions in real time, and establish trust and credibility.
The key to a successful webinar is to focus on providing value. This means offering useful information, tips, and advice that your target market will find helpful.
You need to build momentum before you hold a live webinar. And there are many ways to do this:
- Create a landing page to promote your webinar
- Publish blog posts leading up to the event
- Promote the webinar on social media
- Send email invitations to people who would be interested
- Create ads on Google and various social media networks
By generating awareness, connecting with customers, and highlighting your offerings, you stand to generate more leads with real intent to buy from you.
6. Templates, Tools, and Resources:
People love freebies. If you can provide helpful templates, tools, or resources that people can use in their own businesses, you’re likely to generate leads.
This type of content is often very shareable, which means it has the potential to reach a wide audience. And as more people see it and use it, your brand will get more exposure.
Some ideas for templates, tools, and resources include:
- Social media post templates
- Content calendar examples
- Curated list of free tools
- Curated sources of free information on specific topics
- Online calculators
- Landing page templates, form templates, and so on
7. Blog Posts
Timeless content is the kind of content that will always be relevant and useful to your target market. It’s the type of content that people will want to bookmark and refer back to again and again.
To create timeless blog posts, focus on writing evergreen content. This means writing about topics that are not tied to any specific time or event.
Let’s look at a few examples of evergreen blog post ideas for different industries:
- Women’s health: How to reduce bone loss as you age
- Digital Marketing: The only copywriting tips you’ll ever need
- Computers and Technology: How to keep your computer safe from viruses
As you can see, these topics can be helpful to people at any time. They’re not tied to any specific event or trend. When writing evergreen blog posts, focus on providing helpful information that will be useful to your target market now and in the future.
This type of content is a great way to generate leads because it provides value that lasts. And as people continue to find it useful, they’ll be more likely to share it with others.
Conclusion
The key to successful lead generation is creating quality content that will make your target market sit up and take notice.
When you build content with a purpose, you’ll be more likely to get results and meet your goal.
And it’s critical to use the right tools to help you build leads.
Some tools that you should leverage include: form tools, optin popups, customer relationship management tools, digital download platforms, and social media platforms.
When used correctly, these tools can help you turn your content into a lead-generation machine.
