How to Engage B2B Customers Online

The term content marketing has spread like wildfire over the last few years. As a blogger working in the space for the last 5 years, I see it as an amazing validator for what I do for a living, but also as a huge pain in my side. 

The problem with content generation growing at such a rapid speed is that the actual content suffers. Blogs and social media accounts went from only saying something when there was something worth saying, to posting for the sake of owning the most digital real estate. We’re seeing an influx of information on the Internet, and the majority of it is garbage.

So, if you’re a content marketer playing in the B2B space, or even B2C for that matter, and you’re lacking engagement – this is the first place I want you to strategically focus on making adjustments.

In order to get initial engagement on your digital content you’ll need to give your readers something in return. If you’re a B2B content creator, you’re not the first place a potential buyer goes when they’re bored and looking to kill time online between meetings. For that they go play Angry Birds. They’ve come to your site or clicked on your link because they have a need and they think you can fulfill that need. DO NOT DISAPPOINT THEM. If you blow it here and give them garbage, they won’t give you a second chance to prove them wrong. You need to help them solve a problem, validate a decision or keep them from making a poor choice. This is the first step to creating meaningful dialogue with your prospects.

If you’re already extremely strategic about your content and still aren’t seeing the level of engagement you had hoped for, here are some low-hanging fruit solutions for how to engage B2B customers online:

1. Showcase your authors accordingly.

Each blog post should have an author photo and a bio that links to the appropriate Twitter and LinkedIn accounts (see my bio below for an example!). Let your readers see you as a real person, not just a megaphone on a soapbox. Ideally, this encourages more human-to-human interaction.

2. Allow for comments. 

Keep comments for blog posts turned on, and when you receive them, comment back! It doesn’t matter if the comment is coming from the blog post itself or a social message, follow up with that person. Thank them for the note – ask them a follow-up question. This is how dialogue begins and then grows into meaningful digital relationships.

3. Reach out to others.

I don’t just mean reach out and share your blog content or your social message. Reach out and offer feedback on their blog posts and their social messages. We already know your prospective customer is out there online. What are they doing? What are they into? Pay attention to their interests and they’ll start paying attention to you.

Are you one of the bloggers who are seeing great success with engagement? Share your tips and tricks in the comment section with your Twitter handle and I’ll share them socially while giving you props. I’m always looking to connect with other creators.

Another post by Nadine: How Multiple Blog Voices Breeds Readership Success

Image via bplanet/FreeDigitalPhotos.net