In the world of content marketing, a new breed of creators is making waves – B2B creators.
Unlike B2C creators, B2B creators have a unique approach to their craft, driven by a clear business purpose. These creators are on a mission to educate and inform rather than purely entertain, although they might sprinkle in some engaging elements along the way.
The benefits for a business from a B2B creator are manifold.
Chief among them is the ability to express complex business concepts in an easily understandable form that potential customers find intriguing.
Additionally, B2B creator is well-informed about industry trends and can skillfully incorporate them into their content, providing actionable insights for their audiences. They naturally focus on addressing the needs and problems of businesses, such as productivity, customer engagement, acquisition, retention, and more.
Their knack for communicating these themes in a language tailored to a professional audience is undeniably one of the most compelling attributes of B2B creators.
As a result, their content is driven by and geared toward business growth and innovation.
So, what exactly do B2B creators bring to the table?
They are the visionaries of content creation, introducing new ideas, fresh insights, and thought-provoking perspectives to the market.
They build an audience and connect them with a brand, product, or service.
Meet Andy Crestodina, a prominent figure in the web design and digital marketing industry since 2000. Andy is an accomplished author with a book on content marketing titled “Content Chemistry.” He is also the visionary behind Content Jam, Chicago’s largest content marketing conference. Through regular content sharing on LinkedIn, Twitter, and his agency blog, Andy has established himself as the face of Orbit Media, contributing to the industry’s success in content and digital marketing.
Andy’s impact on the blogging industry is immense, thanks to his groundbreaking survey initiated in 2014. This survey has become a yearly blogging statistics report that every blogger and content marketer eagerly anticipates.
It offers valuable insights into the industry, helping professionals understand its current trends and developments.
B2B creators excel as great writers, crafting long-form content on various platforms like LinkedIn, Twitter threads, Substack, Medium, or their personal blogs. Some venture into the world of email newsletters, building a loyal audience and bridging connections with brands.
A prime example is Katelyn Bourgoin, who delivers a weekly newsletter called “Why We Buy,” focusing on using psychology to understand customers. But she is also an awesome writer on Twitter and Linkedin, while developing a program along with Neal O’Grady where they help entrepreneurs build their personal brand.
Others leverage short videos and visuals to emphasize key points or create memorable content snippets to share across different channels.
For instance, Tim Davidson produces and publishes short videos on B2B marketing on his LinkedIn and TikTok, proving that B2B marketing can be far from boring.
Or we have Alex Lieberman, who’s the co-founder of Morning Brew but he is also an avid B2B creator using videos to talk about entrepreneurship, business and startups.
The B2B creator is the real face of the company.
Because we live in a world where faces are the new logos, as Alex Antolino said.
People love connecting with creators with a face, feelings, beliefs, and values. They appreciate the vulnerability, struggle, and genuine smiles that come from being human.
Creating content is no longer just a task on your to-do list; it’s a way to make the brand stand out in a noisy world, forge a true connection with the customers, and share values that build bridges.
Platforms don’t wants just content, they want quality content. Platforms wants expert content that can drive audiences and sell advertising.
Google is prioritizing authority content.
The ripple effect of their content is awe-inspiring, spreading far and wide across the internet and quickly indexing in search engines, which is partly thanks to Google’s new E-E-A-T approach that prioritizes content from B2B creators, emphasizing experience, expertise, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness.
Another platform that is betting high on B2B creators is LinkedIn which wants to showcase expert knowledge and advice. To figure out who the experts are, they look at users’ interests based on their profiles and activities.
B2B creators thrive on a perfect combination of social media content, organic content on Google, and personal branding, making them indispensable for any company.
But what tactics do these B2B creators employ to make their mark in the digital sphere? Let’s take a general look:
- Exclusive Brand Collaborations: B2B creators craft bespoke content exclusively for partnering companies to share on their branded channels, amplifying their reach and influence. They can be an individual creator who is partnering with outside companies, but they can also be employee of a company.
- Personal Campaigns: They develop compelling campaign content for their own channels, making a direct connection with their audience and fortifying their personal brand. They use their platforms and audiences to make the brand stand out in a much more native way.
- Co-Creation and Collaboration: B2B creators join forces with other creators and brands, co-creating video content, conducting podcast interviews with industry executives, and fostering a collaborative community. Webinars and online summits are other interactive channels of co-engaging audiences.
- Industry Events Participation: Always at the forefront of their niche, B2B creators actively engage in company and industry events, ensuring their insights and expertise reach the right ears.
The DNA of a B2B creator is a blend of creativity, innovation, and an unwavering commitment to continuously producing valuable content. They excel at capturing and holding attention, adeptly navigating the dynamic digital landscape.
So, who can be a B2B creator?
Anyone within a company can assume the mantle of a B2B creator, but it can also be an individual B2B creator without having to be an employee in a certain company.
Whether it’s the passionate founder, the visionary CEO, or the imaginative marketer, each individual has the power to unleash their creative spirit and make a substantial impact through thought leadership.
For example, Nathan Barry, the CEO of ConvertKit, has built a significant audience on Twitter and LinkedIn, discussing creators making a living through content creation and bridging the gap between business and content creation in the B2B creator sphere.
Similarly, Amanda Natividad, the VP of Marketing at Sparktoro, runs her personal newsletter, consistently creates content on Twitter and LinkedIn, and speaks at major conferences like Ad World Conference. But at the same time, she makes sure she creates content on Sparktoro’s Blog that will get their audience’s attention. For example, Zero-Click Content made a huge impact on the marketing industry.
To stand out as a B2B creator and attract businesses and brands, it’s important to demonstrate a deep understanding of the industry and offer unique insights. Storytelling skills, content creation abilities, and technical savviness are crucial. B2B creators must convey complex concepts compellingly, provide actionable guidance, and stay up-to-date with the latest technologies.
Becoming a B2B creator isn’t an overnight affair. It requires time, effort, and a significant amount of passion to shape and refine content and messaging, always ensuring alignment with the audience’s needs and interests.
But we are just at the beginning of a new perspective that will impact our world.