Did you know 615 million devices use Adblock and 11% of the global internet population is blocking ads on the web? And, a major portion of those who have not blocked ads mostly never click on them. So, it is clear that majority of the internet users do not like ads being shoved into their faces. It is precisely for this reason that Content Marketing has gained such great importance and the good news is that it works!
This is because Content Marketing is not about mindless sales, rather an effort to offer useful information and creating awareness. It does not tell its audience to buy but gives them aplenty reasons to do so. A convincing content strategy can unlock the sales potential of just about any entity. Further, applying the rules of SEO, metaphrases and long-tail keywords amongst others, results in a winning formula. The best examples of B2B companies and value-added resellers that made big riding on Content Marketing are- Xerox, Intel, IBM and Cisco.
Let’s analyze the content marketing strategy of each of these four companies and find out what makes them tick.
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Xerox
Xerox is such a powerful brand name that almost everybody uses the word “Xerox” for photocopying. But Xerox is more than a photocopy machine company. It offers a host of other IT services as well, and this is what necessitated a revamp of its image. Xerox started its online digital magazine called Real Business.
Great coverage and good content made this magazine very popular within a short span of time. It also partnered with Forbes to create digital as well as limited print edition magazine called “Chief Optimist”. The magazine features exclusive interviews, business content and tips for the readers. This magazine helps businesses become more agile and competitive in the dynamic environment they operate in.
There are industry-specific sections and, part of the magazine also covers higher education. It is all about finding opportunities that others may miss. One can access this magazine through Android and Apple apps too. It is estimated that this magazine has generated a whopping $1.3 billion of revenues in the pipeline for Xerox!
A few years ago, Xerox also adopted a new brand content strategy. It redesigned website massively ad re-engineered its content to attract new customers and prospects. Right from e-books and case studies to expert interviews and slideshares, it adopted an aggressive content strategy.
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Intel
Intel is another powerful brand, and its “Intel Outside” is probably the most seen tagline. Over 90% of the laptops and computers use Intel technology in them. It is one of the biggest digital companies in the world and therefore it is but obvious that they have been able to champion their Content Marketing strategy.
Intel has a blog called IQ where its employees publish content. This helps Intel understand what their employees are interested in and harnesses their knowledge in different fields. The blog also integrates the content on social platforms that help Intel know about the latest trends that are catching the attention of the general public. The idea behind this blog is not direct revenue earning but to become a preferred platform for information sharing and lead generation.
It also actively uses SimpleReach, the content marketing ROI optimization platform, to get real-time actionable insights and make it’s content distribution strategy more robust. After using SimpleReach, Intel doubled the average engaged time, increased social referrals by 12x and generated page views higher by 6x.
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IBM
IBM is one more IT giant that provides a wide range of computer hardware, consulting services across the globe and offers marketing and sales automation tools. They have a high educational content strategy which is a result of decades of their rich experience.
The content created by IBM is unusual, creative and absolutely exciting. They created the world’s smallest movie- A Boy and his Atom. The movie was created by just moving atoms, but it was their research and technology that was actually highlighted through it.
Similarly, their other educational videos have garnered a lot of excitement and appreciation while enhancing the brand value of IBM. The videos though deal with digital and general technology yet the content appeals to everyone. The strategy is to identify influencers that align with IBM’s business priorities.
These influencers with their vast following have brought the world to IBM’s door.
IBM has adopted several other content marketing ideas that are distinct from other brands. For example,
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- Keep the message simple – even the most complex content should be presented in a simplified and relatable manner.
- Make content your salesperson – build content that fosters customer relationships.
- Personalize the content – use automation to offer mass personalization.
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Cisco
In 2016 Cisco hired over 200 content marketers as a part of the organizational consolidation. This was because of Cisco’s strategy of using content as a major sales tool for existing and launching new products. Cisco hired the team of content marketer from across the globe in order to scale up its brand’s content operation.
Cisco has been clear with its expectations- the writer and editors must have distinct voices, and the company must do a better job leveraging subject matter experts within the organization. The company has always shown a preference for owned media as they find social platforms a little less reliable in terms of control.
However, they do use the social platform with their content partner, King content, to find opportunities to reach new audiences. Though Cisco has always had Content Marketing as their main strategy, it was their new router which was completely marketed through Content Marketing. The results were astounding! They reached their lead goals for $100000 lesser than anticipated.
These four companies have been able to tap the potential of Content Marketing to the maximum. They have been able to integrate this model of marketing seamlessly with traditional marketing techniques. Intel still spends millions on conventional advertising but its reaching niche customers and partners effectively through Content Marketing. Same goes for the rest of the three brands that are reaping the best from their respective marketing strategies.
