Content marketing is one of the most cost-effective ways to promote your business. But park the monetary aspect to the side for a minute because content marketing in its own right is an excellent way to generate leads for your B2B tech startup. It can help you become a thought leader by providing audiences with helpful insights that build trust and win business. 

Why is content marketing so beneficial?

There are many benefits to having a content marketing strategy. For starters, a regular stream of content such as blog articles and videos can help with organic SEO and increase the likelihood of your business appearing in search engines. But the quality of your output also needs to be high, so it engages readers and gets them making a call to action – be it signing up for a newsletter, clicking another page on your website or using a contact form. 

You can also use content marketing at different stages of the funnel. Some content might be created to get audiences to make a buying decision, while other content is purely for gauging interest and increasing awareness. 

A company that actively creates content looks like a business that cares. You are showing the audience that you’re immersed in your field of expertise while highlighting the problems your service solves with in-depth, informational content. 

The stats don’t lie

Don’t just take our word for it when it comes to the power of content. The stats back up the claims and show why this type of marketing is so vital for getting customers onside and promoting your business. 

• 72% of marketers improve their engagement through content marketing
• Content marketing costs 62% less than traditional marketing but drives three times as many leads
• Companies with blogs create 67% more leads per month than companies without
• The most successful B2B companies spend nearly 40% of their marketing budget on content 

Content marketing has become popular because it yields positive results in both the B2C and B2B spaces. Technology companies, in particular, have embraced content marketing in their business to educate customers and generate more leads. 

How to start content marketing

Think about the marketing funnel before you get started. There are different types of information and reasons people might want to engage with your content. It’s good to put yourself in the audience’s shoes. 

What questions do they have? What are they interested in, worried about or trying to solve? Ultimately, you want to help them with their questions. To do this, you’ll need to know your customer personas and what motivates them.

Once you understand their needs and desires, you can begin putting a content strategy together. It’s worth remembering that content marketing is a long game. Yes, it can produce instant wins, but you should think about any strategy over the course of six months.

How to create content that attracts leads

Most people automatically think about blog posts in relation to content marketing. And while writing regular content is a great way to connect to your readers, don’t simply create a blog page and pen a few articles. 

Explore how your audience wants to consume content and where they reside online. Some might want digests straight in their inbox, while others are happy to click onto your blog page. Then there are those who will find most of their content on social media, as well as people who like getting their content fix with a podcast or video on YouTube. 

Meet them where they hang out online with the type of content they interact with. This is the best way to connect with your audience and provide high-quality content that keeps them returning for more and turns them into customers. 

Be consistent and win with your content

Again, content marketing is a long game. It only works if you’re consistent with your output. Ideally, you’ll offer a wide range of content, from blog articles to videos. But even if you only begin with one, be consistent and share it on social media. 

This way, you’ll start to build an audience over time and can begin offering them specific content topics to their needs and where they are in the funnel. If done right, you’ll have a watertight content marketing strategy that will resonate with your audience and act as a lead generation source.