I feel like there was an assumption before AI that content had value simply because it existed. A company having a blog was considered better than not having one. Publishing regularly was considered a good thing in itself. In general, more content meant more value, regardless of whether it was actually useful, interesting or valuable to the target audience.
And in B2B, this problem was often compounded by the fact that content was treated as another way to promote the product or service. The focus was on what the company wanted to say, rather than what the buyer needed to know. AI has taken this problem to another level, as almost anyone can now produce competent content on almost any topic, making simply producing more content no longer a competitive advantage.
The good thing is that now I think people are starting to think differently about content and ask a more fundamental question about what actually makes a piece of content good. And I think there are a few ways to answer that question.
How do you define ‘good content’?
There are plenty of definitions of what makes content “good”, and they range from being relevant, credible, authentic and valuable. All of these characteristics matter, but there is a more fundamental question when we are talking about B2B content. What is the content actually trying to do?
Content is not valuable simply because someone reads it nor is it necessarily valuable because it generates traffic, ranks in Google or produces a lead. Good B2B content has a purpose beyond attracting attention. It needs to answer something the buyer needs to know, give them a reason to trust your expertise and help them make progress toward a decision. However, this does not mean that every piece of content needs to sell something. In fact, some of the most valuable content may have no direct role in selling at all. What matters is that every piece has a clear purpose beyond simply existing.
What makes content valuable to a B2B buyer?
The first thing to acknowledge is that no piece of content exists in isolation. Every blog, LinkedIn post, case study, webinar, video or product page is part of a much bigger content experience that shapes how the buyer perceives your company and your expertise.
Ideally in B2B, valuable content changes what the buyer knows, thinks or considers. It might teach them something new, challenge an assumption, introduce a problem they had not considered before, or give them a different way to think about an old problem. However, if your content sounds like everyone else's, it will not achieve any of this. In fact, it can actively make your company less differentiated.
When every brand in a product category uses the same topics, buzzwords and messages to describe itself, buyers have less reason to see one option as meaningfully different from another so they start to look interchangeable. This is one of the ways markets become commoditized, causing purchasing decisions to shift away from what makes one company unique and relying more heavily on factors such as price, personal relationships or convenience.
Ultimately, good B2B content needs to be useful to the buyer and distinctive to your company. The challenge is understanding what the buyer needs at each point in the journey and using your expertise, experience and perspective to give them something they cannot get from everyone else.
How can your expertise differentiate your content at each stage of the buyer journey?
There are three main phases of the digital buyer journey: awareness, consideration and decision. What the buyer needs from your content changes at each stage, as does the role your expertise plays in helping them move forward.
At the awareness stage, your content needs to help the buyer understand a problem they may not yet be able to articulate or even realize they have, while showing what makes your company different. It should educate them, give them clarity on why the problem matters, show who benefits from your product or service and how you help customers overcome similar challenges and meet their goals. In other words, awareness content has two jobs (1) help the buyer understand the problem and (2) give them a reason to remember your company.
At the consideration stage, the buyer understands the problem and, consequently, their questions begin to change. They want to understand the different solutions available to them, and whether your solution is the right fit for their needs. Your content needs to give them the detail required to evaluate their options, understand the differences between them and see what makes your solution unique. This is where case studies, comparison guides, webinars, technical content and detailed solution pages can be particularly valuable. Each piece of content can answer a different question or address a different hurdle that could be preventing the buyer from moving forward. Your sales team can be a valuable source of these questions because they hear firsthand what buyers are asking, what objections they have and what is holding a deal back.
Your differentiation should also come through strongly at this stage. The content should demonstrate what makes your solution different, rather than simply telling the buyer that it is better, and ideally give them information, evidence or insight that they cannot get from your competitors.
At the decision stage, the buyer needs to understand what is involved in taking the next step and feel confident that they are making the right decision. Your content should reduce any friction or uncertainty by providing the information and evidence they need, whether that relates to pricing, how to order, what to expect after ordering, setup or implementation, technical requirements, customer results or any other questions that could make them hesitate.
It should address the buyer’s final concerns and give them a clear understanding of what choosing your company will actually involve. This is also where your differentiation should come through in the experience you offer. How easy you make it to get started, the support you provide and the experience you deliver after the sale can all be meaningful differentiators, and your content should make those differences visible before the buyer commits.
What does this mean for your content strategy?
A strong content strategy focuses on understanding what the buyer needs to know at each point in the journey and ensures that the right information is available to support them. When there are gaps, the buyer can reach a point where they are unable to move forward. Do not expect every piece of content to move the buyer directly to the next stage or prompt an immediate action. Sometimes its role is to clarify a complex issue, challenge an assumption or provide a new perspective that helps the buyer evaluate their options.
Ultimately, good B2B content is worth the buyer's time. It has a clear purpose, provides genuine value and brings your expertise, experience and perspective to the conversation. It should help the buyer make better-informed decisions while giving them a reason to see your company as meaningfully different.
———————————————————————————————————————————————————————
Is your content helping buyers make progress? If you are not sure whether your content strategy is giving buyers what they need at each stage of the journey, book a free 30-minute consultation to discuss your content strategy and identify where there may be opportunities to improve.
