In the past, content marketing was viewed primarily as a means of creating and promoting assets. Today’s B2B marketers have moved beyond that perception with the realization that content marketing in the digital age is much more complex.
Content Hubs are the updated way to build and share content that relates to customer needs. Content marketing has shifted towards this need for brands to create online destinations, or hubs, that are rich with engaging content relevant to their products or services. The old business website is no longer enough. Instead, companies are developing sites of engagement that include news, resources, blogs, customer insight and, yes, product information.
By creating this online presence, brands can tailor their community to engage customers, listen to their problems and meet their needs. You might already have a site that serves as a hub of engagement for customers, but if you don’t, it is probably time to consider a step in that direction. With all the effort put into social networking and conversation, it makes sense to have a site that supports that by making customers feel as engaged as possible. And if you have put the work in ahead of time to answer consumer questions and provide helpful resources, you will preemptively save yourself from answering them later. You will set yourself apart as having valuable solutions for customer problems, and most importantly, you will keep customers coming back for more.
If your website hasn’t made the transition to Content Hub, here are a few ways to get started:
By creating a venue for customers to post messages, questions and responses to your company’s product or industry news, you provide them with a sense of connection to your brand’s online community. Customers will interact with visitors, and this new platform for peer advocacy might even lead to sales.
Every page of your website should be instantly shareable. Add social badges that are prominent enough to be easily found, and visitors and customers will share your content, making your marketing job easier with each click.
In an effort to make your online community as big and diverse as possible, invite your employees and vendors to join in your website conversations. Many of them will be able to provide resourceful blog posts or answer customer questions from a personal perspective.
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