How evergreen content helps your B2B business
The world of B2B content marketing is vast and sometimes confusing. Is it better to create content about things that are trending or something that sticks? And how would that look?
Well, it shouldn’t be either-or. Both types of content can make a difference to your business, but one gets you more, not less, attention over time.
Here’s how it works:
Timely content
That type of content is either there to sell your product or service on the spot or inform you about relevant trends. Typical content would be landing pages, Facebook ads and news articles.
Timely content boosts engagement and shows your ideal clients that you’re aware of the latest developments in your field and can get you more impressions. However, it has an expiration date- you don’t run that promotion forever. That’s where B2B evergreen content comes in.
Evergreen content connects
Before your client waves their credit card in front of you, you must convince them you’re trustworthy. That means they must see that you are an expert in your field- ideally with informative, engaging content addressing some of their pain points.
But that’s not enough: We tend to buy from people we like and connect with, so your B2B content should clearly show your personality and brand voice. That way, your readers will immediately know if you’re a match.
The way to build up such a connection is via so-called evergreen content. These texts feature topics that can stay relevant for the following years. It’s not bound to holidays or seasons and answers your ideal client’s pain points. Evergreen content is always relevant, easy to read and educational. Like plants that structure a garden throughout the year, your evergreen content puts in the work for you daily.
How could that look? For a B2B business, that could be how to select a supplier; an article about mindset would fall into that category for a business coach.
Evergreen content is the workhorse of your website. As it addresses your prospects’ questions, it consistently drives traffic to your website. The topics show your readers what you specialise in. And the use of long-tail keywords will get you the clients looking for your offer.
Long-tail keywords are specific keyword phrases your ideal clients might type into a Google search. “Health apps for corporates” is a long-tail keyword. “Health app” isn’t.
However, there are some things to keep in mind:
Your content needs to be long enough to be found by search engines (these days, the minimum is about 500 words, but 800+ are better). The text must also be engaging and offer something new that your readers can’t get elsewhere quickly. In the case of our B2B business above, the suggestions for finding a supplier have to stand out somehow- is it the easiest, the most foolproof? Does the post warn you about common mistakes?
Then there are the backlinks. Search engines love them because they show that your statements are backed up by others — and if others link to your B2B website, even better. That signals that you are an authority in your field and have the content to prove it.
And while B2B evergreen content doesn’t need as many updates as your social media accounts, you should plan an audit of all your B2B blog posts at least twice a year. A broken backlink can be all it takes to lower your rating in Google.
What evergreen formats should I choose?
Like everything in life, some rules and guidelines might help you create the B2B evergreen content your business needs. Here are some suggestions:
How-tos
The classic. Think about it: How often have you reverted to Google when stuck with a problem? From how to increase productivity to the best way to build up a marketing strategy, there is almost no challenge we face that we don’t look up online. That’s your chance: write a blog post about the best way to do something your clients need to reach their goals. Give them lots of information but write it in a way that is easy to understand.
A good measurement is the Dale-Chall readability formula. It uses a list of 3000 words that are understood by an American fourth-grader. Another one is the Flesch- Kincaid readability test. Regardless of which one you use, your text should be between 60 and 80, depending on the subject and prospect.
Case studies
People love numbers because they give them something solid to base their decisions on. Try to include relevant studies in as much detail as you can. While case studies won’t be new forever, they will be good enough to refer back to for a few years at least. Just make sure to check them during your B2B website audit.
List posts
Numbers have the added benefit of giving structure to your text, so as readers, we love headlines like “5 ways to….” They automatically give us the feeling of order and make it easy to follow the suggestions. Remember to count again before posting; you can get carried away and include more steps than you promise in the article!
Explainer videos
Who doesn’t love a good video? This type of B2B content can support your written content. You could, for example, write a blog post about the topic and create a short video for website visitors who don’t have the time to read through your post. Make sure the audio is good, and the explanations are easy to grasp.
Ebooks and guides
These are excellent B2B evergreen content as they can be used to grow your newsletter crowd. You can offer a downloadable ebook either as an incentive to sign up for your newsletter or sell it online. Remember that the content won’t influence your SEO much in these cases, as it’s not open for all to see.
More things to consider
No matter what B2B evergreen content you put out there, support it with visuals such as photos or infographics. According to advertising gurus such as Ogilvy and Drayton Bird, one large image works better than a few smaller ones.
Your B2B content should be based on your overall B2B content strategy. To establish trust with your clients, you need a consistent message they can immediately understand. Random posts don’t do that. Focus on topics your ideal customers are interested in.
Consistency is another crucial factor. It’s rare but not surprisingly so. As you and I know, it’s hard to find the time to write when you must also attend to other sides of your B2B business.
Here, a content calendar can help. Look at your next quarter and decide how many hours you can dedicate to content creation. Even better, outsource it so you know it will get done.
And finally, be sure to use your B2B brand voice even when more than one person writes B2B evergreen content for your company.
B2B brand content that constantly changes its tone is confusing to the reader. Here, a clear content style guide is invaluable. If you don’t have one, it is an excellent time to create one. I can help you get clear on your brand voice and create a content style guide for you.
B2B evergreen content is so helpful because it keeps getting your attention from potential clients months or even years after you’ve published it. See it as your bank account with a great interest rate, and start investing. You won’t regret it.
Does your team need help to come up with B2B evergreen content? Book a Discovery Call with me and tell me your content challenge: