B2B Content Marketing Agency
Hi. My name is Eric Schwartzman and I wrote what Business Insider calls "the foundation book for B2B social media marketing." Using our proprietary methodology, Schwartzman & Associates develops creative B2B content marketing strategies to help B2B companies in the USA and abroad generate leads and ecommerce revenue through innovative content programs that ROI and deliver bottom line results.
Our Clients
Our B2B Marketing Process
B2B Content Marketing Case Study
B2B Content Marketing Agency Leader Eric Schwartzman
20 Years Serving B2B Companies
Established in early 2000 in Los Angeles, California, Schwartzman & Associates, Inc. is a B2B marketing agency specializing in content marketing, content strategy, content design, and SEO.
B2B Marketing Results
Through web development, blogs, whitepapers, podcasts, videos, gated content, webinars, conferences, trade shows, we help companies create media for B2B marketing campaigns. Eric Schwartzman is a B2B content marketing expert with years of experience helping companies reach their target customers.
Eric Schwartzman's best-selling book, Social Marketing to the Business Customer, was the first ever published on B2B content marketing. We use data and expert analysis to create effective B2B marketing campaigns that attract buyers and increase sales on company websites.
B2B Content Marketing Case Studies
Boutique B2B Content Marketing Agency
Schwartzman & Associates, Inc. is a boutique B2B content marketing agency that has helped hundreds of business leaders achieve their goals through fully outsourced digital marketing campaigns, coaching, and training in all of the B2B content marketing ecosystem niches, including:
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- Podcasting for major brands like the LA Opera and The Hollywood Reporter
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- Creative content production for Toyota, UCLA, and the United States Marine Corps
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- Word-of-mouth marketing campaigns for Microsoft and JP Morgan
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- Public relations campaigns for Mova, Ecast, AARP, and the US Dept. of State.
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- Performance marketing campaigns for dozens of SMBs.
Contact us to discuss your next B2B Content Marketing campaign.
Eric Schwartzman, B2B Content Marketing Agency Leader
B2B Content Marketing Services
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- Business Marketing
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- Content Marketing
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- Thought Leadership Marketing
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- Word of Mouth Marketing
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- Podcasting
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- Twitter Marketing
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- Demand and Lead Generation
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- Brainstorming & Ideation
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- Blogs, Reports and Newsletters
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- Social Media Marketing
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- Account-Based Marketing
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- Marketing Research
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- Digital Public Relations & SEO
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- B2B Influencer Marketing
B2B Content Marketing Expertise
With his expansive knowledge and expertise in the B2B content marketing field, Eric can provide customized strategies tailored to each individual business, allowing them to reach unprecedented heights in terms of demand generation, lead generation, organic search engine optimization, and conversion rate optimization.
For an exciting journey into the future of content marketing, contact B2B content marketing consultant Eric Schwartzman.
B2B Content Marketing Funnel Optimization
If your guests arrive and all the dishes are dirty, there’s no food, and there’s no entertainment or even interesting conversation to be had, chances are they’re going to leave.
A B2B content marketing funnel is a way to attract, convert, and retain customers by creating and sharing commerce content that delivers on the promise of your target market. Content marketing funnels provide expert content to lead business decision-makers through the customer journey. The goal of a B2B content marketing funnel is to convert marketing-qualified leads that become sales-qualified leads.
Hiring a B2B Content Marketing Agency
Obviously, you're more likely to have success working with an experienced B2B content marketing agency. But exactly what kind of experience should you be looking for?
First, you should be looking for content marketers who have experience in your vertical industry sector or your vicinity if you're a local business because it will take less time to get them up to speed.
But you should also look for content marketers with experience handling businesses your size. Small businesses have different needs than enterprise clients. For example, a SaaS company tripling in size every year will have completely different needs than a midsize, family-owned business transitioning from legacy to cloud technology.
So look for comparable experience in your industry first and with businesses of your size and growth trajectory second.
Growth Stage Marketing Explained
Apply these same principles to B2B content marketing, and you'll understand the value if hiring a B2B content marketing agency with blitz scaling experience.
Blitzscaling can be an effective B2B growth strategy for some startups, provided they have the funding to weather the burn rate, but this approach also comes with its fair share of benefits and drawbacks. Let's take a closer look at both.
B2B Marketing Strategy
Growth through Blitzscaling
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- Rapid growth: The big promise of blitzscaling is utilizing the network effect to achieve winner takes all dominance. By out velocity before efficiency, startups have a chance to rapidly expand their customer base, establish dominance in the market, and use the network effect to make it harder for competitors to catch up.
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- First-mover advantage: By blitzscaling, startups can establish themselves as market leaders, giving them a first-mover advantage. This can be particularly important in crowded markets where many competitors are vying for the same customers.
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- Attracting investors: Rapid growth is attractive to investors. It's what investment bankers, venture capitalists, Wall Street, and investors crave most because growth justifies higher multiples when a company is valued. In some cases, managers use blitz-scale business marketing to pump and dump companies with skyrocketing growth but no profitability.
Drawbacks of Blitzscalking for B2B Marketers
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- Risky: Blitzscaling is a risky business strategy. By prioritizing speed over efficiency, startups may overlook important details and make mistakes that could lead to heavy losses in the long run. This might include overspending on advertising with no returns, missing important regulatory deadlines, and failing to actually build a sustainable business.
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- Limited focus on profitability: Blitzscaling prioritizes growth over profitability, which means that startups may struggle to become profitable in the long term. This can be particularly problematic if the business can't close additional funding rounds or if market conditions change.
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- Difficulty sustaining growth: As a company matures, it becomes difficult to sustain the same level of growth. This can be particularly challenging if a startup grows too quickly. Hiring a B2B content marketing agency with experience dealing with rapidly growing startups is particularly important to maintaining a cohesive corporate culture and mission.
So while blitzscaling can certainly be an effective growth strategy for well-funded startups, it's also a risky strategy that can be costly in the long run. To see if blitzscaling is right for your business, listen to our exclusive interview with venture capitalist Chris Yeh, author of Blitzscaling: The Lightning-Fast Path to Building Massively Valuable Companies on the Earned Media Podcast. Here's an excerpt.
Chris Yeh on the Promise of Blitzscaling for B2Bs
The difference between virality and the networking effect is the most commonly misunderstood factor when it comes to blitzscaling, according to Chris Yeh, who distinguishes these concepts in this shot video excerpt from the Earned Media Podcast.
Virality is where users recruit other users by talking about a product or service, also known as product-led marketing. The network effect, on the other hand, refers to how the value of a network increases as it grows. Here's where you can listen to the entire interview with Chris Yeh.
B2B Content Marketing Guide
B2B companies and marketers previously dependent on trade shows, conferences, and direct sales found the significance of B2B content marketing heightened during lockdowns. As public gatherings ceased, virtual engagement became the exclusive means of interacting with channel partners.
B2B marketers reliant on face-to-face networking found themselves needing to rethink their strategies.
In response to this shift, we created a comprehensive B2B Content Marketing Guide, designed to aid our clients in establishing an effective digital content marketing strategy. B2B companies that had previously been insulated by their emphasis on direct sales tactics felt the impact most acutely.
In this era of virtually conducted business, digital marketing emerged as the sole competitive avenue for identifying and engaging with potential leads. Research shows that, for making it onto the shortlist, B2B content marketing stands as the preferred tactic. Visibility online is crucial; B2B companies risk being overlooked if customers seeking solutions don't find them during their research. The key to visibility lies in crafting valuable, search-optimized content.
B2B content marketing encapsulates the strategic utilization of diverse digital content forms with the aim to attract, engage, inform, nurture, and ultimately convert prospective B2B buyers into genuine leads.
B2B buyers today have mastered the art of avoiding unsolicited sales pitches, making proficient use of caller ID and spam filters to keep unwelcome sales interactions at bay.
As the modern buyer resorts to organic search to sieve through the vastness of the web, search-optimized content presents an effective route to ensure your content successfully navigates this filtration process. This approach is widely referred to as inbound marketing.
But, to optimize, you need text – and that's exactly what online content is. It's your ticket to discovery and consideration.
Securing a spot in the results when business buyers embark on their search has become the most crucial B2B marketing channel.
For the majority of B2B marketers, unless you're armed with quality content for buyers to discover, you risk being overlooked by potential buyers entirely.
In this extensive FAQ (inspired by Gaetano DiNardi), I delve into the significance of B2B content marketing, the construction of a sound B2B content marketing strategy, the necessary investment of time for proficiency, and how to secure a top-ranking position for competitive keywords.
You'll find a plethora of B2B content marketing examples, a deep dive into the inner workings of content marketing, and a host of proven B2B content marketing formulas to enhance your endeavors in 2023.
The great thing about researching B2B purchasing decisions online does not have to deal with pushy salespeople.
We tend to think that when we shop online, we're not being sold.
We think we're searching and sifting through information and getting educated on our own.
But the truth is, we're still being sold. But we're being sold through online information, aka content, deliberately produced to engage us at different stages of the buyer journey.
It could be a white paper, webinar, blog post, or service page. But on a more generic level, it's all online content of some sort.
It's no accident that we're finding, downloading, and consuming content to make purchasing decisions. B2B marketers calibrate their content creation strategies around specific problems their target audience is trying to solve.
In Google's thought leadership content marketing materials, they call the online research we do to get educated the Zero Moment of Truth.
It's the first phase of the customer journey and the first place B2B buyers engage with a successful content marketing strategy. In this case, you build brand awareness through different content formats.
You research products before you buy "...whether you're buying a big jet engine or a refrigerator," says Beth Comstock, former GMO of GE.
In fact, 71% of buyers use the internet on a daily to make business purchase decisions.
For business-to-business marketers, this means treating the web like a giant call center, says Jim Lecinski, managing director of US Sales at Google.
In the video, Lecinski and Comstock talk to FedEx and WW Grainger marketing execs about why B2B content marketing is important.
Today, B2B marketers create content to find, nurture and qualify us for a discussion with a salesperson. So content marketing is essentially presales.
We're still being sold. But we're being sold to more passively through content.
Once you realize content marketing is important, there's lots of great content online about best practices.
On the other hand, figuring out how much time and energy to invest in your content marketing efforts is a much more difficult question.
For content marketing tips, check out my interview with Robert Rose of the Content Marketing Institute.
1. Off-page SEO (Technical SEO)
2. Artificial intelligence
3. Content marketing
4. Podcasting
5. Digital marketing analytics
6. Mobile marketing
7. Digital public relations
8. RSS content syndication
9. Marketing automation
10. Email marketing
11. Social media marketing
In the eyes of a search engine, that's almost too broad a list to rank for. Established, content-rich sites may be able to pull it off.
But it will be far too broad for someone just starting out to try to rank for.
So it's faster and easier to pick one or two things to rank for and focus on that.
To decide which ones to go for, consult that data. Use Google Search Console to see which terms you're ranking that are relevant but maybe outside the top 10 results. You can also use a content marketing optimization platform to improve your writing.
Cover those bases first. Then go look at new topics you're not ranking for. That will accelerate your ascent.
Establish the extent of time to be dedicated to content marketing by scrutinizing web pages that currently hold the rank for the keywords you aim to target.
The duration required to generate superior content corresponds to the time investment necessary. However, you needn't be the one penning the content.
There's always the option to employ a digital content marketing consultant who can make use of AI tools like ChatGPT to delegate articles to writers, and Midjourney to create images, enabling you to scale your owned media editorial content marketing initiatives.
Try searching the phrase you're aiming to rank for. How recent are the top-ranking web pages?
Do you observe content that's outdated but still occupies a place on the first page of search results?
Assess the author. Is the name familiar? Are they renowned or relatively unknown?
Content drafted by a non-native English speaker may have been procured from an offshore firm. There's a chance that the writer might be more versed in SEO than the subject matter discussed in the post. If so, this could indicate a potential to rank swiftly.
If the author lacks credibility or expertise, that's another signal indicating an opportunity. If you are a genuine subject matter expert and generate useful content that's also search optimized, you stand a good chance of ranking.
Observing a large volume of weak content ranking high signifies a definite opportunity.
When considering B2B vs B2C SEO, one might initially presume that B2B keywords are far less competitive than their B2C counterparts.
They might be more elusive, but B2B isn't devoid of competitive keywords.
Battling against terms like credit cards, loans, or debt consolidation in B2B can be just as challenging as with high-traffic B2C keywords.
The overall reputation and awareness of a brand play a significant role too. If the brand is well-known, the task becomes easier, in contrast to a brand that's not particularly recognized online.
This explains the difficulty for a CRM provider like Pipedrive in ranking for non-semantically related terms.
A SaaS company such as Pipedrive is associated with CRM by Google, and they're still relatively undiscovered beyond their niche.
So, if they were to acquire an email marketing tool company, this would introduce a different topic outside of CRM.
Their endeavor to start ranking for email marketing-related terms would be an uphill battle.
This explains why many acquired companies often keep their original website. They don't want to forfeit their rankings.
Google favors websites that specialize in a single topic and are authoritative. It doesn't appreciate websites attempting to rank too broadly.
As any proficient SEO consultant would attest, the alignment of brand authority with topical relevance is of paramount importance.
To grasp the concept of topic focus in B2B content marketing, let's consider an illustration.
We are experts in organic B2B marketing.
It's apparent how B2B growth marketing is interconnected with B2B marketing and B2B lead generation.
However, in reality, organic B2B growth marketing encompasses a wide array of related topics, making it a broad discipline.
Eleven Essential Content Marketing Competencies:
- Off-page SEO (Technical SEO)
- Artificial Intelligence
- Content Marketing
- Podcasting
- Digital Marketing Analytics
- Mobile Marketing
- Digital Public Relations
- RSS Content Syndication
- Marketing Automation
- Email Marketing
- Social Media Marketing
For a search engine, this list may seem excessively broad for ranking. Although content-rich, established sites might manage it.
However, for someone just beginning their journey, attempting to rank for such a broad list might be too ambitious.
Therefore, it's more efficient and simpler to select one or two areas of focus for ranking.
To make this choice, consult the available data. Utilize the Google Search Console to identify which terms you're ranking for that are relevant, even if they might be outside the top 10 results. A content marketing optimization platform can also be used to enhance your writing.
First, cover these areas. Then, explore new topics for which you're not currently ranking. This strategy will help expedite your progress.
Imagine conducting a search for "best sales tools" and the top-ranking result is a blog post from HubSpot.
Let's say the page that's ranking comprises a list of the 15 best sales tools.
Consider taking a different approach. Contribute a guest post on a platform like SalesHacker, showcasing a comprehensive list of the top 150 sales tools. This could significantly outperform the competition.
You'll dominate the competition by offering an extensive array of options.
You're providing a more exhaustive list.
If a search result presents a numbered list, your goal is to compile a longer, superior list.
If your content truly outshines theirs, you stand a chance at ranking higher.
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Sequential B2B Content - Primarily designed to guide B2B companies through a specific process. A noteworthy example would be a thought leaders' post on how to analyze meta descriptions using Screaming Frog. Such content, often developed by a B2B content agency, uses visual aids or video tutorials to facilitate understanding, making it a valuable resource for clients.
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Informative B2B Content - This content format is crafted to assist someone in understanding a new topic, usually crafted by B2B content marketing agencies. Whether for beginners or advanced learners, such content, like a guide to off-page SEO activities, is broad and can enrich the skillset of B2B companies.
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Practical B2B Content - Posts in this category concentrate on leveraging knowledge for accomplishing a goal, potentially unrelated to the subject matter. For instance, a B2B content marketing company may produce a detailed white paper about turning web traffic into qualified leads. It's a resource highly sought after by B2B marketers who work with performance marketing and digital marketing teams.
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Strategic B2B Content - Such posts often focus on building a business case to convince B2B companies why a specific system or technology should be adopted. Developed by B2B content marketing services, this type of content targets senior business decision-makers, reinforcing marketing strategy and leadership aspects within an organization.
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Opinionated B2B Content - Here, the attention is garnered by presenting a controversial standpoint. Produced by a B2B digital marketing agency, these pieces can create viral impact. However, ensure the headline aligns with the body content to prevent a negative ROI due to high bounce rates.
Other things to look for when checking out the competition for a keyword are:
• Is the post linear and easy to follow?
• Does it have diagrams?
• Are there videos?
• Is it as easy to follow as Google thinks it is?
Google may rank the site because they have good domain authority or keyword density.
But it may not be the best content.
Go to the domain and ask yourself, can you make better content than this? If it's not as easy to digest as it is in the search results, that means you've stumbled onto an opportunity.
If you search for a term like "sales operations," you would expect to find information about semantically relevant topics.
Analyze the top results for "sales operations" and find what's missing.
If the post doesn't talk about strategy, that's another opportunity signal.
Imagine you're a B2B company, perhaps an optimist ready to venture into the realm of "sales operations" on Google search results. Your objective? Ascend to page one.
Consider these factors:
• Is there discourse about the tools, perhaps hotjar or similar platforms? • Are they explaining team structures, considering different skillsets and roles within an organization? • Do they highlight the dichotomy between ops and enablement? • Are related entities and LSI keywords, like ABM, ROI, or performance marketing, incorporated? • Is there an infographic or any form of data visualization present?
Recognizing these areas of opportunity offers a competitive advantage. Your task? Develop superior content that fills these voids. Engage your in-house teams or hire from digital marketing agencies. Include thought leaders for rich insights, use tools like LinkedIn for distribution, and remember, strategic planning is essential.
Monitor your progress with tracking tools like HubSpot. Measure the ROI and conversion rate optimization. Pay attention to client behavior and conversions. Don't forget to promote your content on social platforms like Facebook and Twitter for viral growth.
Accountability for every piece of content produced, whether in-house or by a B2B content marketing agency, is vital. Ensure that your B2B content agency partners align with your values and objectives. Opt for those who offer services from content production to content distribution, ensuring your target audience receives the best B2B content.
Maintain transparency with your partners, provide resources, newsletters, and a frequently asked questions section for better understanding. Acknowledge your niche and tailor your strategies accordingly. As you scale and grow, it's vital to maintain the bottom line and consider the cost and price of your marketing services.
Remember, your aspiration is to elevate your content's quality to top B2B standards, to outshine on the first page of Google search results. Following these steps, you're not just filling content holes, you're crafting a comprehensive B2B marketing strategy that brings you closer to your goal.
How much time you invest in your B2B content marketing depends on how competitive your sector or local vicinity is.
How long it will take you to create better B2B content will depend largely on your experience leveraging AI tools like ChatGPT and Midjourney and how efficient you are at creating content briefs and hiring and managing freelance writers.
Use the process and formulas in this post to evaluate top-ranking content and to determine which keywords to target. And if you need a B2B content marketing agency, we can help.