Shake the cobwebs from your old-school marketing theories, and give them a long, hard look. Are those traditional ideas helping you meet your content marketing goals? If not, consider dramatically changing your approach to content marketing in today's more engaged, networked world.

But where do you begin to overhaul your thinking? In a Fresh Perspective blog post titled "The 3 Biggest Shifts Needed for Successful B2B Content Marketing," Rachel Foster offers three suggestions based on a B2B Technology Marketers group discussion.

Squelch the urge to shill. Don't assault your customers with your sales pitches. Think first about what your audience needs. "This means that you need to create content that isn't focused on your products or services," says Foster. "Instead, you can develop videos, whitepapers, blog posts, or other materials that help your target audience overcome one of their key challenges or reach one of their goals."

Redefine "marketing collateral." Make all your content—even whitepapers and documentation—shareable. "Since social media is a huge part of content marketing, you should think of ways to make all your content more social," reminds Foster. For example, put whitepapers and presentations on SlideShare, create a YouTube channel, and launch a Facebook Page for customers to share their experiences with your brand. Use blogs, videos, webinars, and your social networks to tell your story.

Ditch the jargon. "You should create content for all your audiences and speak to their business, technical, and even personal needs," suggests Foster. Speak and write in conversational language that engages, educates, and entertains your audience.

The Po!nt: Marketers need to adjust their old and disengaged marketing approaches and create content that invites, involves, and drives conversation.

Source: Fresh Perspective

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