Account Based Marketing (ABM) has endured as a powerful lead generation strategy for the past ten years to target high-value accounts and drive personalized engagement. The result is to increase brand awareness and engage in-market buyers.
While many tactics exist to reach your ABM targets, B2B content syndication is at the top. Delivering tailored, high-quality content to specific target accounts ensures that the right content reaches the right people at the right time.
This comprehensive guide will break down ABM content syndication and provide a step-by-step approach to implementing a winning strategy that elevates your B2B marketing efforts.
ABM content syndication involves distributing highly relevant and personalized content to specific target accounts using a partner like a top industry publication or influencer. Unlike traditional content syndication, which casts a wider net to attract a broader audience, ABM content syndication targets companies where you already see success closing deals (lookalike companies).
The goal is to engage the committee of key decision-makers and influencers within these accounts, addressing their unique pain points and challenges through tailored content, which results in them raising their hand and filling out a registration form, which results in a lead.
If ABM content syndication is new to you, here are five steps you can take to get started:
We’ll assume you’ve done this step, but if you haven’t, the first step in implementing an ABM content syndication strategy is identifying your high-value target accounts.
B2B companies can start ABM content syndication by analyzing their existing customer base and identifying clients with the highest revenue potential, long-term value, and potential for upselling or cross-selling. Utilizing data and predictive analytics, businesses can also identify accounts that fit their ideal customer profile based on factors such as company size, industry, location, and purchasing behavior.
Collaborating with the sales team to target account lists and gain insights on key accounts they are interested in pursuing can further refine the list of high-value targets. By combining these approaches, B2B companies can build a well-defined list of high-priority accounts that will benefit from personalized ABM strategies, enhancing engagement and conversion rates.
To develop tailored content for each stage of the buyer's journey in B2B marketing, it's crucial to understand the unique needs and challenges prospects face at different stages.
In the awareness stage, focus on creating educational and informative content that addresses industry pain points and provides valuable insights. Blog posts, infographics, and explainer videos effectively build awareness and attract potential customers to your brand.
As prospects move to the consideration stage, deliver content that showcases your expertise and highlights the solutions your products or services offer. Case studies, whitepapers, and webinars demonstrating real-world success stories and in-depth analyses will help prospects evaluate your offerings and understand how they can benefit their businesses.
In the decision-making stage, it's time to provide content that reinforces your value proposition and helps prospects make confident purchasing decisions. This content should include product comparisons, testimonials, and personalized demos or consultations. Tailor the content to address specific pain points and concerns raised during the sales process, ensuring prospects have all the information they need to choose your solution over competitors.
Additionally, interactive content like interactive ROI calculators or product configurators can effectively engage prospects and guide them toward a purchase.
By developing tailored content for each stage of the buyer's journey, B2B marketers can nurture prospects effectively, build trust, and ultimately drive higher conversion rates, resulting in more successful B2B marketing campaigns.
To ensure your content reaches the intended audience, leverage a multi-channel distribution approach. The idea is to get your valuable content off your site and in front of your potential buyers on the web properties they visit.
For example, LinkedIn has an option called ‘Matched Audiences’ that only shows your ads to a list of ABM accounts you uploaded to your Ad Manager.
For content syndication, the idea is to explore partnerships with relevant third-party platforms to amplify your brand authority and reach and connect you with potential prospects.
The best strategy is to partner with an agency with experience running B2B content syndication campaigns.
Look for channels where your target buyers go to gain industry insights. Personalize the distribution process by segmenting your target accounts based on their preferences and behavior. Tailored messaging and targeted content delivery will enhance engagement and increase the chances of conversion.
As with any marketing strategy, measuring the performance of your ABM content syndication campaigns is crucial. Identify key performance indicators (KPIs) such as click-through rates, conversion rates, pipeline progression, and ROI to gauge the effectiveness of your initiatives. Again, an experienced agency (with access to your CRM) can create these reports and send them to you, saving much time and effort.
Regularly analyze the data and use insights to optimize your content and distribution strategy continually. Identify which types of content and channels generate high quality leads and the highest engagement and conversion rates, and refine your content assets and approach accordingly.
Source: Gartner
ABM content syndication can foster and support a closer alignment between marketing and sales teams. Collaborate closely with your sales counterparts to understand their needs and challenges when engaging with target accounts. Provide them valuable assets and content that directly supports their sales conversations and objectives.
Most importantly, have a sales and marketing process in place to nurture qualified leads using a combination of content types of email drip campaigns and direct sales follow-up via email, phone, and social media platforms like LinkedIn. Not all buyers in a content syndication campaign are ‘in-market’ at the time they download your content, but over time, if you keep updating them with relevant content, they might convert to pipeline several months after first engaging with you.
By working hand-in-hand, marketing and sales teams can leverage ABM content syndication to generate leads, enhance the buyer's journey and nurture prospects through the sales funnel.
ABM content syndication is a game-changing strategy for B2B marketers responsible for demand generation. By aligning content with targeted accounts and delivering personalized messaging, you can create meaningful connections generating leads, accelerate the buying cycle, and achieve substantial ROI
Follow this step-by-step guide to implement a winning ABM content syndication strategy that elevates your B2B marketing efforts. Identify high-value accounts, develop tailored content, leverage multi-channel distribution, measure performance, and foster collaboration between marketing and sales teams. Embrace an ABM strategy of content syndication as a fundamental pillar of your B2B marketing strategy, and witness the transformational impact it brings to your demand generation initiatives. Harness the full potential of personalized engagement and targeted content to drive success and stay ahead in the competitive B2B landscape.