Skip to main content

It seems that pretty much every B2B company has experience with content marketing. But, the practice is a little less prevalent among B2C marketers. According to the Content Marketing Institute, 86 percent of marketers approach B2C content marketing, compared to 90 percent of B2B.

Though fewer brands approach B2C content marketing, that doesn’t make the practice less effective for consumer-focused brands than it is for business-focused brands. Neil Patel reports that several B2C companies that have used content marketing have seen significant financial gains and traffic gains because of it.

If your brand has yet to give content marketing a shot, it’s not too late. Here’s what to do to put together an effective B2C content marketing approach.

How to Approach B2C Content Marketing

In many ways, a B2C content marketing approach is very similar to that of a B2B content marketing approach. You need two things to get started:

  • A goal
  • A customer or audience base

Start with defined goals (such as “increase leads” or “raise sales by XX%”) and once customer personas. Then, focus on the type of content you produce, who produces it, and where that content gets published or shared.

Your type of content depends on who you are trying to reach and your brand’s voice. For example, short, simple videos that are packed with easy-to-follow parenting tips are perfect if you’re trying to reach busy, stressed moms. Longer form, detailed videos can be ideal if your goal is to reach people who want an in-depth look at a subject, like students who are trying to understand difficult concepts.

Along with knowing what type of content you’re producing and where it’s going to live online, you want to develop a way to measure results. What you measure will be influenced by your goals. If you want to boost traffic, for example, you’ll want to pay attention to how many people are visiting your site and checking out the content. If your goal is to increase sales, you’ll need to pay attention to how many people are converting.

How To Approach B2C Content Marketing Strategy

Often goals shape B2C content marketing strategies. The approach Brand A takes to content marketing likely differs from Brand B’s approach. This is especially true if the two companies have wildly different goals.

Yet, even if the approaches and goals are different, some aspects of their strategies should be the same. For example, B2C brands that write down or otherwise document their strategy are likely to have more success than brands that have a strategy but no concrete documentation of it.

Some other aspects of B2C content marketing strategy that stay the same no matter a company’s goals include:

  • Defining the audience.
  • Defining the type of content.
  • Identifying creators.
  • Identifying where to publish the content and how to promote, boost, or share it.
  • Measuring the content to track its success.

Unique Ways To Approach B2C Content Marketing

There tends to be a lot of repetition when it comes to content marketing. For example, one brand will start creating content about a trendy news story or topic and it will seem as if every other brand jumps on the bandwagon and creates more of the same.

If you want your brand’s content to stand out, you need move away from the copycat train.

Instead, focus on your customers/audience and their specific and unique needs. Define what that is, then produce content that highlights your uniqueness.

If you are going to write about the same topics that other brands are covering (it is sometimes unavoidable), think of a USP – unique selling point – to offer your audience. Maybe you’ll be the contrarian or cheerleader, taking the opposite approach from everyone else. Perhaps you’ll create a video when everyone is writing blog posts.

Examples of How To Approach B2C Content Marketing

Need some B2C content marketing inspiration? Take a few tips from these brands that have created successful and unique content marketing campaigns.

Bacardi Approach B2C Content Marketing

Bacardi

Bacardi encourages people to be the life of the party. Its content marketing on Instagram helps people be exactly that. The brand created a DJ simulator through Instagram’s Stories feature. Fans of the rum could tap and spin and create beats just like a DJ.

OkCupid Approach B2C Content Marketing

OKCupid

Say what you will about online dating, OKCupid has done what it can to make finding your soulmate online somewhat fun and entertaining. The site’s quizzes not only make filling out a profile fun, they also provide valuable information that OKCupid uses to help people meet their match. Plus, the rest of the site’s blog provides an engaging, inside look into the realm of modern dating.

Goose Island Approach B2C Content Marketing

Goose Island

Goose Island makes beer and it also partners with the Weather Channel to create Journey of the Hop, a look at the process of growing hops then transforming hops into beer. The article contains lots of graphics and images to keep people engaged. It also provides information about beer from an angle many consumers might not have taken before.

Your brand’s B2C content marketing approach should include not just a set of goals and a definition of your target audience. You also want to come up with a way to differentiate your content from the rest.