Using Google Analytics to Improve B2B Marketing Content

In an earlier article we used Google Analytics to develop a basic understanding of the digital B2B customer by answering the questions:

• Where are customers gathering information?
• What information specifically are they gathering?
• How are customers browsing your website?

These three tips demonstrate how manufacturers can use this customer persona to fine-tune digital content such as whitepapers, webinars or videos.

Adjust Copy to Fit Customer Searches

In a previous article, we discussed Steve the steel fence manufacturer. After diving into search engine query and referral link reports, Steve found that his customers were researching, “barbwire fence repair”. Steve notified his marketing department and they created a case study that touted the “durability” of his fences.

This article hits the right pain-point of customers – “I don’t want my expensive fence to break.” However, his marketing department framed the conversation around a feature - “durability”. The problem with this wording is that customers are not searching “durability”; they’re explicitly looking for “barbwire fence repair”.

“Barbwire fences that never need repair”, though less catchy than “durability”, frames the benefit of the product in the exact language customers are searching. This means his case study has a greater chance of appearing in search results.

Engage Customers, Don’t Pitch Product

B2B Manufacturers operate in a much smaller market than B2C businesses. This means that the effect of each interaction is magnified. Vendors who are able to demonstrate selflessness and empathy to potential buyers earn a massive competitive advantage.

Closely study all the videos, blogs and websites that link to your business and ask yourself, “What can I do to help my customers?”

Let’s again look at Steve’s situation. He’s already pinpointed the problem (businesses’ barbwire fences are breaking) and created a marketing solution (case study about how his barbwire fences last longer).

However, people searching for “barbwire fence repair” already have purchased fences and may not be likely to invest in a brand-new fencing solution. This leads Steve to a simple act of kindness – he emails everyone who posted questions about “barbwire fence repair” and tells them to contact his support team (because his expert staff will gladly walk them through the repair). Also, anyone that would like a technician to come out and look at the fence can schedule an appointment free of charge.

This may cost Steve $5,000 in billable repair hours for the site visits but chances are any one of the people he contacts are likely to get consider him first when looking for a new fence (a sentiment that a $5,000 advertising campaign would likely not create).

Distribute Content More Effectively

One of the biggest mistakes B2B manufacturers make when targeting digital prospects is buying advertising space based purely on the number of eyeballs they can reach.

Successful vendor/client relationships in B2B are based on deep working respect for each other. Impulse buys are non-existent and thus simply getting your product in front of a customer is rarely the key to a sale.

Instead of looking at cost per thousand or number of website hits, dig into your customer persona and ask yourself, “What websites send ‘engaged customers’ to my business?” In this case, “engagement” means more time spent on your website, more pages/visits, watching videos, downloading content. Referral sources sending these active customers will produce a much higher ROI.