Last Updated on February 26, 2020 by Anthony
Business-to-business (B2B) copywriting is an SEO tool you might use if your primary customer base is other businesses rather than consumers. It is similar to business-to-consumer (B2C) copywriting inasmuch as you use it to affect the same result: increased traffic and conversion rates. Yet it is different in its approach.
The challenging part of B2B copywriting is effectively communicating with other businesses. The writers themselves may not be comfortable with this form of creativity, especially if they are not familiar with the language of the given business or industry they are writing for. That means that whoever is responsible for the finished product, be it the SEO provider or a member of management, is also responsible for facilitating successful B2B copywriting. Here are five principles to remember:
1. Writers Need to Know the Business
Whether you choose to use an in-house writer or contract with a service such as ours at Connotations, the writer who produces your content needs to know your business inside and out. Ensuring the writer knows your business is easier when you are working with an employee; it is more difficult when contracting for services. Even when contracting though, it is essential you make the effort to make sure writers know what you do.
You may work with writers who have a basic understanding of your industry but no grasp of the details of your particular business. Whatever you do, do not be vague about the details. Give your writers as much information as they need to understand fully what it is you do and what it is you are trying to accomplish.
2. Writers Need to Know the Language
Every industry has its language and jargon that only those within the industry will be familiar with. Effective B2B writing requires understanding and applying that language appropriately. Again, do not be vague with your writers. If they do not understand the language you and your company speak, teach them. Making the effort to make sure writers know the language reduces their research time and makes them more productive.
3. Writers Need to Tell a Story
The Chartered Institute of Public Relations says that B2B writing is about more than just the features and benefits of your products. They say your customers need to be engaged with a story if they are to understand why they need your products and services. As the one facilitating successful B2B copywriting, you need to give your writers freedom to tell that story even if you do not think it sounds professional enough. You may know your business, but writers know how to communicate in the written word. Allow them the freedom to do what they do best.
4. Writers Need to Think like Readers
Any good writer takes pride in his or her ability to convey a message with the subtlety of words. However, the reality is that readers do not necessarily appreciate the same things. When working with writers, always remind them that today’s internet user starts by scanning headlines, subheadings, and bullet points for the most appropriate information. Some will read an article all the way through after getting the bite-size chunks of information they want. Others will not. Nevertheless, without the proper use of subheadings and bullet points, the chances of anyone reading your content goes way down.
5. Writers Need to Generate Action
One of the tried-and-trusted techniques of marketing is to insert a call to action somewhere in the content. This is true whether you are talking about B2B copywriting or its B2C counterpart. As a facilitator of successful B2B copywriting, you need to encourage your writers to include calls to action on a regular basis. If they do not know what a call to action should look like in the context of your products or services, supply it for them.
Connotations offers B2B copywriting services to businesses of all sizes and scopes. We employ a team of writers more than capable of effective research and content creation that will benefit your business. We invite you to contact us for more information about B2B copywriting. Our content produces results that make your business better.