How to plan content to support digital sales

That’s how it works Susan GonzálezMarketing Director of wholesale e-commerce platform RepSpark, describes the B2B e-commerce revolution of the 2020s.

“It forced companies to digitalize almost overnight. And now buyers who had to make that switch aren’t looking back,” she says.

Joe Cicmana senior analyst at Forrester, has the evidence.

In 2019, Forrester expected B2B e-commerce in the United States to reach $1.8 trillion by 2023. But by the end of 2021, it had already reached $1.7 trillion, as Joe and Jitender Miglani noted in the report Forecast for 2022. They expect this number to reach $3 trillion by 2027.

It’s not just sales that happen online. In 2020, Gardener predicts that by 2025, 80% of B2B sales interactions between suppliers and buyers will take place via digital channels.

While the need for B2B e-commerce increased, the pandemic also accelerated the adoption of online purchases by B2B brands.

According to this, a third of B2B buyers say they want a sales experience without a salesperson Gardener Research.

“B2B buyers expect the same seamless self-service experience as consumers. You don’t want any more endless calls and back and forth emails. They want fast, efficient and digital. Platforms like Amazon Business and Alibaba are setting the standard, and the rest of the industry is trying to catch up,” says Susan.

Plan content across the entire digital selling experience

But unlike many B2C purchases, B2B purchases are about more than the actual purchase transaction, they say Belinda CondeHead of Marketing at Datos, a SEMrush company.

“B2B e-commerce is about the experience before, during and after the purchase. It’s also about building community and how people interact with and perceive the brand,” she says.

Yet many brands don’t offer this 360-degree experience, he says Jason WingateCEO of Emerald Ocean, a manufacturer, distributor and holding company for various brands.

“Most buyers are overloaded with generic, poorly written emails and uninformed sales pitches, which make them jaded and defensive,” he says. “If you take the time to adapt your approach to these changes, there is a great opportunity to drive growth in B2B e-commerce.”

A B2B eCommerce marketing program requires expanding the role of content beyond top-of-funnel activities. Content is the cornerstone of setting your brand apart from your competitors by building trust And “We guide the buyer’s decision,” says Jason.

To achieve this, Belinda Conde of Semrush advises marketers to view their content from the perspective of someone who would buy the product without contacting the company. What forms, educational content, product marketing materials, self-service support materials, etc. would be required?

Knowing these answers requires thorough audience research and expert knowledge of your customers. Belinda shares these questions that marketers need to know the answers to:

• What are customers’ pain points across the funnel?
• Which parts of the website cause the most abandonment?
• Does your product need better UX/UI features throughout the onboarding process?
• How do you ensure customers stay informed and understand the potential of your product throughout its lifecycle?
• Are there clear and timely opportunities for upselling/cross-selling?

RepSpark’s Susan Gonzalez suggests taking a broader view and treating e-commerce programs as an ecosystem in which content plays an important, but not the only, role. “Think self-service portals, personalized offers, live inventory and automated workflows. It’s about removing obstacles so companies can focus on what they do best. It’s not just about moving products; It’s about moving the business itself forward faster,” she says.

In the content space, that means detailed guides, straightforward case studies, and helpful research that position your brand as the “expert they can’t live without,” says Susan.

Design content as a buying guide

Anna StellaFounder of BBSA Marketing, suggests designing your content for each stage of the customer journey. Think about what answers customers might need so they don’t have to search. They improve their knowledge and ensure a more pleasant shopping experience.

Think of your content as a buying guide. Answer key questions such as product suitability, technical specifications and compatibility with existing solutions. “Well-crafted content enables customers to make faster, more informed decisions, which benefits both customers and providers,” says Anna.

Well-planned B2B eCommerce content also leads to fewer product complaints and returns. Anna explains: “Providing clear details can help reduce misunderstandings. Detailed instructions also help customers use the products correctly, minimize complaints and reduce customer service requests.”

Vukasin IlicCo-founder of Linkter, says marketers should create dynamic content that adapts to a visitor’s profile, such as industry-specific guides or role-specific case studies.

And don’t forget about the post-transaction content. “Content doesn’t stop after it’s sold,” says Vukasin. “Post-purchase content, such as support materials, user guides and thought leadership articles, helps nurture long-term relationships and increase the chance of upselling or customer retention.”

But you don’t have to guess what will work. Unlike offline sales, e-commerce activities generate a lot of data.

“Every interaction in e-commerce gives you insights – what your buyers are looking for, their pain points, and where they’re dropping off,” says Susan Gonzalez. “Use this data to tailor your content, address their problems directly, and offer solutions they didn’t even know they needed.”

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Cover image by Joseph Kalinowski/Content Marketing Institute