Content marketing is the main topic of conversation in B2B Marketing’s first ‘infographic of week’ (we’re creating a weekly series, doncha know?). Content challenges, social winners, goals and tactics are all up for discussion (complete with football metaphors). So, let’s get stuck in.

Content challenges

To kick off, let’s ask: what’s holding back marketers the most when creating successful content? Simply put, they’re struggling to make it engaging enough. Long gone are the days of churning out generic, all-inclusive content. In the era of mass content production, B2B marketers need to tinker with and tailor their strategy.

Different channels need different approaches; balance visual content with blogs, case studies with video, and it all needs to be delivered free of that icky ‘promotional’ feel, while staying relevant to your target audience.

It’s no small wonder that the third and fifth biggest pain points for content marketers are producing content consistently and in a variety of formats. [See infographic below]

Let’s get social

LinkedIn’s narrow victory over Twitter as the king of social media in content marketing may surprise a few, with B2B’s social media galacticos trading bragging rights as often as Real Madrid and Barcelona swap the La Liga title.

Interestingly, YouTube claims third spot on the podium (the proverbial Atlético Madrid for all those still following the Spanish football metaphor), leapfrogging Valencia’s Facebook in the process, while Google+ (shall we say, Sevilla?) languishes in fifth. Mirroring Atlético’s recent rise, Youtube experienced the greatest increase in usage, jumping from 68 per cent in 2015 to 81 per cent this year. (Football metaphor ends)

This surge is certainly representative of B2B brands’ eagerness to exploit video as a viable and successful content marketing channel. According to research from the Web Video Marketing Council, 96 per cent of B2B companies used video as part of their content marketing strategy during 2015.

If only all our marketing videos could generate the same excited fervour as Phil Mershon’s ‘Let’s get social’ song, a firm B2B Marketing favourite since its release in 2014.

Content marketing goals and tactics

As discussed earlier, producing engaging content is a marketer’s biggest hurdle, yet their main area of loyalty still resolutely belongs to sales. It hammers engagement into second place as a key organisational goal, while lead gen, brand awareness, customer retention/loyalty and lead nurturing make up the chasing pack.

In terms of tactics, content marketing can take on a plethora of guises, yet social media content still remains the most popular format, with eNewsletters and blogs making up second and third place respectively.

Video continues to creep up the charts, pipping case studies to fourth, while website articles, illustration/photos and infographics remain viable approaches. So, how can content marketers continue to evolve? The answer is, combine! Don’t be afraid to post that video on your Facebook page, advertise your infographic all over the Twittersphere and brag about your blog on LinkedIn.

Integrating these tactics is sure to help overcome, by marketing’s own definition, its biggest challenge: engage, engage, engage.