Cookie cutter content won’t hack it! earn brand buy-in using your brain, your experts, and face touch points for maximum ROI
Think twice about ambulance chasing stories to get coverage. When buyers see credibility and reliability in a brand’s voice, they’re more likely to engage and convert. Witness 94% of B2B marketers agreeing that building trust is the most important factor for achieving B2B brand success.
Tequia Burt, Editor in Chief of the LinkedIn Marketing Collective, underlines just that. “Trust has become the most valuable outcome in B2B – and the clearest path to ROI. It’s what drives every deal, every decision, and every long-term relationship.”
But building trust isn’t churning out cookie cutter content. It’s earned through relevance, credibility, and human connection.
As we battle against the proliferation of average human and AI-generated content, the spotlight remains firmly on the importance of original content to build trust and establish your brand as a credible thought leader. That means B2B organizations must show they can walk the walk and convince target prospects that their brand equity is based on original, creative, and trustworthy values. We checked out these top suggestions from a recent article in Content Marketing Institute.
Stand out from the crowd – tap into your people power
For search prompting we’ve come a long way since Ask Jeeves, but now many marketers are blindly trusting ChatGPT for generic content ideas. Originality demonstrates confidence, expertise, and the courage to operate and think differently, which helps a brand stand out in the crowded market. So why not tap into your subject matter experts?
They’re a company’s “boots on the ground,” with longstanding industry experience, have regular conversations with customers and prospects about their key challenges, and are walking the floors of industry events to gain insights first-hand. It’s why any B2B PR campaign planning should include their input. The more targeted those topics, the more resonance in the media, and the more resonance with prospects.
Elevate your experts – establish thought leadership
Bylined articles should be used to position company executives or subject matter experts as thought leaders outside of a brand’s owned or social channels. This strategy uses their personal credibility to amplify a brand’s message, by reaching industry-specific audiences and adding a layer of authenticity that traditional corporate content often lacks.
Forget Ask Jeeves, Google, and ChatGPT. The human brain is the oldest search engine. Brands that are more memorable are more likely to be trusted. Carefully placed thought leadership in relevant industry media outlets uses “Brain Engine Optimization” to build brand recognition and reputation before the need to purchase even arises. Don’t forget these media placements also form part of a physical/digital trifecta, working with SEO and backlinks to form an effective three-pronged PR strategy – linking memory recall to a subsequent online search and navigation back to the company website.
Become a friendly face – utilize immersive video storytelling
From a social perspective, why not leverage your thought leadership messaging via other media? Remember, the same message from more than one source is more readily believed. What works on one platform will work on another, and video content on social can drive engagement with immersive storytelling.
Short-form video is becoming indispensable for thought leadership because it enables experts to effectively compete for attention in a crowded digital landscape. By adhering to the “60 second rule,” bite-sized videos capture fleeting attention spans and meet audiences where they are—on mobile devices and social media platforms, which are increasingly replacing traditional search engines. Crucially, video allows B2B leaders to break down complex topics into digestible, shareable content while simultaneously reinforcing the human element in their messaging.
Securing trust with high-impact original content
Original content is the ultimate brand buy-in, converting trust into real ROI. To create high-impact content, start by leveraging the unique insights of your subject matter experts – they are your people power! Transform this knowledge into authoritative, industry-placed bylined articles to build external credibility.
Finally, ensure massive reach and authentic connection by amplifying that core message with engaging short-form video.
Need help supercharging your subject matter experts to build brand trust? Check out the IBA executive profiling service and get in touch with our team for pointers: https://www.iba-international.com/executive-profiling/
Jamie Kightley is Head of Client Services at IBA International.
