B2B buyers have emphatically joined a revolution. They’re researching more, involving more colleagues, and even buying big-ticket packages online or via self-service.

And that revolution elevates the role of content in the sales process. Consider these research findings:

Since 2019, the average number of interactions required to make a buying decision jumped from 17 to 27 – a 59% increase, according to Forrester. The same study also found that more B2B stakeholders have joined the decision-making process: In 2017, 47% of purchases involved at least four people, while in 2021, 60% of purchases did.Continue Reading

Matt Hartley is not a marketer.

And yet, he is a 2022 B2C Content Marketer of the Year finalist.

Though seemingly incongruous, it’s not. Companies don’t all approach content with the same organizational structure.

Matt is head of editorial strategy and senior manager in the Corporate and Public Affairs department at TD Bank Group. TD Stories, the team’s branded journalism platform, took home top honors for Best Content Marketing Program in Financial Services and earned finalist mentions for Best Content Marketing Launch and Financial Services Publication in the 2022 Content Marketing Awards.

Those results prove that department, title, and reporting structure don’t matter if the content works.

“We tell stories aligned with (the company’s) communication and business goals. It’s about brand building, thought leadership, financial literacy,” Matt explains.

Here’s how a non-marketer finalist for Content Marketer of the Year built an award-winning program.Continue Reading

Updated Nov. 28, 2022

Content marketers love their books.

That’s apparent year after year when Content Marketing Institute compiles its holiday gifting list.

It was also apparent to anyone who saw the long line of Content Marketing World attendees waiting to get an autographed copy of Ann Handley’s new release. No surprise, the second edition of Everybody Writes was the most nominated tome on the list.Continue Reading

Updated Nov. 22, 2022

Millions gather to view your content marketing on their screens.

Crowds line up over two miles just to get a glimpse of your content in real life.

That’s the stuff of content marketers’ dreams. And it’s the reality for marketers at Macy’s, the U.S. department store chain that has put on a parade in New York City every Thanksgiving since 1924.

I’m a big fan of Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. I traveled to see it twice, and I never miss watching it on television. And that’s before I realized it’s all content marketing. Here are some lessons that struck me.Continue Reading

Salesforce’s Ebony Beckwith ends every interview in her #BossTalks series with the same question: “What is your superpower?”

So I asked her that question.

Her response? Well, it’s a bit meta – and very accurate.

Ebony’s superpower is bringing out the superpowers in others.

“This comes through in my mentoring and the way I manage my leadership team. It brings me a lot of joy to see them shine,” she explains.

It also manifests in her role as Salesforce’s chief business officer and chief of staff to co-CEO Marc Benioff. Ebony is also the CEO of the Salesforce Foundation.Continue Reading

Around 2016, NBCUniversal acquired a Minnesota-based sports digital platform that connected young players with local teams.

If you’re wondering what attracted the entertainment behemoth to the scrappy startup (then called Sports Ngin), think next generation.

“If you look at the research, the more kids play and participate in sports, the more they want to watch it,” says Rob Bedeaux, director of consumer engagement and content strategy at NBC Sports Next, the division that now houses SportsEngine (as it was rebranded).Continue Reading

Should you be paid more for what you do?

Over half of content marketers (54%) believe their compensation should be higher, according to CMI’s Content Marketing Career and Salary Outlook 2023 (registration required).

And now’s a good time to ask – the latest CMI B2B research found content marketing’s importance in the business has grown.Continue Reading

Sarah Tolle started her professional life teaching English in Spain and Hungry. On the side, she started writing content for a marketplace startup in the home design industry and, eventually, for other clients.

When her teaching stint ended and the Wisconsin native settled in Canada, Sarah increased her entrepreneurial activities. She continued creating content for clients, often startups, and expanded into strategy development and social media growth hacking. She also ran a handmade jewelry business on Etsy.Continue Reading