3 Hallmarks of Effective ABM Content

For B2B marketers engaged in Account Based Marketing (ABM), producing engaging content is an ongoing challenge. If content creation for ABM is something of a struggle for your team, you’re not alone; 60% of marketers in a recent Content Marketing Institute (CMI) study list this among their top five challenges.

How can you consistently create content to engage decision makers at target accounts? First, it’s important to view ABM as a strategy rather than a tactic. Looking at it that way, you can then begin to choose the best content marketing tactics to support your ABM strategy.

Here are some factors to help you pinpoint where and how your ABM content could be improved.

Personalization – We know that ABM demands content with a higher level of personalization. But are you creating content that is truly personalized by ABM standards? From industry and company size down to job title, your content should address the specific concerns of the recipient.

For example, is the content you’re sending out customized according to trends associated with company size? If you’re targeting larger companies, it helps to recognize that some trends are likely to affect larger companies first. Obviously, personalization is on a scale, but management issues will differ for each department, especially in a company with 1000 or more employees.

Adaptability and resilience can completely change a business model. Take IT systems; where data centers used to figure prominently within company processes, cloud-based apps reduce transitional issues now that larger companies no longer have data centers to deal with.

So, if your content is going to the IT manager of one of these larger companies, research is essential to ensure you’re addressing the realities that individual faces daily. What are the management dynamics within their sphere of influence in that company?

This is the test of whether content is truly personalized. It must recognize and address trends based on industry, company size, and job title and demonstrate an understanding of the challenges faced at the individual level within these parameters.

Credibility – When you speak, does everyone listen? It’s tough to stand out, especially online, where everyone and their dog sitter is trying to build thought leadership. But it is possible to build credibility with the accounts you’re trying to engage.

How? By “borrowing” the expertise of others. No, I’m not advocating plagiarism. But we’re often known by company we keep. You can lend credibility to your content with supporting quotes from thought leaders who are well respected in the targeted industry and even job function.

With just a little research (yes, there’s that word again), you can usually gain enough knowledge – and corroborating quotes – to impress upon your target audience that you know what you’re talking about.

Engagement – Of course, the goal of ABM content is to initiate a two-way dialogue, i.e., engagement. This means you need listen as much as talk. Find out what’s on the mind of the people with whom you’re trying to establish a business relationship. One way to do this is through a survey. Aberdeen is a good example of creating engagement through surveys. In return for the data they collect, participants in their surveys receive a benchmark report.

Other ways to spur on engagement include dialogue related to LinkedIn posts. Read what individuals in your target account are commenting on and sharing. Discretion is the word of the day here; if you decide to jump into the conversation, keep it neutral. You’re simply there to gain insights that can help with personalization, credibility, and engagement.

What do you think makes for more effective ABM content? Feel free to weigh in below.

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