About this article

Read time:

4 minutes

Category:

B2B Marketing, Content we like, SEO, Uncategorized

Searching high and low…for helpful B2B content

Back in the old days (all of 20 years ago), Google only used to make a few changes each year to the way it managed search, now it releases 1000s of updates a year some of which pass unnoticed, and some which can often have a big impact on SEO. In the summer, Google announced a change to the way it views content that could have repercussions on the way brands create B2B content.

According to Google, “… Search is always working to better connect people to helpful information. To this end, we’re launching what we’re calling the “helpful content update” that’s part of a broader effort to ensure people see more original, helpful content written by people, for people, in search results.

“The helpful content update aims to better reward content where visitors feel they’ve had a satisfying experience, while content that doesn’t meet a visitor’s expectations won’t perform as well.”

Struggling to measure success and prove ROI from your B2B PR and marketing campaigns?

Click here to see what you need to consider when setting up a campaign.



But who’s to say what content is useful and what isn’t – and how do you create content that is ultimately helpful? While there is plenty of advice from Google on what you should and shouldn’t do, as B2B content creators ourselves, we think that all content should serve a genuine purpose – whether it’s for brand awareness or for link building or for SEO.

Here are five rules to live by when creating content:

  • Know your audience. Who is going to read, watch or engage with your content? Before you consider putting pen to paper make sure you know who to target and what is it that they want to hear.
  • Help them with their challenges. Create content that demonstrates how to solve their problems.
  • Make it easy to consume – can you deliver short, snappy content that leads onwards to more detailed information (on your website for example) if the reader wants and needs greater explanation?
  • Speak their language. Make sure that you match their tone and level of technical expertise. If you’re a tech company targeting an HR manager, speak in their terms – employee journeys, staff engagement and retention for example will engage them better than cloud and data.
  • Consider where the reader/audience is in their buying cycle. Create content for each of those stages – one size does not fit all.

On the plus side, Google says that prioritising helpful content does not invalidate SEO best practice, but it does add that this works best when SEO is applied to helpful content. It believes that SEO content is “strongly correlated with content that searchers find unsatisfying.”

What impact has the update had? With the benefit of hindsight, not an awful lot according to most Google watchers. However, according to Aisha Majid writing for the Press Gazette this week the impact of the update on national publishers has been sizeable with many being hit by reduced search visibility following the changes. The Daily Mail dropped by 37%. But some have benefited according to Aisha, with The Guardian improving its visibility.

Our view here is not to ignore SEO but to create the content needed first, and then review it with SEO best practice in mind. Then you have the best of both worlds: B2B content that is genuinely helpful and useful to the reader, but also performs for SEO.

If you want to learn how we can create helpful content for you, head over to our content creation service page here.

About this article

Read time:

4 minutes

Category:

B2B Marketing, Content we like, SEO, Uncategorized

B2C by name, B2B by nature

Top 5 AI tools for PR & marketing 

Browse more blog posts

Posted on
byRebecca Brown
There are many brands out there that are typically associated with their consumer products, but their heritage actually lies within the B2B market. In most scenarios, the consumer side of the business has grown so big, that it can easily be forgotten that they also sell to a business audience too! GPS specialist and smart watch developer, Garmin, is a...
Posted on
byJack Snell
It’s evident that AI is becoming increasingly beneficial in the daily responsibilities of marketing and PR professionals. Whether it’s streamlining processes or eliminating mundane tasks, there seems to be an AI software tool for everything. But with advancements in AI seemingly happening every day when we log on to work, sometimes it can be hard to keep up, or even...
Posted on
byJack Snell
With summer in full swing, we thought this was the perfect opportunity to have a little fun! Take our quiz and test your knowledge – a perfect excuse to take a well-earned break (we know you marketers are very busy 😉). All answers are at the bottom (no cheating!) And please do let us know your score. PR & marketing...
Posted on
byClaire James
I recently attended a leadership training course where we were asked to define our leadership style and our core values. We were guided through this exercise during the course but it got me thinking about my core values – the things that, when challenged, can prompt a physical reaction and an emotional response. It didn’t take me long to work...
Posted on
byClaire James
The construction sector has long struggled with issues around insolvency. This could, in part, be due to the fact that there are so many sole traders and small firms out there sub-contracting that have struggled financially with the Covid-19 situation and then with the supply chain price increases. But the industry has been sitting at a rate of between 750...
Posted on
byJames Weaver
The fintech industry is renowned for its innovation. In a highly competitive and fiercely contested landscape, connecting with your target audience is crucial, especially when aiming to penetrate a market as dynamic as the UK’s. Therefore, leveraging the power of PR can be a game-changer for your fintech business. Here, we detail how B2B PR can help your fintech brand...
Posted on
byJames Weaver
Times of change are afoot. With the UK general election poised for July 4th, the population of the UK will make a collective decision and if early polls are to be believed, it’s highly likely that we’ll witness a change in government. Experts and political analysts are anticipating that this election will bring a wind of change, and whoever celebrates...
Posted on
byClaire Lamb
OK I admit it, I’m a secret Swifty. I can’t help but admire her. Not only is she a prolific song writer, incredible businesswomen, a true artist and performer, but she can tell a story like no other. I was lucky enough to witness her amazing performance at Wembley on Friday night. (Actually, there was no luck involved in getting...
Posted on
byJames Weaver
HR technology is moving at relentless speed. According to research, the HR tech market is projected to grow from $40.45 billion this year to a staggering $81.84 billion by 2032. With the HR tech landscape becoming increasingly competitive, businesses operating within this industry should prioritise tactics that will help them stand out from the crowd and attract new customers and...
Posted on
byJames Bentley
We recently hosted another LinkedIn Live event in which we learned from experts in their field. Named ‘Look into the tea leaves and find your HR tech story’ in honour of International Tea Day which shared its date, our head of technology practice Lee Simpson spoke to two guests who told us about their B2B HR founders’ stories. This is...

Get in touch

Skout
11 Market Place
Macclesfield
Cheshire
SK10 1EB
Send us a message
Name(Required)

Send us a message