Foundations of effective content marketing strategy in the Polish B2B market

Fundamentals of Content Marketing Strategy in the Polish B2B Market

It is well known that an effective and well-planned content marketing strategy means a continuous flow of customers to your business. Informative articles and videos created in accordance with the guidelines of Google and YouTube are the cheapest organic traffic and almost a self-propelled marketing machine. However, what should a content strategy look like in the B2B market, and how does it differ from the process of planning content marketing in Poland for individual customers?

Table of Contents:

• B2B Content Marketing vs. B2C – Differences
• Slightly Different Goal
• Focus on Value
• More Personalised Content
• Less Emotion, More Substance
• Understanding the Audience as the Key to Effective B2B Content Marketing
• Trust First, Then Sales
• Effective Content Mapping in the Polish B2B Market
• E-books
• Case Studies
• Webinars
• Reports
• Guides
• Measuring the Effectiveness of B2B Content Marketing

B2B Content Marketing vs. B2C – Differences

Although the process of creating a strategy looks quite similar, there are several significant differences between them that are worth considering:

Slightly Different Goal

In the case of the Polish B2B market, the goal of content marketing is to build a long-term, positive relationship with the business customer. Therefore, the communication approach will differ from that aimed at, for example, selling a car or a television to an individual customer.

Focus on Value

In the Polish B2B market, there’s no room for so-called “watered-down” content on a company blog. Content must be substantive, specific, and genuinely valuable. The B2B sector is much smaller than the potential number of individual customers, so more effort is required.

More Personalised Content

Poles prefer content created by people whose names they can verify. In Polish B2B marketing, this is even more important since they entrust their business to another brand. The personal touch of the content (such as signed blog articles, videos where the owner shows their face, or active engagement with comments) is more critical here than in content produced by manufacturers of breakfast cereals, bicycles, or coffee.

Less Emotion, more substance

B2C communication usually leads to a single transaction or achieving short-term goals. In marketing to individual customers, emotions are one of the most potent tools that trigger impulse purchases. Emotions have less, and sometimes no, significance in the Polish B2B market. This is especially true when the decision to use a brand’s services involves several people in different positions. Here, cold calculations matter, and that should also be reflected in the content.

Understanding the Audience as the Key to Effective B2B Content Marketing

In the case of the Polish B2B market, the beginning is the most challenging. It’s essential to remember that more than one person makes the decision to purchase. Therefore, it’s necessary to start by defining roles in the buying process.

The following model usually works well in the Polish market:

• Initiator – comes up with the idea of making a purchase (any company employee).
• Advisor – their opinion influences the purchasing decision (e.g., the finance department).
• Decision Maker – makes the final decision (e.g., the head of the department or the entire company).
• Buyer – finalises the purchase (e.g., the administrative department).
• Users – all employees who use the product or service.

Even the most interesting and informative content won’t fulfill its purpose if it doesn’t reach the right people. Specific audiences and their motivations should be the reference point for brand communication. What convinces an advisor (who relies on cold financial calculations) is entirely different from what convinces a user. Decisions are rarely made impulsively. A B2B content strategy should never be targeted at a single person.

Trust First, then Sales

To lead a Polish B2B audience through the purchase funnel, you must prioritise their needs over your own (in this case, over making a sale). A lead nurturing strategy will be useful, focusing on nurturing and building trust with the audience. Patience is essential—one video or article will not influence a purchase decision. Therefore, treat them as small steps that are an essential part of the B2B customer journey.

To build trust and take care of customers using content marketing in Poland, transparency in your communication is crucial. Content should not be overly sales-focused, but there’s no point in hiding the brand behind a blog, podcast, or YouTube channel. Educational and sales content must be finely balanced. Occasionally, including brand information, such as case studies, can be beneficial. Additionally, using research and reports, along with charts, comparisons, and custom infographics, can be a plus.

Effective Content Mapping in the Polish B2B Market

Content mapping, in practice, involves matching the type of content to a specific user and their current stage in the journey. Different content is suitable for someone unfamiliar with your brand compared to someone who has completed a transaction but might return in the future. This involves not only thematic diversity but also selecting the most appropriate tool. After all, content marketing is not just a company blog.

Here are some other types of content that work well in content marketing in Poland:

E-books

These are longer and more comprehensive than traditional articles. It’s beneficial if they are based on research or reports created by the brand. This is one of the more effective ways to generate leads, especially at the beginning when the customer is not yet familiar with the brand.

Case Studies

A fantastic way to show customers how cooperation with the brand unfolds, what results they can expect, what challenges the brand overcomes, and what the benefits of the offer are.

Webinars

Similar to case studies, webinars allow audiences to delve into the brand’s methodology. From experience, we know that webinars are one of the best tools for acquiring customers among small businesses or sole proprietorships.

Reports

Compiling statistics, charts, and expert opinions builds trust in the brand and is an excellent way to persuade the undecided. They influence advisors and decision-makers, but are also important for users.

Guides

Both in text and video formats, guides build loyalty among customers.

Measuring Content Marketing Effectiveness in the Polish B2B Market

Effective content marketing must achieve predefined goals, which are measured using key performance indicators (KPIs).

The most common KPIs considered in content marketing strategy in the Polish B2B market include:

• Website Traffic (how it increases over time with consistent content publication).
• Time Spent on the Website (measuring whether content is engaging for the audience).
• SEO Results (how content publication on the website affects its search engine ranking and results).
• Number of Comments and Social Media Shares of Content (in the case of a YouTube channel, growth in subscriptions and viewing time in hours).
• Quantity and Maturity of Leads.
• Direct Sales.

Building a content strategy in the Polish B2B market differs from content marketing for the B2C sector. It also varies from B2B markets in other countries. Polish business customers are cautious when making purchasing decisions and often require time to trust a brand. If you want to expedite this process, get in touch with our experts. We have experience in the Polish B2B market!