April 17, 2024
B2B businesses with active content marketing programs must regularly evaluate their effectiveness and evolve their strategy. This post explains why and what steps to follow [...]
Read moreApril 10, 2024
Marketing a new B2B solution without case histories or testimonials is difficult but not impossible. This post provides helpful tips on ways to get started [...]
Read moreApril 3, 2024
Every B2B company's brand needs updating or replacing over time. This guide will help you think it through and navigate the process efficiently [...]
Read moreMarch 27, 2024
When B2B leaders pay attention to content marketing, the conversation usually follows a predictable path. This post addresses some common questions and underlying beliefs [...]
Read moreMarch 20, 2024
Fairy tales convey important ideas in simple, memorable ways. Here's a reworking of one such classic, with some marketing lessons about writing blog posts [...]
Read moreMarch 13, 2024
Successful B2B content answers a minimum set of questions at each stage in the buyer's journey. This post explains why and provides prompts on what content to create [...]
Read moreMarch 6, 2024
Crafting strong messages isn't enough. To achieve B2B content marketing success also requires using the right format. This post explores options and how to choose [...]
Read moreFebruary 28, 2024
Online community building is an important strategy for creating a sense of purpose in the workplace. This post explores how to harness communities to drive growth [...]
Read moreFebruary 21, 2024
We regularly get asked "what's working" in B2B content marketing. There's no single answer, but this post provides some solid starting points [...]
Read moreFebruary 14, 2024
Failing to properly edit and review your content can make it seem lazy and low quality. This post reviews 7 traps and how to avoid them [...]
Read moreFebruary 7, 2024
Effective B2B content marketing requires a strong team—but what roles should you hire and when? This post offers guidance on building up your team [...]
Read moreJanuary 31, 2024
Social media hucksters make impossible promises about cheap, quick, and easy marketing. This post explains their fallacy and how to avoid the CQE trap [...]
Read moreJanuary 24, 2024
Building an effective website is a lot like building a welcoming and functional home. This post describes 8 homebuilding lessons to apply when building a website [...]
Read moreJanuary 17, 2024
Potential investors answer similar questions to B2B buyers, so effective content marketing can play an important role when you set out to raise investment [...]
Read moreJanuary 10, 2024
The hard part of getting a B2B buyer to try something new is convincing them to let go of the status quo. This post explores content marketing for the awareness stage of the buyer's journey [...]
Read moreDecember 20, 2023
A summary of the posts published on the Framework blog in 2023, organized by theme for ease of reference. Most, but not all, are about B2B content marketing [...]
Read moreDecember 13, 2023
AI is impacting every walk of life—but what about the B2B buyer's journey and the content marketing that feeds it? This post explores the issues and opportunities at hand [...]
Read moreDecember 6, 2023
The end of year "push" can be a waste of time and money for B2B marketers. This post explains five mistakes to avoid and what to consider doing instead [...]
Read moreNovember 29, 2023
Successful B2B marketing requires showing up consistently with relevant, memorable content. This post explores why memorability is important and how to achieve it [...]
Read moreNovember 15, 2023
B2B marketing has a bigger role to play than just generating new revenue. This post explores how marketing supports enterprise value creation and communication [...]
Read moreNovember 8, 2023
The worlds of marketing and motorsport are both competitive and cutthroat. This post explores 8 lessons marketing can learn from the way F1 teams go about their business [...]
Read moreNovember 1, 2023
Gated content is a popular tactic for capturing leads, but it can backfire. This post explains the pros and cons, then explores 4 alternatives a B2B content marketer should consider [...]
Read moreOctober 25, 2023
The axiom "sex sells" is used widely in the media industry, but it's a strategy that can backfire badly. This post explores four other axioms more likely to deliver B2B marketing success [...]
Read moreOctober 18, 2023
This post explains how different fonts evoke a variety of emotions in the reader, when to use different font types in your B2B content, and some key font-related terminology [...]
Read moreOctober 11, 2023
Trade shows remain a mainstay in B2B marketing. This post reviews important considerations for delivering maximum value from your B2B trade show investment [...]
Read moreOctober 4, 2023
This post summarizes 9 unhelpful beliefs that leaders often hold, condemning their B2B content marketing strategy to failure, as well as tips for avoiding them [...]
Read moreSeptember 27, 2023
To produce authentic B2B content requires taking a hybrid approach, combining human experiences, opinions, and authorship with the speed and reach of ChatGPT [...]
Read moreSeptember 20, 2023
This post provides a glossary of B2B content marketing terms, aimed at professionals who are new to content marketing but want to get involved [...]
Read moreSeptember 13, 2023
The layers of an onion can be used as a metaphor for content themes about which a B2B company might consider writing, starting with in-house knowledge and culminating in macro topics [...]
Read moreSeptember 6, 2023
People throughout B2B organizations have great content in their heads, but they're often afraid to write it down. This post explains why, and how to help them [...]
Read moreAugust 30, 2023
A B2B brand's personality is an important ingredient in effective content marketing. This post discusses defining a B2B brand personality and how "big" it needs to be [...]
Read moreAugust 23, 2023
This post explains the significance of 10 content characteristics that are key to attracting and engaging a B2B audience, as well as tips on improving each of them in your work [...]
Read moreAugust 16, 2023
B2B buyers rely on social cues when making purchasing decisions. This creates an impactful marketing opportunity when understood and pursued appropriately, as this post explains [...]
Read moreAugust 9, 2023
Most revenue generation happens after the initial sale, which requires thinking differently about the B2B customer lifecycle. This post explains the 4-part mindset shift that's needed [...]
Read moreAugust 2, 2023
Many companies' content is nothing more than a digital catalog. This post explores how to deliver effective B2B content marketing that addresses prospects actual needs and wants [...]
Read moreJuly 26, 2023
The power of user-generated content (UGC) is widely recognized in the B2C sector. This post explores how to bring its value into a B2B content marketing strategy [...]
Read moreJuly 19, 2023
What questions should B2B content marketers be asking themselves before experimenting with generative AI technology? This post explores five areas to consider [...]
Read moreJuly 12, 2023
Marketing is constantly changing so it's important to anticipate threats and opportunities. This post describes several active trends to consider for the future of your B2B marketing strategy [...]
Read moreJuly 5, 2023
This post provides prompts for reflecting on first half performance and making changes for the six months ahead, helping to realign and motivate your B2B marketing team [...]
Read moreJune 28, 2023
B2B thought leadership establishes credibility and trust, which leads to engagement and sales. This post explores how to make that happen and some mistakes to avoid [...]
Read moreJune 21, 2023
Case studies are widely recognized as a powerful way to engage prospects. This post highlights important attributes that make a client case study compelling and believable [...]
Read moreJune 14, 2023
This post explains how colors to evoke predictable emotional responses in an audience and how B2B content marketers can take advantage of this instinctive response [...]
Read moreJune 7, 2023
Marketing gets a bad rap despite many opportunities to use it for good. Here, we make the case for marketing having a positive impact, while examining how it can be misused [...]
Read moreMay 31, 2023
Content marketing is a powerful tool for gaining a competitive advantage in the digital B2B landscape. This post explores 7 ways that content marketing can be utilized to drive success [...]
Read moreMay 24, 2023
Your company's website is important for B2B content marketing. This post provides guidance on how to design and optimize your site for maximum effectiveness [...]
Read moreMay 17, 2023
Like a transportation facility, your digital properties must function effectively even while under construction. This post shares some tips on minimizing visitor confusion and frustration [...]
Read moreMay 10, 2023
This post explores 8 destructive ways B2B content marketing teams undermine the hard work they've done, and how to avoid or fix them [...]
Read moreMay 3, 2023
Only about 1 in 20 of your target buyers is ready to purchase right now. This post explores the 5% rule, why it matters, and how to create effective content that targets your entire audience [...]
Read moreApril 26, 2023
This post breaks the often misunderstood B2B buyer's journey into bite-sized chunks, handy tips, and readily deployed concepts [...]
Read moreApril 19, 2023
Blogs are everywhere these days, but are they helpful and worth the effort? This post explores several important roles a blog can play in B2B content marketing [...]
Read moreApril 12, 2023
I recently published two books on B2B content marketing. This post explains why, how, and some things I learned along the way [...]
Read moreApril 5, 2023
Once you've selected the topics about which your company is going to publish, where do you turn for inspiration? This post explores 5 important sources to consider [...]
Read moreMarch 29, 2023
Contrary to popular opinion, the middle ground in B2B content marketing is neither messy nor mediocre. This post explores why it's magical [...]
Read moreMarch 22, 2023
Salespeople who are skeptical about supporting B2B content marketing efforts should get fully onboard because it is a ticket to success, not an enemy [...]
Read moreMarch 15, 2023
Is your B2B content marketing about projecting an image of your business or helping others do something great? This post explores a question faced by many growing businesses [...]
Read moreMarch 8, 2023
B2B content marketing isn't just about generating sales opportunities. In this post, we explore other ways content marketing can benefit a B2B business [...]
Read moreMarch 1, 2023
This post examines the characteristics of a river as a metaphor for effective B2B content marketing, showing how consistent publication is key to maximizing the impact of your content [...]
Read moreFebruary 22, 2023
Content marketing is mission critical for B2B companies but many CEOs are confused about what that means and what it will take. This post addresses 5 common misconceptions [...]
Read moreFebruary 15, 2023
Get-rich-quick schemes are self-defeating. Real results take time, grow slowly, and require hard work. The secret to successful B2B content marketing is being helpful [...]
Read moreFebruary 8, 2023
Search and social media algorithms reward publishers that contribute on a regular basis, which means B2B content marketing success depends on having a process [...]
Read moreFebruary 1, 2023
Effective content marketing requires intentional, conscientious leadership at all levels in your organization. This post explores why, and how to make it happen [...]
Read moreJanuary 25, 2023
Learn how to attract customers, employees, and investors by embedding purpose and mission in your day-to-day operations and then showcasing them in action [...]
Read moreJanuary 18, 2023
B2B buyers make decisions based on emotions so the materials that evoke those emotions must be carefully branded. This post discusses 4 key elements of B2B content branding [...]
Read moreJanuary 11, 2023
Random acts of marketing are usually a waste of time and money—especially for B2B businesses. Learn how to avoid them by following a content marketing framework [...]
Read moreJanuary 4, 2023
B2B buyers do business with brands they trust, and a primary way to build trust is by being authentic. This post discusses 5 steps to bring authenticity into your content [...]
Read moreDecember 28, 2022
Sharing valuable insights gained during 2022 while researching, learning, writing about, and focusing on B2B content marketing [...]
Read moreDecember 21, 2022
Calculating return on investment for content marketing activities is important for demonstrating value-add and benchmarking your performance [...]
Read moreDecember 14, 2022
Optimize your 2023 B2B content marketing plan by strategically adding and dropping tactics, themes, and channels following these simple steps [...]
Read moreDecember 7, 2022
The story of Antonio, a B2B buyer, illustrates why content marketing should be an essential element in any B2B company's marketing [...]
Read moreNovember 30, 2022
There are several ways to turn leftovers into tasty dishes. This post explores similar ways of turning leftover pieces into useful, digestible B2B content [...]
Read moreNovember 23, 2022
Content marketing should include material targeting the fifth stage of the buyer's journey, loyalty, which includes thanking customers for their business [...]
Read moreNovember 16, 2022
Content marketing can—and does—work for smaller B2B businesses. Here are some tips on giving it your best shot, even with limited resources [...]
Read moreNovember 9, 2022
This post provides advice on navigating the year-end hiatus, when long-term B2B content marketing plans must be evaluated, adjusted, and defended [...]
Read moreNovember 2, 2022
Successful B2B content marketing requires striking a balance between detailed and high-level content. This post explains why it matters and how to make it happen [...]
Read moreOctober 26, 2022
Despite complaints that digital channels are getting too noisy and crowded, B2B content marketing will continue to grow for years to come. This post discusses the reasons why [...]
Read moreOctober 19, 2022
A gap analysis will help your B2B content marketing team decide what to publish as a priority to have maximum impact on helping prospects complete their buyer's journey [...]
Read moreOctober 12, 2022
Content marketing is critical for B2B businesses to attract prospects and grow. This post will help you recognize and avoid some of the most common content marketing pitfalls [...]
Read moreOctober 5, 2022
Exploring what is meant by authenticity in B2B content marketing and tips for maximizing it in your own content [...]
Read moreSeptember 28, 2022
This post explains and debunks 10 of the most common myths about B2B content marketing so that you can ignore them and be more successful [...]
Read moreSeptember 21, 2022
Here are six reasons why you should treat developing content writing skills just like going to the gym to exercise your body and build muscles [...]
Read moreSeptember 14, 2022
How should we go about planning for 2023 amid so much uncertainty? Start with your status quo and vision, and then construct plausible scenarios [...]
Read moreSeptember 7, 2022
Quick tips on making your presentations and webinars accessible to those who have difficulty seeing, hearing, reading, or processing the information [...]
Read moreAugust 31, 2022
Content marketing has become mission critical for B2B businesses in the Information Age. This post makes the case for a CMO seat in the C-suite [...]
Read moreAugust 24, 2022
What is the difference between messaging and content marketing? The two terms are frequently confused. This post explains how they differ and how they interrelate [...]
Read moreAugust 17, 2022
Content marketing requires time and effort. Learn why you should make that investment and avoid hustlers promising rapid content-driven success [...]
Read moreAugust 10, 2022
Content marketing has become a mission-critical activity for most B2B companies. This means a B2B CEO must establish content marketing as a priority for the team [...]
Read moreAugust 3, 2022
Does hiring a ghostwriter produce less authentic or less effective content? Here are 8 reasons why ghostwriters can produce more effective content than your in-house team [...]
Read moreJuly 27, 2022
B2B content marketing isn't exclusively digital. Traditional channels can still be valuable. Here are 5 reasons to consider them [...]
Read moreJuly 20, 2022
Writer's intent makes the difference between losing a reader and starting a relationship with them. Tips on writing with the end in mind and starting conversations that lead to revenue [...]
Read moreJuly 13, 2022
Successful B2B content marketing requires many ingredients. One that’s often overlooked is consistency of brand. This post summarizes six factors to consider [...]
Read moreJuly 6, 2022
Why B2B companies struggle to prioritize content marketing, plus a 12-point checklist for making it part of your day-to-day business [...]
Read moreJune 29, 2022
In today’s B2B marketplace, content must be great if it’s going to stand out. This post explains six areas of research that are key to producing effective B2B content [...]
Read moreJune 22, 2022
LinkedIn is one of the most popular channels for sharing B2B content. We examine why that’s the case and 5 reasons why you should make LinkedIn a priority channel for your business. [...]
Read moreJune 15, 2022
Smaller B2B companies suffer from five ailments that impede their progress to effective content marketing. Here’s how to diagnose and remediate them [...]
Read moreJune 13, 2022
An introduction to "The Framework" - the MessageUp content marketing blog for small-to-mid-sized B2B businesses [...]
Read moreJune 8, 2022
Your ideal customers need you and will deliver the highest lifetime customer value. First, you have to identify who they are. [...]
Read moreJune 1, 2022
Adopting a distinct personality helps to humanize your brand and establish an emotional connection with your customers [...]
Read moreMay 25, 2022
Ask yourself these 4 questions to evaluate whether your team can benefit from investing in content marketing [...]
Read moreMay 18, 2022
Establishing the importance of - and difference between - two key terms: messaging and content marketing [...]
Read moreMay 11, 2022
The MessageUp Content Marketing Framework breaks into six parts. Here's a quick introduction to get your journey started [...]
Read more
