deliver engaging content to your buyers: a tale of two journeys

The New Buyer Journey It’s all about your content!

What’s inside: What’s happening with content?

A buyer’s journey

Interactive across the funnel

Pass/fail versus rich insights

To attract, acquire and engage an audience.

What types of content are we creating to attract,

acquire & engage ouraudience?

2016 B2B Content Marketing TrendsNorth America: Content Marketing Institute/MarketingProfs

Types of Content

76% of marketers expect to createmore content this year than last.

76%

~ Content Marketing Institute

BUT only 30% of B2B marketers say their contentmarketing is effective.

30%

~ Content Marketing Institute

And 60% of B2B marketers say their producingengaging content is a challenge.

60%

~ Content Marketing Institute

“70% of the buyer’s journey is complete before a buyer reaches out to sales.”

~ Sirius Decisions

70%

“Buyers control their journey through the buying cycle much more than today’s vendors control the selling cycle. In a recent survey, 74% of business buyers told Forrester they conduct more than half of their research online before making an offline

purchase. This buyer dynamic changes the role of B2B marketing in a fundamental way.”

~ Lori Wizdo, Forrester

dealermarketing.net

The Buyers Journey

AWARENESSSTAGE

CONSIDERATION STAGE

DECISION STAGE

~ Hubspot

~ Forrester Research

Pass/Fail Journey vs.

Interactive Journey

• Interact with an interactive infographic

• Interact with an interactive white paper

• Complete a quiz • Register to download a white

paper • Answer a 15-question self

assessment • Configure a solution • Use an ROI calculator • Use an implementation calculator

VS

SPEAK AT YOUR BUYERS

• View an infographic • Register to download a white

paper • Click through an email to

download a best practices guide • Read a blog post • View product pages • Download a solution brochure • View the “getting started” page • Attend a webinar • Watch a video

SUPPORT THE MODERN BUYERS JOURNEY

The Tale of Two Journeys

S T A T I C J O U R N E Y I N T E R A C T I V E J O U R N E Y

Let’s begin a typical buyer’s journey through static content…An anonymous visitor clicks on a tweet

and lands on an infographic. So far, that’s all we know.

Over here, let’s compare that with a modern buyer’s experience through

interactive content…the visitor clicks on a tweet and engages with an interactive infographic. We know each element

he interacts with.

VS

In both versions of our journey, it’s likely that marketing has placed a cookieon the visitor for retargeting.

B O T H S T A T I C & I N T E R A C T I V E J O U R N E Y S

Now the anonymous visitor is retargeted with ads that pick up where hisaffinity for the infographic left off. He clicks through one of the ads!

B O T H S T A T I C & I N T E R A C T I V E J O U R N E Y S

He lands and (maybe/hopefully) downloads a white paper. He’s no longer anonymous as

marketing now has his contact record.

He lands and engages with an interactive white paper experience. We know every

element he interacts with and what percentage he “consumed.” He’s still

anonymous at this point.

VS

S T A T I C J O U R N E Y I N T E R A C T I V E J O U R N E Y

He loves the content in the interactive white paper and he decides hewants the PDF version as well.

I N T E R A C T I V E J O U R N E Y

Now he converts from an anonymous visitor to “Bill”.

B O T H S T A T I C & I N T E R A C T I V E J O U R N E Y S

In the static content journey, once he completes the form, Bill’s previous

interactions are married to his contact information. We know he viewed the

infographic and downloaded the white paper.

In the interactive content journey, once he completes the form, Bill’s previous interactions are married to his contact

information. We know which elements of both the interactive infographic and white paper

he interacted with and even how much of the interactive white paper he consumed.

S T A T I C J O U R N E Y I N T E R A C T I V E J O U R N E Y

VS

In both journeys, Bill is added to a nurture campaignin the marketing automation system

B O T H S T A T I C & I N T E R A C T I V E J O U R N E Y S

Bill gets an email offering a static downloadable solution brief PDF.

Bill gets an email offering a self-guided interactive needs assessment tool.

VS

S T A T I C J O U R N E Y I N T E R A C T I V E J O U R N E Y

Bill downloads the solution brief PDF. That's all we know.

Over in the interactive journey, Bill completes the assessment! We know his

personal responses to questions about his needs, pains and challenges.

VS

S T A T I C J O U R N E Y I N T E R A C T I V E J O U R N E Y

In Bill’s static buyers journey, marketing is capturing page views, emails clicked and

downloads. These measurements are “pass/fail,” not providing insight or measurement beyond the views,

clicks and downloads.

In Bill’s interactive journey, marketing is able to capture Bill’s key behaviors and responses. These are rich insights that

illuminate his interactions with the content and make the content itself far

more measurable.

VS

S T A T I C J O U R N E Y I N T E R A C T I V E J O U R N E Y

After Bill downloads the solution brief, he might share it with his boss (or, it might sit unopened in his computer downloads folder, forgotten in

a matter of moments).

In our interactive journey, Bill found the assessment to be very valuable, providing him with a score benchmarked against his peers, and personalized recommendations

and best practices. He decides to share the assessment results with his boss.

S T A T I C J O U R N E Y I N T E R A C T I V E J O U R N E Y

VS

Bill receives the next generic nurture email in the drip program,

a link to the product page.

Marketing’s next nurture email to Bill is personalized based on his previous

responses in the assessment.

VS

S T A T I C J O U R N E Y I N T E R A C T I V E J O U R N E Y

Bill clicks through and reads the product page.

Bill clicks through and uses a solution builder tool. Behind the scenes, marketing

continues to capture all his inputs and responses.

VS

S T A T I C J O U R N E Y I N T E R A C T I V E J O U R N E Y

Bill (maybe) sends a link of theproduct page to his colleagues.

Bill shares the solution builder results with his colleagues.

VS

S T A T I C J O U R N E Y I N T E R A C T I V E J O U R N E Y

In our static journey, Bill bubbles up to the sales team. Sales can see that Bill has

viewed some pages, clicked some emails and downloaded some documents.

They reach out to learn about Bill and qualify him.

In our interactive journey, Bill also bubbles up to the sales team as an active lead. Sales can see Bill’s interactions with the white paper, assessment and solution

builder, and can see he’s likely qualified based on his responses. Sales reaches

out to contact Bill and begin the conversation, starting at his point of

interest and current state.

VS

S T A T I C J O U R N E Y I N T E R A C T I V E J O U R N E Y

After their call, sales sends Bill some more product info and

an ROI whitepaper.

After their call, sales sends sends Bill an interactive ROI calculator.

VS

S T A T I C J O U R N E Y I N T E R A C T I V E J O U R N E Y

Sales waits a few days then reaches out to Bill to see if he read through

the materials they sent.

When Bill interacts with the ROI calculator, the data is captured and surfaced to sales. They can see that the ROI for Bill is pretty compelling.

VS

S T A T I C J O U R N E Y I N T E R A C T I V E J O U R N E Y

Sales is trying to reestablish communication with Bill. He’s gone

dark. He’s been a bit too busy to do the math on the ROI and review the

other PDFs, so he’s been avoiding sales.

But over in the interactive journey, Bill already knows the ROI because of the

interactive calculator. He’s engaged. Bill calls sales. He’s got buying questions.

VS

S T A T I C J O U R N E Y I N T E R A C T I V E J O U R N E Y

In the interactive journey, Bill & sales discuss getting started, using an implementation configurator together. Over in the static journey,

sales is still trying to get back in touch with Bill.

I N T E R A C T I V E J O U R N E Y

Bill got a lot of value from his meeting with sales and was able tolearn more about the solution and implementation details. He shares

the new information with his boss and colleagues.

I N T E R A C T I V E J O U R N E Y

I N T E R A C T I V E J O U R N E Y

Bill is thinking and planning.

Bill is talking with his boss about implementation detailsand program goals.

I N T E R A C T I V E J O U R N E Y

I N T E R A C T I V E J O U R N E Y

Bill talking to procurement and doing legwork.

Back in our static journey, sales finally gets Bill on the phone. He’s ready to (maybe) pick up back where they left

off the conversation. Now, where were they???

In our interactive journey, Bill had a great content experience. He had a relevant experience with sales. Bill

gained team buy-in by demonstrating value through the assessment, solution builder, calculator and implementaion

planner. Bill is ready to buy!

VS

S T A T I C J O U R N E Y I N T E R A C T I V E J O U R N E Y

Bill says yes to sales.

I N T E R A C T I V E J O U R N E Y

I N T E R A C T I V E J O U R N E YThe interactive content experience:• Supports the modern buyer's desire

for self-discovery

• Engages the buyer with content that feels personalized, relevant and useful

• Helps sales start the conversation at the buyer's point of interest

• Provides rich insights and measurements for marketing

VS

• View an infographic • Register to download a white

paper • Click through an email to

download a best practices guide

• Read a blog post • View product pages • Download a solution brochure • View the “getting started”

page • Attend a webinar • Watch a video

PASS/FAIL

• Interact with an interactive infographic

• Interact with an interactive white paper

• Complete a quiz • Register to download a white

paper • Answer a 15-question self

assessment • Configure a solution • Use an ROI calculator • Use an implementation calculator

RICH INSIGHTS FOR SALES & MARKETING

The Tale of Two Journeys

It’s hard to surface buyer insights & meaningful digital

body language without content interactions.

What does interactive content mean for the

organization?

Content that is not simplypass/fail

Content that your audience wants to consume—that they will engage with and use.

Better engagedand educated prospects.

Sales can meetthe buyer at the point of interest.

Better sales and marketing alignment

Moreopportunities

Morecustomers

Interactive Content Across the

Buyer’s Journey

Content – defined as all information components produced by marketing to

communicate ideas and transfer knowledge to buyer and seller audiences – plays a critical role

in driving demand. But when the type of content created does not align with buyers’

and sellers’ needs, it fails to support the types of conversations that are required to

move the buying process forward.

“

”~ Sirius Decisions

Early StageBegin the dialog. Design for content engagement. Seek to educate.

EBOOKS INTERACTIVEWHITE PAPERS

QUIZZESLOOKBOOKSINTERACTIVEINFOGRAPHICS

Middle StageContinue the relationship. Increasing specificity of education. Transform general concepts into more concrete ones.

EBOOKS INTERACTIVEWHITE PAPERS

CALCULATORSASSESSMENTSINTERACTIVEINFOGRAPHICS

SURVEYS SOLUTIONBUILDERS

Late StageContinue the relationship. Increasing specificity of education. Transform general concepts into more concrete ones.

ASSESSMENTS SOLUTIONBUILDERS

CONFIGURATORS CALCULATORS

B2B Content preferences survey: Buyers want short, visual, mobile-optimized content.

~ Demand Gen Report

Comparing interactive to passive content, interactive content is somewhat or very effective at...

Generating Conversions

36 %INTERACTIVE CONTENT PASSIVE CONTENT

70 % VS

Comparing interactive to content, interactive content is somewhat or very effective at...

Educating the Buyer

70 %INTERACTIVE CONTENT PASSIVE CONTENT

93 % VS

Comparing interactive to passive content, interactive content is somewhat or very effective at...

Differentiating from Competitors

55 %INTERACTIVE CONTENT PASSIVE CONTENT

88 % VS

Comparing interactive to passive content, interactive content is somewhat or very effective at...

Being Shared

17 %INTERACTIVE CONTENT PASSIVE CONTENT

38 % VS

53% of marketers use interactive content.

53%

75% plan to increase their usage this year.

75%

Our audience engagement has increased since my

organization started using interactive content tactics

Engagement

66 AGREE%

66%

Non gated interactive contentcan provide a “sample” of

the brand, resulting in a higher degree of lead nurturing

LeadNurturing

75 AGREE%

75%

Combining traditional content marketing tactics with interactive content enhances retention of my

organization’s message

Education

79 AGREE%

79%

That’s a WrapYour prospects and customersdon’t want your content

They want answers to their questions or new information

They want you to be useful and helpful

They want to learn

They want something interesting

Thank Youinfo@ioninteractive.com

atalerico@ioninteractive.com

twitter: @annatalerico

We Can Help.Get a Demo of the Platform that Creates Interactive JourneysEngage, convert and profile higher quality buyers using interactive content.

info@ioninteractive.comContact Sales:

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