What is B2B copywriting? And how do you make it sing?

Talking to business decision-makers requires that content be crafted differently, and this is why. 

Business-to-business (B2B) communication is most definitely very different from business-to-consumer (B2C) communication. Arriving in the corporate decision-maker’s inbox, mailbox, online reading, and research, B2B lands the deal using business language, sharp statistics, and clear metrics. It hits the touchpoints of return on investment (ROI), sales, and brand awareness, and it does so by getting to the point—fast—and selling your business even faster. 

B2B content has to work, just like the business. It must sell, it must engage, and it must talk directly to your target market. This content comes in different flavours and formats, but the most common are email and social media campaigns, reports, white papers, ebooks, articles, blog posts, technical writing, ghostwriting, and infographics. 

B2B, however, is also about people. 

It is people talking to one another about business pain points and how to resolve them, about shared business successes and how to achieve them, and about the different triggers that motivate how they navigate the business world. It is an emotional and logical conversation that takes the seller and the buyer along a road, following the markers of value, relevance, connection, and price. 

B2B content that can steer your customer along that road with intelligence is invaluable. Which is why… 

B2B content uses clear language and conveys a direct message.  

 It also ticks the following essential boxes: 

• It encourages conversations using language that matches your target market and your business objectives. 
• It is straightforward, uses minimal jargon, and outlines the benefits of partnering with your brand, using your solution, or engaging your services. 
• It is strategic. You know exactly what this content needs to do. Want to sell a service to the financial sector? Great, this emailer uses the right wording to connect with finance decision-makers on their level. Want to become a third-party technology service provider? Excellent, your blog posts need to show results, satisfied clients, and proven metrics.  

• It’s versatile. You can use your content across multiple platforms, so it talks to the right people at the right time. The key word with B2B content really is ‘work’. It has to work hard by offering insight to readers on social media, online blogs, media outlets, and more.  
• It has to be targeted. A great B2B copywriting team will know precisely what language resonates with your target market, and they will use their words precisely.  
• It is convincing. You need real-world statistics, measurable results, and tangible benefits. Prove that you can do what you say you can do.  

Convert your B2B conversations into sales. Now.  

This is more than amazing graphics and huge spend on online advertising and gorgeous email templates. These are superb vehicles, for sure, but the driver is your content. If you want your content to stand out, then you need to be prepared to constantly refine and adjust it alongside data analysis and marketing metrics, until it resonates perfectly with your customers. 

B2B copywriting isn’t easy. It’s methodical and uses trusted approaches to get results. That said, it doesn’t need to be filled with as many acronyms as a government press briefing. It can be fun, interesting, engaging, and eminently shareable across social media. As long as the tone and style map back to your brand, and you use language that your target market understands, you can play between the lines to achieve remarkable results. In fact, B2B brands that sound and feel human in their comms approach are increasingly likely to convert, than those who sound too corporate and stiff.   

Remember, while you want to sound professional and logical, you are still talking to a human being, so including emotional cues, humour, a more relaxed and personable tone will help you cut through. The combination of a logical, measured offer and an engaging, human tone can work wonders. 

One example of a company that took its B2B content to the next digital level is Bynder. The organisation used a dinosaur costume and YouTube to get its message across very quickly and succinctly. This content probably took a long time to create, and it shows in how tight the words are and how clear the sales pitch is. The surprising, unexpected approach helped them make their business case faster, and with better results. 

Then there’s Mower, a company that won the Grand Prix Award in The Drum Awards for B2B 2021 for its omnichannel content and campaign. Using smart content and clear imagery, this organisation’s campaign hit some impressive top notes. The result was a massive increase in engagement, far beyond Mower’s expectations.  

These are just two examples of how companies have leveraged the language of business and turned it into results. This is precisely what you want your B2B copywriting to do: Sell. Grow. Move into the stratosphere.  

Create smart content that sells. It’s worth it. 

Want to know how? Well, you don’t need to. A smart and sassy content team that sees people and listens to your business can help you create your own unique brand style and identity and translate this into content that hits the target. Take this team by the hand and collaborate to transform your existing brand identity and your innate understanding of your customers and play the omnichannel until it hums.  

B2B copywriting isn’t easy. It’s not supposed to be. It has to work. It has to connect. It has to engage.