Creating content is always a challenge for B2B marketers.Especially if it doesn’t match up with your customer’s goals. The Number 1 Rule of Creating Content is to write it with the customer in mind. Otherwise it won’t resonate with your reader on any level, which makes it more difficult to convert your leads into prospects and into sales. In this infographic from CopyPressed, they took a look at the problem of creating content ideas for a new client. In particular pay attention to Step 3: Find hooks that align with the client’s goals. Source: CopyPress Community Why do I say that? Because it’s an important one that a lot of marketers don’t think about when it comes to their content marketing campaigns. They simply want to generate content and get it out there. Which isn’t the way to do content marketing. It’s not a case of “if you write it, they will come.” Let’s take a closer look at each of the hooks mentioned in the infographic.

Educational

This is content that explains concepts and ideas that are useful to the customer. Be detailed in your content, but not too technical—unless your audience is very technical, then by all means, use the jargon. Your content should be well-researched and deep enough to engage and explain, but not too deep to lose the reader entirely. Likewise, it shouldn’t be too shallow, as the customer wants to learn something from your content.

Topical

In this type of content you’re connecting an idea with one from the news that’s current, newsworthy, or trending. Remember, choose something that is relevant and appropriate to your customers. Find the connecting point between the two ideas and talk about that. Don’t simply reiterate the news item.

Self-Interest

Try connecting your content with a person or archetype, and give the reader a personal view into the idea. By connecting the two, you’re reaching in and relating your idea to an intimate part of the customer. Creating these deeper connections will lead to easier conversions.

Story Telling

You can do this a number of ways: by telling a personal story from someone real or sharing a case study about how you solved an issue for one of your customers. Good stories have a beginning, a middle, and an end, so make sure yours has all of these.

Content Curation

This is a modern marketing version of the “one to many” concept. You’re applying your marketing idea to many other ideas by sharing content created by others. The way to make this compelling is to create a unique list, or a unique way of presenting the information you’ve gathered. Otherwise people will simply go to the sources for the information. You want them to come to you for it.

Fresh Spin

The last hook is probably the most difficult to do, however if you’re able to do it, it’s the most rewarding. Putting a fresh spin on an old idea makes it seem new and original—even if we know it’s not.

Are you ready for your content alignment?

Using these six content hooks will help you keep your content aligned with your customer’s goals, and will make it easier to create the content for them. You may be writing for the B2B market, but it’s still people who are reading your words. You still have to hook them in with the right content.