The internet is becoming increasingly saturated with content, intensifying the competition for visibility among key target audiences.
While brands are leveraging data, tools and algorithms to gain an edge, the core of what makes for a compelling brand story hasn’t changed, and quality content is still far more likely to perform well.
Our role involves crafting informative and engaging copy that educates B2B buyers. Brand stories are at the heart of B2B marketing, and journalists are incredibly well-placed to craft them.
“Transitioning from writing for newspapers, crafting magazines and branded content, and now managing cross-platform B2B digital content has confirmed my belief that storytelling is at the core of effective communication, no matter the platform,” comments Rod Mackenzie, Salween’s Content Director.
“It has underscored the importance of core journalistic skills: uncovering the essence of a story, understanding diverse audiences and weaving engaging narratives.”
Seven Reasons Why Journalists Make the Best Content Marketers
Salween’s Content Studio applies journalistic principles to brand storytelling – we need to understand what it takes for a piece of content to tick off the who, what, when, why and how. The “how” is particularly important, and those with journalistic skills will have the know-how to create effective brand narratives.
Specifically, there are seven ways in which journalists make for powerful content marketing assets.
Experience Counts
Today, there are several ways to produce high volumes of content for a small cost. Content mills offer staggeringly economical rates and turnaround times that would make any seasoned journalist sweat. Quantity, however, does not lead to credibility.
In the B2B marketing world, content simply must be credible if brands want to be taken seriously. This requires experienced writers who understand your market – individuals who have honed their craft and know what it takes to cut above the noise.
Getting to the Crux of the Story
A good journalist will possess the ability to get to the heart of a story. When it comes to fashioning brand narratives, they will know which messages are likely to resonate with your target market’s pain points and needs.
Leaving No Stone Unturned
Journalists are trained to unpack complex information, scrutinise the details and analyse every angle. Good journalism is about providing authoritative answers to pertinent questions. But how do you know which queries will strike a chord with customers?
Asking questions is what journalists do. It is a key reason why they are highly effective at content planning and consulting on B2B marketing strategies.
Appealing to the Layperson
We work with highly qualified experts in the B2B world. Our clients know their solutions and sectors inside out because they live and breathe their brand every single day.
Tapping into that knowledge and using it for brand storytelling is what content marketing is all about. However, product development and sales teams often face challenges in effectively communicating their value proposition. All too often, executives become so product-focused that they leave customers feeling confused.
Journalists can solve this problem by helping to digest large volumes of complex information and translate it into content that is accessible to broad audiences.
Objective Analysis
Integrity is at the core of effective brand storytelling. Journalists understand that a story’s credibility hinges on its ability to present facts in an unbiased manner.
While it’s natural for brands to showcase their best qualities, skirting the truth to secure sales can ultimately undermine trust. Claims need to be backed by substantive evidence that can stand up to scrutiny – this has always been a fundamental pillar of sound journalism.
Helping Identify Blind Spots
Company owners, executives and marketers know their brands inside out. However, even those at the very core of a business may miss out on marketing opportunities.
This is where a journalist’s outsider perspective can pay dividends. Armed with a keen eye for identifying compelling narratives, journalists can spot opportunities which others may miss that can help elevate your brand story.
Being Adaptable
With that said, delivering a compelling narrative is not always plain sailing. Journalists often encounter obstacles – extracting insight from interviewees can be difficult, leads can dry up, and topics which have been assigned may appear too dry.
Top journalists are successful because of their ability to overcome these barriers. The best can navigate tough interview scenarios, draw on their resourcefulness to obtain new leads and leverage their creativity to pull interesting stories out of the most unlikely topics.
We Are Journalists at Heart
Salween has journalism in its DNA. Our founder and CEO, Sylvia Saw McKaige, is formally from CNBC and worked at the Bangkok Post during a media and communications career that has spanned almost two decades.
Meanwhile, our Director of Operations, David McKaige, covered breaking news for Reuters Television for more than a decade with datelines from Bosnia to Beijing.
Our confidence in crafting compelling stories is grounded in experience. We have worked on news desks, been at the frontline of storymaking, and understand what it takes to generate interest and debate around a topic or trend. We also know how to speak to a variety of readers, viewers and listeners through multiple communication channels – from technical experts to those with limited or no knowledge of a subject.
In a highly competitive B2B marketing landscape, leveraging journalistic expertise can provide you with a significant communications edge, enabling you to craft compelling, credible, and accessible narratives that position your brand as a trusted industry leader.
To discover more about how our approach to B2B marketing can empower your business, drop us a line.
