It’s true that B2B web copywriting and B2C web copywriting are different animals. In both cases, though, a human is reading the copy. The main differences lie in the focus of your copy. In B2B marketing there are usually a few more layers of complication that need to be kept in mind when crafting your message.
When engaging in B2B copywriting, keep in mind 3 important points:
1. Your copy is usually speaking to more than one person. These could be buyers, CEOs, sales and marketing departments. This means that you must appeal to the needs of several people.
2. Your copy is will go through a multi-step buying process often involving bids, analysis and a multitude of budget concerns.
3. Your copy often has to pass a “gatekeeper” before making it to the people you intend it for.
So, while B2C website copywriting is aimed at end users making purchases for themselves, B2B copy needs to take into account the process by which entire companies—and the people who run them—make purchases.
Keeping your B2B copywriting tightly focused on the people who will be reading it is the key to success. Here are some tips for making yours more effective:
Target each reader. In order to keep your message from getting watered down, don’t try to appeal to everyone with the same content. For example, if you know that your copy is going through the sales department then on to the purchasing manager then to the CEO, split up your message into separate emails or brochures addressed directly to the different people, or buyer personas, involved.
Create a powerful marketing message. There are many elements to B2B copywriting, including proper search engine optimization, proper use of white space and more. But, the number one element is the content. What you have to say is the most important factor in whether your message gets read, or whether it gets relegated to the circular file.
Research your target market so that you can provide clear, concise and compelling copy that speaks directly to the decision-makers. What are their concerns? Their fears and desires? How can your copy cut through to the heart of the matter?
Write for humans. They are the ones making the purchases! This means that keyword-stuffed technical jargon and business-speak does not impress to the degree that useful information does. So, give them just enough clear, concise copy to compel them to push your message through to the next stage of the buying process without going overboard with the verbiage.
Remember, B2C and B2B copywriting both have the same goal—the closing of the marketing loop that begins with a visitor and ends with a sale. When writing for B2B marketing, though, this journey is more complicated and convoluted. Your copy needs to succeed with several different people with several different motivations and possibly several different budget considerations. Make sure that your B2B website copywriting appeals to all of these decision-makers and your copy will be a success.
