New Example of B2B Content Marketing at Work

From the Frontline: Building a Content Hub

I am always on the lookout for new killer examples of content marketing at work, especially in a B2B setting.  A couple of weeks ago I heard that my friend Michael Brenner has been working full throttle to release a content site from SAP.  Business Innovation at SAP features informational and thought leadership content on various technology including mobility, analytics, and cloud computing.  The site will combine content from SAP employees, thought leaders in the industry, customers, and partners in addition to curated content from the likes of Harvard Business Review, Forbes, and IDC.  I am really excited for Michael and SAP because it is fun to see more and more companies adopt a true content marketing strategy. The site formally launches on March 27th however Michael and his team have been busy.  They already have 50 contributors lined up and over 200 pieces of content!  That is impressive!

I’m sharing this news because I think all B2B technology marketers can learn a lot from the Business Innovation at SAP’s launch.  Here are top three lessons that stand out to me for marketers looking to launch a content hub or a new blog:

1. Outreach to a community of influencers – Michael reached out to me a few weeks ago with news about the site launch.  It is important to remember to engage with influencers and thought leaders with your community or target audience for a few reasons.  First, it is a nice opportunity to get feedback.  Second, it is an opportunity to engage your influencers for content development purposes.  Third, it is a good way to spread the word!  (Case in point, this very blog post!)
2. Get clear on the messaging and positioning of your new site – When Michael first reached out to me he sent along a briefing document outlining exactly what the site is and is not.  This is an important step especially if you are already participating in blogging or another form of content development.  Here are a few examples to help illustrate my point:

The site will have a primary focus on showcasing new thinking, technologies, and trends in the market to help people better understand these issues and help their companies to run better…The primary objective of the platform is to educate, inform, and possibly even entertain the larger mass of early stage business professionals about how to grow their business though innovation.
We will seek to help companies understand how to better compete in today’s business environment.
The content will be delivered on a dynamic platform offering prominent social sharing and comments to drive conversation and engagement.

3. Specify your content guidelines – Follow the SAP model and specify your content guidelines from the start if you plan on incorporating external content into your overall strategy.  This will come in handy when you are working with thought leaders and influencers.  To help you get started, here is some insight on SAP’s guidelines:

The content guidelines are simple: we will publish content that has the primary objective of meeting the needs of our audience who are seeking to become educated, informed or entertained on an innovation topic.  We will publish in the multiple formats and in the conversational style that our audience is seeking in a trusted information destination.

Think about adding on a content hub to your content marketing repertoire. It could be a great means to build thought leadership, brand awareness, and community engagement within your target audience.

Have you seen other good examples of a B2B or B2C company utilizing a blog site the way that SAP is, as described above?  I’d love to hear about more examples!