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Last Updated on April 19, 2022 by admin
B2B fintech marketers have become increasingly aware of the many benefits of content marketing for the past several years. The pandemic – and the sharp turn towards all things digital – accelerated that growing awareness.
As things continue to shift and morph into a new status quo, many are wondering what B2B fintech content marketing might look like this year.
We have four predictions for what you should expect.
Budgets Increase for B2B Fintech Content Marketing
According to the B2B Content Marketing Benchmarks, Budgets, and Trends: Insights for 2022 report produced by Content Marketing Institute and Marketing Profs, content marketing budgets will continue to grow this year.
The report highlights the fact that 43% percent of marketers familiar with company spending say they saw an increase in 2021 budgets. Of this group, 66% expect the 2022 budget to increase as well – with 20% saying the increase will be more than 9%.
Where will that budget go? According to the report, the top four areas of investment in 2022 will be:
- Video (69%)
- Events, including digital, in-person, and hybrid (61%)
- Owned media assets (57%)
- Paid media (55%)
While that report looks generally at all B2B marketers, it can be expected that B2B fintech content marketing will – or should – follow suit.
At Content Rewired, we’ve seen an increase in new website projects as more fintechs aim to update owned media assets. Many of those updates include the use of more videos for educational purposes – as well as to drive trust and credibility by adding a face to a (brand) name.
As virtual conferences and in-person events continue, many fintechs are looking for ways to create content that caters to both.
Credibility & Trust Remain Top Goals
We’ve written previously about how informative, authentic, and memorable stories can serve as a customer acquisition bridge for fintechs by building credibility and trust and educating an audience.
Other B2B marketers tend to agree. The CMI report looked at the goals achieved via content marketing among “top performers” (those whose organizations report being extremely or very successful with content marketing). Those goals include:
- Create brand awareness – 88% of most successful and 80% of all respondents were able to achieve this with content marketing in the last 12 months
- Build credibility/trust – 88% of most successful and 75% of all respondents were able to achieve this with content marketing in the last 12 months
- Educate audiences – 80% of most successful and 70% of all respondents were able to achieve this with content marketing in the last 12 months
B2B fintechs should take note here. Fintechs are inherently innovative and often present brand new solutions to long-standing problems. But audiences may not understand – or trust – that this is the case, especially if they don’t fully comprehend the pain points they face.
Leveraging a solid content marketing strategy to help educate your audience while also building trust in your brand and credibility that you will do what you say you can is a golden opportunity.
Storytelling & Entertainment Take Center Stage
Where B2C marketing has largely been focused on connecting human-to-human with target audiences, B2B has been less eager to adopt this strategy. Instead, the modus operandi has been to build authority and establish credentials as subject matter experts through the release of long-winded ebooks, white papers, and reports.
This strategy has worked – and will continue to work – but it will need to be accompanied by an earnest effort to appear more human and to leverage a broader range of human emotion and content types to connect with audiences.
Storytelling and entertainment will be key components of successful content marketing programs in 2022.
Storytelling will become table stakes for B2B fintechs that need to present a more authentic tone and voice in 2022. Not only can it help build trust and credibility but it fosters a stronger connection by using a more human approach to get the point across.
On the entertainment front, broadening content formats to include more video, audio, and even games can help fintechs differentiate and become stickier in the minds of their audiences. It’s the next big leveling up for B2B fintech content marketing.
Empathy Ramps Up
The lack of in-person interaction and the shift toward less personal digital channels has had an interesting – and lasting – effect on how B2B marketers connect with their audiences. For one, the scarcity of human connection has ramped up demand.
In the same vein as storytelling and entertainment, empathy can foster a better emotional connection with audiences for B2B fintech content marketers. Cultivating human connection requires B2B fintech marketers to talk to audiences as people rather than other businesses or purchasing committees.
While documented content marketing goals might include things like leads generated, page views, or subscriptions, the true end goal is to help your target audience. Success in that endeavor requires an understanding of that audience and the ability and willingness to deliver what that audience values. Empathy is the key ingredient to doing that well.
What are your B2B fintech content marketing strategies for 2022? Where do you see yourself investing for success this year? As you continue to build out your 2022 content marketing strategy, we’d love to hear more about your goals. Let us know where content marketing stands at your company.
Looking for more specific information on how to improve B2B fintech content marketing in 2022? Download our free ebook: The Fintech Customer Acquisition Playbook or contact us for a free consultation.
