Year: 2018

Podcast 68: the best B2B content of 2018

Posted on by Katy Eddy

Alarmingly, the end of the year is upon us.

To avoid thinking about the fact that January is looming, and we haven’t finished writing out our 2018 resolutions, let alone done any of them, we’ve been looking back on just some of the great B2B content this year has had to offer.

In our final episode of Good Copy, Bad Copy for the year, we’ve put together a deeply unscientific top 10 based upon nominations and votes from our esteemed listeners (plus some of our own favourites).

So, here’s to excellent marketing content (and here’s our list of excellent marketing content):

10. Arco: “Be Sure” safety campaign

Fresh from its win for “Best Thought Leadership” at the B2B Marketing Awards, our number 10 is Arco’s “Be Sure” campaign, created with Born + Raised, to make us think a little harder about the fact that not all safety equipment is created equal. You can read more about it here.

Thanks for the nomination, Adam Harper!

9. SI Partners: marcoms agency growth survey

Nominated by Grist’s Andrew Rogerson, number nine goes to the Marcoms Agency Growth Survey by SI Partners.

According to Andrew, it’s a “compelling, research-driven thought-leadership programme” – and we’re inclined to agree.

8. Goldman Sachs: interactive briefing on drones

Rocking up at number eight is Goldman Sachs with its “Drones: Reporting for Work” interactive briefing.

According to Paul Hewerdine of Earnest Agency fame, it’s worth overlooking the company’s “pantomime villain” reputation for content this well-written and visually compelling.

7. Ceros Originals: a decade of Bitcoin

Long-time Radix friend and head of writing at Velocity Partners Harry Kapur has provided us with lucky number seven, Ceros Originals’ “Riches and Regrets: A Decade of Bitcoin What Ifs”.

It’s another of those scrolly infographicy website thingies, which charts the peaks and troughs of the original cryptocurrency with a heap of fun pop culture references. (It’s sadly lacking a CTA, though. Rookie mistake?)

6. Three personal stories

In sixth place is a mildly self-indulgent three-way tie, nominated by our very own David McGuire:

They’re three of the content pieces that most challenged David’s thinking this year (but you’ll have to listen to the podcast to find out how).

 

5. Nokia Bell Labs / Lonelyleap / Reeps One: “We Speak Music”

From Ogilvy’s head of copy Glenn Sturgess comes our mid-point nomination, “We Speak Music” by Lonelyleap and Nokia Bell Labs.

It’s a huge project – a six-part documentary series in the making – about the future of voice. We can’t wait to see it in full.

4. Saxoprint: “Great British Postcard” competition

Rising to the top of a predictably crowded category, “Best Use of Content Marketing” winners Saxoprint and Freestyle’s postcard competition comes in at number four.

With an unexpectedly rock ‘n’ roll endorsement, they boosted the hell out of Saxoprint’s brand awareness on a paid media budget of basically nothing.

 

At the top of the list, things get interesting… with another three-way tie:

=1. Kingpin’s blog post about humour and marketing in B2B

Nominated by Yvonne Deegan and Evelyn van Kelle, “Is humour and marketing the new B2B double act?” from Kingpin is one of our top contenders.

“B2B content can be intelligent, informative and humorous at the same time.” – Yvonne Deegan

=1. LinkedIn’s Britpop-infused content creation story

With a double nomination from Sonja Jefferson and Jane Morrin, Jason Miller’s “How LinkedIn’s Lead Generation Went Supersonic” has got some good weight behind it.

“Always enjoy reading Jason Miller’s work.” – Jane Morrin

=1. Hubspot’s “Conversational Marketing” string

Yet another double nomination – and some cheeky self-promotion – Velocity Partners’ Rutger Frissen and Ogilvy’s Glenn Sturgess have thrown Hubspot’s hyper-visual conversational marketing slideshow into the mix.

“Maybe I’m just the target audience, but it’s got something to say. And the typography, the visualisations, and the format all amplify the message.” – Glenn Sturgess, Ogilvy

So, how to pick a winner?

To hear Fiona’s deciding vote – she is our new CEO, after all – well, you’ll have to listen to the podcast. (And you’ll hear a special, festive bonus: a B2B content poem, read by the amazing Molly Raycraft.)

As if all this wasn’t enough (you lucky things) David finally adds his nomination to the B2B Content Hall of Fame, the Maxon Motor Catalogue. (Bear with us; it’s far more interesting than a catalogue has any right to be.)

Want to contact the show?

We always welcome comments, questions and ideas (particularly if you think there’s excellent content we’ve missed).

You can send them our way via @radixcom on Twitter or [email protected] (or, if you’d like to add your voice to the podcast in a more literal way, you can even email us a voice memo).

How to listen

Credits:

Podcast editing and music by Bang and Smash

The B2B Content Audio Blog #13: how to run a B2B messaging workshop

Posted on by John Kerrison

Successful B2B marketing requires everyone pulling in the same direction: sales, marketing, product specialists… everyone.

Which is why you can’t properly market your brand unless there’s alignment around your key messaging.

We’re increasingly asked to run messaging workshops to help our clients nail down a core set of wording they can use across all their external communications, sales collateral, and training. And this audio blog explains how these messaging workshops work, and why they’re so valuable to the business as a whole.

Hit “play” now to learn:

  • Who you should invite to your workshop
  • What to do before, during and afterwards
  • The key components of a successful messaging framework

“Looks like we got ourselves a reader…”

If you’d prefer to read Fiona’s original blog post for yourself, here’s What happens in a B2B messaging workshop?

This is the end of this podcast season, so if you’d like to keep hearing from us, you’ll want Good Copy, Bad Copy: the B2B Copywriting Podcast. (The next episode drops next week, revealing the best B2B content of 2018.)

How to listen

You can download the episode here, or stream it in the player at the top of the page.

Alternatively, you could subscribe to us on iTunes, or use this RSS feed here. You can also find us on Spotify.

Get in touch

Want to hear a second season of this audio blog? Let us know. Email [email protected], tweet at us, or leave an iTunes review.

Credits

Audio editing: Bang and Smash

Theme tune: “Chinny Reckon” by the Nye Bevans

5 strategies to turn complex engineering topics into compelling marketing content

Posted on by George Reith

Complex engineering technologies give B2B marketers the opportunity to make a genuine difference for their business. The more complicated the subject, the more a brand stands out when its content explains issues and benefits in a clear, engaging way.

But this content needs technical authority too. It’s all too easy to oversimplify topics like this – especially when complex science comes into play. (We previously wrote about how to cater to an engineering audience to help solve this exact challenge.)

In this blog post, we’ll look at strategies you can use to find the perfect balance between complex topics and concise copy.

Imagine the smartest, most ‘science-y’ person you know

If you’re reading this blog, it means you’re smart. And if you’re smart, you probably have some friends that are too.

Keep them in mind when you write about an engineering topic. Imagine you’re speaking the copy aloud to the most scientifically knowledgeable friend you have. Would they understand it? Would they be interested? Most importantly, would they stare at you blankly and say “yeah, I know what peristalsis is”?

By considering their potential reactions to your copy, you’ll quickly get a good feel for whether you’re in danger of losing your audience to jargon, or at risk of teaching grandma to suck eggs.

Bonus points if you actually get your scientist friend to read your copy in real life.

Explain the basics, but do it quickly

Like with any B2B content, there are often two audiences for an engineering piece: the primary reader, and then a secondary decision-maker audience. Your engineer reader needs to be enthused by what they’re reading, but they might also need to be able to show it to their plant manager/procurement head/CFO/purse-string holder to get them on board as well.

If you need to ensure everyone can understand your content, you’ll have to explain some key terms, acronyms and concepts. But when you do this, don’t dawdle.

If you spend your first three paragraphs explaining the limitations of conventional workbenches, your main audience (the people that stand at these benches every working day) will stop reading and assume you’re just telling them what they already know.

Box outs, quick asides, and short explanations are your friends here. Just as you might spell out an industry-standard acronym on first use before moving on, quickly explain any complex concepts, and then just assume your reader knows what you mean.

Find the business story, then add the science

We don’t need to solve the engineering problem for our audience here. That’s what these people do.

What we do is solve a business challenge. So, if you want to sell a new breed of tool to a mining company, your story isn’t what this material is and how amazing it is. At least not initially. Your headline, your lead point, should be about how much better, faster, cheaper, etc. their operations will be with this new tool.

After you’ve set up the main business benefit, then you can get into the proof points, the science, the logic behind it all. But without that initial promise of improvement, you won’t have much to offer your reader.

Simplify the right stuff – and no more

Radix’s creative director, David McGuire, recently wrote for B2B Marketing about how to simplify complex subjects. He used a three-tier model to distinguish between good jargon, bad jargon, and overly formal language.

With good jargon, we’re talking about terms you and your reader will understand. This is fine. In fact, using it will probably help you build credibility with your audience – but ONLY if you’re using the term correctly – and if your audience is absolutely familiar with it too.

Bad jargon is the stuff that doesn’t really mean much. “Synergies”, “paradigm shift”, that sort of thing. At best you’re wasting your reader’s time, at worst you’re just trying to put smoke and mirrors up to hide a lack of original thought. Neither is a good look.

Formal language is a tricky middle ground. Yes, we’re writing for an intelligent business audience. But at the same time, very few people have ever complained about something being too easy to read. So, when you have needlessly formal language, (“utilise” instead of “use”, “methodology” instead of “method”, passive sentence structure, etc.) it’s worth stripping things back to keep your copy flowing.

Note: the boundaries between different types of jargon and formal language can flex depending on what you’re writing about. For instance, “utilise” is overly formal language in most cases, but if you’re talking about the way a piece of hardware utilises IT resources then it suddenly becomes a piece of good jargon. As always, make sure you know your audience so you can carefully consider what’s good to stay, and what has to go in your copy.

Don’t be afraid to copyedit

Engineering isn’t really an industry. It’s more a group of dozens of sub-industries, each with its own language, terminology and concepts. So, even if you’re an “engineering writer”, there are many topics where you simply won’t be able to talk the talk effectively.

That’s OK though. If you find you’re struggling to nail the language, you may want to suggest copyediting a piece rather than writing from scratch.

And if you can get one of your clients’ experts to write down their thoughts on the topic (or talk with you on the phone while you furiously scribble down notes), that can set you on the right path with getting the “engineer speak” right.

Find the balance between clear and complex

When you produce content about a deep science or engineering topic, you walk a fine line. You obviously want to produce something clear, readable and exciting. But if you push that too far, you risk skimming the surface and not grappling with the complexities of your topic.

And the difficult thing is that there are no hard and fast rules about how you find this balance. What works for an industrial engineering audience might fall flat for electronics components engineers. Likewise, the way you approach web copy for a heating and ventilation company will differ greatly from how you tackle a data sheet on semiconductors.

But by using these five strategies, you can start to find the right mixture between clarity and complexity for your particular project. And when you do that, you can tell a great story, while also speaking in a language that resonates with your engineering audience.

The B2B Content Audio Blog #12: 7 tips to help you write up a live event

Posted on by John Kerrison

Attending industry events can be fun and informative, but they’re not so much fun for the marketer whose time, budget and stress goes into making everything run smoothly. So it makes sense to get as much ROI as you can, by turning your hard work into written content too.

That means you’ll need a write-up. And unfortunately, years of scribing at client events have taught us that turning your speakers’ key takeaways into engaging content isn’t always as straightforward as it sounds.

In this audio blog episode, you’ll hear some of our top tips for producing post-event content, from how to the make the most of your time at the event to how to nail that first draft.

Tune in now to hear:

  • Common pitfalls, and how to avoid them
  • Why you should work out your angle before you begin
  • How food might be the key to successful content

“Looks like we got ourselves a reader…”

If you’d rather read than listen, here’s George’s original blog post: Attending a client event? Here’s how to write a kick-ass summary.

Or if you’d like to try another Radix podcast, there’s always Good Copy, Bad Copy: the B2B Copywriting Podcast.

How to listen

You can download the episode here, or stream it in the player at the top of the page.

Alternatively, you could subscribe to us on iTunes, or use this RSS feed here. You can also find us on Spotify.

Get in touch

Love this podcast? Hate it? Lonely? Email [email protected], tweet at us, or leave an iTunes review. We’d love to know whether you’d like another series.

Credits

Audio editing: Bang and Smash

Theme tune: “Chinny Reckon” by the Nye Bevans

15 of the best copywriting tweets from #B2BCopyChat

Posted on by The Radix Team

Let’s face it. B2B copywriting is a pretty niche profession, and sometimes, that makes us a little lonely.

That’s why, in 2015, we founded #B2Bcopychat: a monthly space where B2B writers could openly discuss and dissect their thoughts and frustrations with likeminded writers (and set David free to flex his GIF game, of course).

After three years of insightful natter, #b2bcopychat ended one year ago today, on the 5th December 2017. And with rumours of its imminent return (under the masterful curation of Lauren and Imogen), we thought this would be an ideal moment to get sentimental.

Having raided our quite frankly insane Twitter archive, we’ve managed to whittle three years of chat down to a pretty superlative top 15. So, without further ado, here’s 15 tweets that inspired us, made us laugh, and made us feel like we weren’t so alone in this often-crazy profession…

(Warning: B2B copywriters do not hold back.)

1. How could clients best help you to make their copy stand out more?

2. How do your clients react when you bring emotion to their copy?

3. What are the warning signs that a project is going to hit the rocks?

4. What’s the best way for copywriters and designers to work together?

5. What is the worst word or phrase a client has insisted you use?

6. When you were in education, was copywriting ever discussed as a potential career choice?

7. Which is your favourite stage of the funnel to write for and why?

8. Which do you prefer writing: B2B copy or B2C copy? Why?

9. What is the most important part of a case study to get right?

10. What are your top tips for taking something that seems boring and making it interesting?

11. What do you think sets engaging B2B content apart from mediocre content?

12. Ever written something risky for a client that you didn’t think they’d go for and they did?

13. What do you enjoy most about B2B copywriting as a career?

14. What misconception about B2B copywriting do you hear most often?

15. Are there any obstacles that prevent you writing engaging B2B copy?

That’s all, folks… (for now, at least)

We’ve heard a few of the secret plans that the new curators have in mind for the reborn #B2BCopyChat, and we’re excited.

If you’d like us to tell you when the chat gets up and running again (and to get a monthly dose of helpful B2B copywriting tips to boot), pop yourself down for the Radix email newsletter. Or stalk us on social media.

The beginning of a new era for Radix

Posted on by The Radix Team

At work there are good days, there are bad days, and there are landmark days.

Landmark days don’t come along very often, but today is one.

Not because it’s Radix’s 11th birthday, even though it is. And not because we’ve just finished our most successful and most profitable year ever, even though we have.

It’s because today is Radix’s first day under brand new ownership.

On Friday I handed over a baton I’ve held for the past eleven years – and I couldn’t be happier that Radix’s new owners are none other than our operations director Sophie Reynolds and our creative director David McGuire.

(You can see the official news here.)

I’m not going anywhere, incidentally – I’m staying as Radix’s chief executive officer for the next two years, to oversee the transition and guide us through whatever challenges Brexit might bring.

The duo behind our winning proposition

Sophie and David have played key roles in Radix’s growth since they joined six and three years ago respectively. They’re the duo behind our value proposition to B2B tech marketers and their agencies: efficient delivery of high-quality writing.

Sophie Reynolds, Radix

Sophie: queen of efficient delivery

Sophie joined us in 2012 as our first full-time project manager, and immediately set about making Radix an incredibly efficient, productive and client-focused agency. She not only organised our work and standardised our pricing, but she also chose and implemented an outstanding project management system – Proworkflow – that’s been the foundation of our profitable growth.

(Seriously, if you run a smallish creative agency, check it out – it’s the first time-recording and project management software I’ve used that absolutely no one complains about, ever.)

Less than a year after Sophie joined, we won the silver for Most Dynamic Growth Business at the 2013 Cornwall Business Awards. That’s how good she is.

We swiftly promoted Sophie to operations director, and since then she’s built a team of exceptionally committed, organised and client-oriented account managers; the kind who move clients to tell us things like “I actually don’t know how you do it” and “You know that saying ‘you can have it cheap, good or fast, but only 2 at a time’? Well Radix is the exception.”

David McGuire, Radix

David: on a mission to make everyone a better B2B writer

David eventually became part of the Radix family in 2015, when we merged with his copywriting agency, Lungfish, to form what he’s fond of calling “the UK’s first B2B copywriting supergroup”.

I say “eventually” because I’d been hassling David to come and join us for a good few years before that – almost from the moment I became aware of his existence. His writing is among the best in the sector, anywhere in the world, and I couldn’t believe our luck that there was an experienced B2B writer of this calibre right on our doorstep in mid-Cornwall.

I’m incredibly thankful that he agreed to be our Creative Director – and if I’m honest, also a tiny bit triumphant that no one else got there first.

David’s enthusiasm for making dull topics interesting and his determination to elevate the quality of B2B copywriting have seen him become something of an ambassador for our profession.

If David seems familiar – and you’re not already one of his hundreds of friends – it could be because you’ve read his articles in B2B Marketing, seen him speak at an industry conference, listened to a Radix podcast, or attended one of his sell-out copywriting training days.

And if you don’t know him but you now feel he might be the copywriting guru you’ve been missing all your life, I highly recommend you follow him on Twitter.

The finest B2B copywriting agency team on Earth (even if I *am* biased)

If you asked David and Sophie what motivated them to take over from me as owners, I can guarantee they would say it’s in large part because of the team we have here.

Of the 18 people Radix has hired since 2007, 16 are still with us – and together they form the most talented, the most engaged, the most thoughtful, and the most supportive (not to mention the funniest) team that Sophie, David and I could possibly wish for.

I’ve seen them grow from being colleagues to being friends, who often say that the main thing that keeps them at Radix is “each other”.

As someone who perennially worries that the work we’re asked to do is too difficult to be truly enjoyable (have you ever tried writing a paper about differential privacy for sensitive datasets, or the possibilities and limitations of flammable refrigerants?), I’ve found it hugely rewarding to see our writers and account managers stick around – for years – because they love working together.

That bond has benefits for our clients, too – it means they get work that’s done by experienced, enthusiastic and motivated people, who naturally organise themselves to deliver the best quality writing to the required deadline. And because people leave us so infrequently, we’ve been able to offer a continuity of service that’s rare in an agency relationship.

No change to our mission – to be the industry’s go-to copywriters

Radix has never stopped growing, from December 2007 to today. Every year, we’ve taken on more clients, more work and more people. At the last count we were writing for around 100 B2B tech and industrial brands – including Amazon, Danfoss, Microsoft, Oracle and Salesforce – from our converted riverside warehouse in Penryn.

Today I’m handing over the baton of ownership, but our team remains the same – and so does our mission: to be the go-to copywriting agency for the B2B tech industries worldwide. And with Sophie and David at the helm and the Radix team at their side, there should be nothing to stop us.

The B2B Content Audio Blog #11: how to run a successful editorial board

Posted on by John Kerrison

Editorial boards are a great way for marketers to continually produce original, engaging ideas and deliver on a successful content marketing strategy. But, getting people together is just the first step.

For your editorial board to truly work its magic you need to follow some best practices, and this 8-minute audio blog will tell you what they are.

Tune in now to learn:

  • What and editorial board is – and why you should run one
  • 5 essential steps for editorial board success
  • How to structure your meetings for the best results

“Looks like we got ourselves a reader…”

If you’d rather read than listen, here’s Emily’s original blog post: Editorial boards in B2B content marketing: a beginners’ guide.

Or if you’d like to try another Radix podcast, there’s always Good Copy, Bad Copy: the B2B Copywriting Podcast.

How to listen

You can download the episode here, or stream the episode in the player at the top of the page.

Alternatively, you could subscribe to us on iTunes, or use this RSS feed here. Excitingly, you can also now find us on Spotify.

Get in touch

Got something to say?  Email [email protected], tweet at us, or leave an iTunes review. We have three episodes left, so we’d love to know what you thought of the series.

Credits

Audio editing: Bang and Smash

Theme tune: “Chinny Reckon” by the Nye Bevans

Music and words: the sounds that drive great copy

Posted on by The Radix Team

Look around your office. Ever wondered what’s happening inside those headphones?

For a copywriter, sound (or lack of it) can be a real differentiator when it comes to productivity. But can choosing different music – or avoiding it altogether – really make you a better writer?

Some writers only use headphones to block out the sound of nearby troublemakers. Others, like me, struggle to relax without a familiar album or artist playing quietly in the background.

And that’s why I’m writing this blog: to explore what sounds – or non-sounds – help us produce the best copy.

For: bring the noise

As I mentioned, I love to work with headphones on. In fact, I find writing without them feels a bit… naked. I also loathe the sound of typing; it makes my skin crawl.

But that doesn’t mean I can listen to just anything while working. Some writers find anything lyrical distracting, but I find anything musically or lyrically familiar is perfect. I know what to expect, it blocks out nearby noise, and it helps keep me calm.

If I begin to feel lethargic or unenthused with my work, Reign in Blood by Slayer or Art Angels by Grimes always seem to do a good job at reigniting my concentration. But lately, stuff like Out in the Storm by Waxahatchee, Bonito Generation by Kero Kero Bonito, and The Sensual World by Kate Bush have been my go-to writing companions.

Anyway, enough about me. Here’s what my colleagues have to say on the matter and, as you’ll see, they’re a sensible bunch…

David McGuire, Creative Director:

I have a whole bunch of Spotify playlists called things like “Attitude”, “Grit”, “Inspirational Shit” and “Proper Classy”, which I use to set the mood when I need to bring out a particular voice or style in my writing. (Try not to speculate on which works well for which client.)

However, my most important writing soundtrack is simply pink noise, which is like concentration in a bottle. It allows me to shut out everything else, without being distracting itself.

No, your headphones aren’t broken.

 

Katy Eddy, Copywriter:

I’m one of those freaks of nature who can use almost anything as background noise without getting distracted. (In everyday life, I’m also one of those people who often has to scrub back in a song because I’ve somehow managed to tune out entirely and miss my favourite part.)

But, similarly to Ben, I have a few go-to albums that sit comfortably in my ears for when I really have to get down to it. For perkier days, there’s the aggressively poppy Morning Report by Arkells, or convincing Talking Heads soundalike Blue Lights on the Runway by Bell X1.

My affection for Scottish miserabilists is well known, so on most days you’ll find me hiding from the sound of mechanical keyboards in stuff like 100 Broken Windows by Idlewild, The Midnight Organ Fight by Frightened Rabbit, or Owl John by… Owl John.

 

George Reith, Senior Copywriter and Content Lead:

When I’m up against it I prefer to work in silence. Music is great for lifting the spirits, but it can also be a distraction. If a deadline is looming, I need relative quiet (loud mechanical keyboard clacks notwithstanding).

When I need a bit of inspiration I’ll turn to some familiar tunes. Silence is a bit too dry to get the creative juices flowing (especially when you’re writing your fourth email on the same topic).

As far as music choices go, it must be something without lyrics. I find vocal tracks a bit too distracting so it’s soundtracks all the way. My love of Japanese RPGs is no secret in the office, so you won’t be surprised to hear the soundtracks to games in this genre get a lot of time on my headphones when I’m in work.

Here’s one of George’s favourites – and a classic of the 16-bit era [Although, VI is better – Ben].

Against: the sound of silence

Nick Prescott, Copywriter and Business Development Executive:

I prefer quiet or background office noise to concentrate. And how much noise I can handle usually depends on the complexity of the project I’m working on.

But I always have noise-cancelling earphones on my desk, so if ever I need to block out noise I’ll listen to random jazz playlists on Spotify. There’s just something about it that helps me relax and concentrate.

 

Matt Godfrey, Head of Copy Team:

I find that when I’m in the zone doing actual, proper writing, I rarely notice most background noise. However, although music enriches my life in innumerable ways, listening to any kind of music distracts my brain too much to focus on writing.

So if Jazz-Twat is in the building [we have a communal piano – Ben], or the “all-girl, all-rocking, experimental rat jam band” is rehearsing on the neighbouring houseboat, I listen to white noise on Spotify until they stop (specifically Big Fan Dulled on a loop).

 

Kieran Haynes, Senior Copywriter and Content Lead:

I work best in silence. If that’s not possible, I’ll listen to something that’s either incredibly familiar, or washy and nondescript. Or both. Like this 400% slower version of In the Aeroplane Over the Sea.

Cher your tunes with us

Enjoyed this insight into life at Radix? Get to know us even better here.

Or, judge our selections for yourself, on the all-conquering Radix copywriting playlist.

Podcast 67: B2B content trends and analytics – which formats get the best results?

Posted on by George Reith

At any point in time, B2B content marketers have an almost infinite number of strategies, formats and tactics they can use to engage their audience.

But how do you know which will have the greatest impact? Do you need to adopt different approaches at different points in the funnel? And how do you even measure the real engagement of your content assets?

In our latest episode of Good Copy, Bad Copy, David and Fiona dig into the CMI and MarketingProfs B2B Content Marketing report. They look at the different content trends marketers are using and discuss why some types of content are performing better than others.

They also recap twitter conversations with MarketingProfs’ Ann Handley, and Lisa Murton Beets and Robert Rose from the Content Marketing Institute, about the report, and what’s really stopping marketers from producing their best work.

David also speaks with analytics consultant Jake Kimpton from specialist SEO agency 3WhiteHats. They discuss why bounce rate isn’t a great metric, how you can use Google Analytics to add goals and calculate real page value, and some advanced engagement tracking tips offered by Google Analytics expert Simo Ahava.

Also discussed in this month’s episode:

  • Will better data help B2B content marketers secure buy-in for better content?
  • Why do so few marketers use conversations with real customers to inform content?
  • Should you ever really consider bounce rate an accurate measure of performance?

We want to hear from you

We very much welcome any comments, questions and ideas on the podcast. You can send them via @radixcom on Twitter or [email protected] (you can even email us a voice memo, if you’re into that sort of thing).

Lots of ways to listen

There’s a big “play” button at the top of the page. But if you don’t fancy streaming, you have plenty of other options…

Have you heard our *other* podcast?

The pilot series of our B2B Content Audio Blog is nearing its climax. The idea is it’s a quick, weekly listen that’s easy to digest on a commute, or a run, or while you’re darning your socks.

Lately, we’ve talked about QA tests for B2B copywriting, a multipurpose blog structure you can steal, and a new way of looking at email subject lines. We’d love to know what you think.

Credits:

Podcast editing and music by Bang and Smash

The B2B Content Audio Blog #10: five essential QA tests for B2B copywriting

Posted on by John Kerrison

Even the best writer can have an off day. So how do you ensure your content is consistently top-notch?

Unfortunately, there are no shortcuts—but there are some tricks of the trade. Here at Radix, we have a set of five quality control standards, which we use for our internal reviews.

Whether you’re reviewing someone’s copy, or about to publish some of your own, these five questions will let you know if your writing is good to go.

Listen now to learn:

  • The questions behind our Maslow-inspired pyramid of copywriting skills
  • How to spot simple, and not-so-simple, mistakes
  • How to pass the ‘so what’ test and the importance of being exceptional

“Looks like we got ourselves a reader…”

David’s original blog post includes a graphic of the skills hierarchy itself: Does your B2B tech copy pass these five tests?

Or if you’d like to try another Radix podcast, there’s always Good Copy, Bad Copy: the B2B Copywriting Podcast.

How to listen

You can download the episode here, or stream the episode in the player at the top of the page.

Alternatively, you could subscribe to us on iTunes, or use this RSS feed here. Excitingly, you can also now find us on Spotify.

Get in touch

Got something to say?  Email [email protected], tweet at us, or leave an iTunes review. We have three episodes left, so we’d love to know what you thought of the series.

Credits

Audio editing: Bang and Smash

Theme tune: “Chinny Reckon” by the Nye Bevans