Category: Radix Podcast

Podcast 76: what makes bad B2B content?

Posted on by The Radix Team

In this month’s Good Copy, Bad Copy, we’re talking about the obstacles that stop good B2B marketers making good B2B content.

It’s easy to come up with glib answers like “just be braver”, but in the real world the reasons B2B marketers can’t do the work they’d like to are often very real. We dig in to the issues… and try to find some solutions.

Also, Harry Kapur, who’s Head of Writing at the all-conquering Velocity Partners, gives us a sneak preview of his Copywriting Conference keynote on the importance of “Skin in the Game”.

A chance to vent about your B2B content frustrations

We really, really want your input on this issue – so please visit our survey on obstacles to good B2B content:

https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/B2B-Content 

…and share the link widely among other B2B marketing folk you know. The more answers we get, the more representative the results will be.

In Episode 76, you’ll find…

1:47 – Harry Kapur introduces the idea of “skin in the game”

7:20 – The best kind of research to add authority to your content

10:20 – Being honest with your client when they’re not as good as they think they are

19:18 – Why tight deadlines undermine authentic B2B content

21:43 – How podcasts can help you understand your reader’s mindset and language

24:20 – Are we having a crisis of faith in B2B content marketing?

28:20 – What stops marketers creating the content they really want?

31:35 – How to stop stakeholders overcomplicating content for the sake of it

Send us your praise, criticism, ideas, jokes, pets…

Contact us through @radixcom on Twitter or [email protected] (if you really want to fill us with joy, send us a voice memo).

How to listen

Credits

Thanks to Harry for his time, and for the sneak preview into his CopyCon talk. If you want to hear more (and assuming you’re not going to Harry’s talk in Copenhagen), you’ll find he’s excellent value on Twitter.

Podcast editing and music by Bang and Smash.

Podcast 75: B2B copywriters v AI – what does the future really hold?

Posted on by The Radix Team

Increasingly, there’s evidence AI copy generation platforms can outperform human copywriters for basic tasks like writing digital ad copy and email subject lines.

So does that mean it’s only a matter of time until computers are writing all the content, and copywriters are out of a job?

Not necessarily.

In this episode of “Good Copy, Bad Copy”, we talk with with AI copy expert Dr Andrew Bredenkamp, of Acrolinx. And we find out:

  • How AI will change the nature of copywriting work
  • What algorithms can do, and what they can’t
  • Why AI may expand the number of people writing content
  • Which skills writers will need to learn next
  • How the traditional writers may soon adopt a consultative, editorial role

So it’s not the end just yet. But we’re on the verge of a good deal of change. It’s an exciting time.

Want to be on the next “Good Copy, Bad Copy”?

Contact us through @radixcom on Twitter or [email protected] (if you really want to make us happy, send us a voice memo).

How to listen

Credits

Thanks to Andrew for his time, openness, and expertise regarding what AI can and can’t do. If you’d like to know more about his work, take a peek at the Acrolinx content governance solution.

Podcast editing and music by Bang and Smash.

Podcast 74: how to use research in your B2B content

Posted on by The Radix Team

This month, we’re talking about the B2B content superpower that is original research. How to use it, when to use it, and the impact of using it.

We’re joined by B2B research whiz Simon Hayhurst, business consultant at Coleman Parkes, to discuss the nuances of good research, and why you should make room for it in your content marketing.

How important is research?

At Radix, we think research is crucial to good marketing content. In fact, it’s included in our Quality Assurance Checklist for B2B copy. (Check out last month’s podcast for more on that.)

And it seems that other marketeers would agree with us. Andy Crestodina of Orbit Media says it’s the “one kind of content that crushes almost anything else you can publish.”

Simon agrees too and, having worked with clients like Accenture and PwC, he thinks impactful research gives your content more credibility. In fact, in a study of C-Suite attitudes to thought leadership content (wait, is that thought leadership about thought leadership? that’s meta…) Grist and Coleman Parkes found that one of the biggest bugbears is ‘unsubstantiated opinions’.

In short, if you want to be referenced or taken seriously, research wins.

What does good B2B research look like?

But all research is not the same. And Simon told us when conducting research for thought leadership, there are three important things to consider:

  1. Is your research relevant to its audience?
  2. Is it distinctive – does it explore an angle that’s unique, and hasn’t been done before?
  3. Is it demonstrably true?

Those three points are integral to whether your content will be enjoyed, endured, or eliminated from the pile.

Listen to find out more

If we’ve whetted your appetite for research wisdom, there’s still more to find out (you lucky thing). Listen to the podcast to hear:

  • How you do research well
  • How you support your argument when there’s no primary research
  • Advice on sourcing your stats
  • What not to reference
  • What to do if there’s no research available at all

Simon also discusses exactly how to structure research if you’d like to start out by doing it yourself!

Want to be on the next “Good Copy, Bad Copy”?

Contact us through @radixcom on Twitter or [email protected] (the best thing you can do is send us a voice memo).

How to listen

Credits

Thanks to Simon, for being so generous with his time and expertise. If you’re interested in the thought leadership research on thought leadership research, you can find Simon at [email protected], or head over to the Coleman Parkes website to see all the great work he’s involved in.

Podcast editing and music by Bang and Smash.

Podcast 73: our 15-point checklist for reviewing B2B copy

Posted on by The Radix Team

Reviewing B2B copy can be tough.

Every client has different expectations, every writer has a different style, and every reviewer has specific things they look out for. So, how do you ensure every piece of copy that crosses your desk is consistently great, every time?

It’s a challenge we’ve faced for a while at Radix, but we think we’ve cracked it. We’re proud to introduce The Radix Quality Assurance Checklist.

Focused on the five key pillars of stand-out B2B copywriting – accuracy, clarity, authority, empathy and wizardry – our checklist can help you remove the subjectivity from reviewing B2B copy.

But how can it help me?

In this month’s episode of Good Copy, Bad Copy, Fiona and David take a closer look at the review process, and give you some key advice on how to use it.

Whether you’re a marketer reviewing work or writing the content yourself, the checklist can help you take an objective approach to reviewing B2B copy (and wrangling your stakeholders too).

Give the episode a listen, and you’ll find out:

  • The fifteen points that all B2B copy should aim to meet
  • How the checklist enables you to give more constructive feedback
  • What it means to achieve copywriting wizardry
  • How the checklist can help you – or your colleagues – develop as writers

What do you mean you “forgot” our first ever webinar?

We want to say a huge thanks to everyone who joined us for our first webinar, “Five terrifying risks you should definitely take with your B2B content”.

Want to be on the next “Good Copy, Bad Copy”?

Contact us through @radixcom on Twitter or [email protected] (the best thing you can do is send us a voice memo).

How to listen

Credits

Podcast editing and music by the ever-majestic Bang and Smash.

Podcast 72: stop telling B2B marketers to be “brave”

Posted on by The Radix Team

“B2B marketers need to be braver.”

It’s a statement we hear pretty often, not least from Martech brands and content marketing experts. But in reality, creating stand-out B2B content is rarely as easy as just doing something brave (though there are a few risks you should definitely take).

B2B marketers are often restricted by arcane guidelines, conservative stakeholders, interfering bosses, and time-sucking tech. And when you’re struggling with all that, getting blamed for lacklustre content feels frankly a trifle unfair.

It’s a frustration that’s been on our minds for a while, so we knew it needed to be discussed on the podcast. And who better to weigh in on the subject than B2B marketing colossus Maureen Blandford – VP of marketing for the event fundraising tech firm Givesmart.

Bravery is not the answer

Most B2B content is a bit rubbish. (OK, as writers of B2B content, it’s a bit rich for us to make this claim. But it’s true, and Maureen agreed.)

The solution isn’t to start getting riskier with content willy-nilly, or to make radical changes in the type of content you produce. Instead, Maureen gave us two key tips that most B2B marketers actually can do:

1. Get out there with your salespeople

Go into the field with your salespeople and interact with the customers you’re writing for. Even if it’s just listening to their phone calls.

“Generally, what resonates with targets is their own words. Particularly in a complex sale, I need marketing to behave in the way great sales people do. Bubble up pain points, ask the customer questions.” – Maureen Blandford

2. Talk to your peers

Maureen says B2B marketers are fed the idea that they have a horrible gap in their strategies, and buying the right technology or visiting the right conference will fix this. It won’t.

Instead, talk to your peers in similar industries and see how they’re approaching their B2B content. Building informal relationships is the easiest way to get genuine value into content as you begin to understand what customers care about.

Listen to find out more

You’ll find plenty more practical tips in the podcast, as we discuss:

  • What’s stopping B2B marketers from creating their best content
  • What needs to change before marketers can become ‘braver’
  • What B2B marketers can do in the meantime to make their content better

(And you’ll hear Maureen get a tad sweary as she calls out the Martech brands and content experts behind all this drama.)

Want some great content tips? Join our webinar!

Conveniently, our first ever webinar tackles just this topic.

“Five terrifying risks you should definitely take with your B2B content” will be on Wednesday 5th June, at 4pm UK time (11am ET).

This has now finished.

(Spoiler: we won’t be telling you to be braver. Just sharing some sensible, calculated risks that make a difference.)

Want to be on the next “Good Copy, Bad Copy”?

What do you think… is Maureen on the money with her criticism? Contact us through @radixcom on Twitter or [email protected] (the best thing you can do is send us a voice memo).

How to listen

Credits

Podcast editing and music by Bang and Smash.

Want to hear more from Maureen? Follow her on Twitter, and head over to the Givesmart website to see all the great work she does.

Podcast 71: how to write B2B social media content

Posted on by The Radix Team

Ah, social media. Everyone’s doing it, but – in B2B marketing, at least – it seems there are still precious few brands doing it very well.

From a copywriting point of view, social is too often an afterthought. Instead of a nuanced, two-way conversation, pre-created content gets blasted out to anyone who wants to read it, in a post desperate to attract any kind of engagement from the widest possible audience.

In this episode of Good Copy, Bad Copy: the B2B Copywriting Podcast, social media expert Kate Stoodley of New York-based Comment Ground explains why that’s precisely the wrong approach.

Where social ends, and content begins

Give the episode a listen, and you’ll hear Kate tell us:

  • Why, just because you can put content on social, doesn’t mean you should
  • How to decide what to publish on LinkedIn, and what goes on your blog
  • Where Facebook and Instagram fit into the B2B mix
  • The hallmarks of great B2B social content
  • The case for going beyond your competitors, and putting a point of view

How to keep up with social media change

We’re not going to lie; we were pretty relieved when Kate admitted that even social media gurus struggle to keep on top of all the changing formats and specifications. Here are the resources she recommended:

Name that chair

Here’s the awesome new/old Eames chair Fiona was talking about in this episode:

Our lovely new old Eames chair

To name it, drop us a line to [email protected], or tweet us using the hashtag #NameThatChair.

(Thanks to our lovely new account manager Phil for the badass photo skills.)

Add your voice to the podcast

We always love getting your comments, questions and ideas. Contact us through @radixcom on Twitter or [email protected] (you can even email us a voice memo, if you like).

How to listen

 

Credits

Podcast editing and music by Bang and Smash.

Podcast 70: how to write B2B copy for engineers

Posted on by The Radix Team

One of the greatest challenges a B2B copywriter often faces is writing for a new audience. Vocabulary, tone, expectations, pain points, turn-ons, turn-offs…

Whether you’re creating a though-leadership blog for tech-hungry IT leaders, or a series of laidback podcasts for refrigeration engineers, there’s a lot to think about.

That’s why for our 70th (!) episode of Good Copy, Bad Copy: the B2B copywriting podcast, we’re joined by Lasse Lund, copywriter and content marketing consultant at Danfoss Cooling, to discuss writing all things engineering – as well as his own journey into the strange world of B2B copywriting.

Technical, engineering content… for a worldwide audience

A Danish native raised in the States, Lasse offers great insight into what it takes to write ‘definitive’ English-language copy for a global and culturally diverse engineering audience. And why writing for engineers is, in theory, a game of two halves: the technical and the business.

Also in this month’s episode:

  • Technical editing tips to make localisation easier
  • The value of reading niche technical publications
  • How to not alienate marketing-averse engineers

More on B2B’s “Gender Say Gap”

Before we sign off, we’d like to thank everyone for the inspiring feedback we received following last month’s podcast on the Gender Say Gap. We’ve never had a response like it.

So, Bisma Hashmi, Barry Whittle, Roberta de Lima, Caroline Robinson, Daryl Newman, Anna McLoughlin and everyone else who liked, commented, shared or emailed… thanks. It’s good to know you care about this too.

(Thanks once again to the brilliant Claire Mason of Man Bites Dog for bringing this important issue to our attention; we’re sure it’s something we’ll revisit.)

Add your voice to the podcast

We love getting your comments, questions and ideas. Contact us through @radixcom on Twitter or [email protected] (you can even email us a voice memo, if you like).

How to listen

Credits:

Podcast editing and music by Bang and Smash

Podcast 66: is it ever OK to use comedy in B2B copy – and if so, how do you do it well?

Posted on by The Radix Team

Making people laugh is hard at the best of times – but when you’re writing in the guise of a brand, it’s even harder.

How do you know what your audience will find funny? And what if your audience doesn’t share your sense of humour, and it actively damages your brand’s reputation?

With the risks so high, you might think it’s best to avoid humour altogether in B2B copywriting. But is that really true – and if not, how do you go about getting B2B comedy right?

Three B2B comedy experts share their insights

In this special edition of Good Copy, Bad Copy, I talk to three people who know a thing or two about comedy and B2B copywriting.

The result: a full 45 minutes packed with expert tips on how to do B2B comedy well; what to avoid at all costs; and when it’s better not to try to be funny, even if you really want to.

Here’s the line-up:

Craig Beadle, comedy journalist-turned-copywriter at B2B content marketing agency Velocity Partners, gives us the lowdown on:

  • Which content formats work well for comedy – and which don’t (06:30)
  • How Velocity uses its own brand of humour to attract the right kind of clients (09:00)
  • The one time they took things too far – and discovered a line you can’t cross (13:21)

PLUS: Why this trio of ads by Sandwich Video for Wistia is his favourite bit of B2B humour.

Pauliina Jamsa, senior online marketing manager at Siemens and veteran of over 70 stand-up appearances, spills the beans on:

  • How she uses humour to liven up conference presentations (19:11)
  • Why B2B brands shouldn’t try too hard to be funny (22:52)
  • Why customers are your best source of comedy inspiration (just don’t make them the butt of the joke) (28:59)

Richard Preddy, comedy scriptwriter with TV credits including The Fast Show and Green Wing, and writer-for-hire on corporate video projects, gives us his two cents on:

  • When it’s appropriate to use humour in your content – and when it isn’t (35:04)
  • How to convince sceptical client stakeholders your idea is genuinely funny (36:38)
  • Why visual content lends itself better to comedy than text (38:23)

PLUS: Why this video earned Zendesk Richard’s vote for funniest B2B tech brand.

Thanks once again to our three fabulous contributors for their time, honesty and humour.

Want to contact the show?

If you have any questions for our contributors, or comments for us, fire away. You can reach us via @radixcom on Twitter or [email protected] (you can even email us a voice memo, if you like).

How to listen…

You can download the episode here (right-click and “save-as” to download). Or stream the episode in the player at the top of the page.

(Alternatively, you can subscribe to the podcast on iTunes here. Or maybe add our RSS to your preferred podcast player.)

Have you heard the one about… interviewing subject matter experts?

That’s the latest topic in our new, short-form podcast series, The B2B Content Audio Blog. Each one is a quick, easy listen on a specific aspect of B2B content writing – from writing for ABM to the evils of using the present participle in headlines. We’d love to know what you think.

Credits:

Podcast editing and music by Bang and Smash

Podcast 64: data v creativity, and SEO copywriting for B2B

Posted on by The Radix Team

Technology and data are sometimes accused of killing creativity within B2B copywriting, but is it a wrongful conviction?

In the newest episode of Good Copy, Bad Copy, SEO expert Tom Telford from 3WhiteHats explains how search engine data can be a helpful content creation tool, and what copywriters can gain when they keep search engine optimisation in mind.

You’ll also hear Fiona and David talk about their experiences balancing data and creativity. Key discussion points include:

  • What is the real killer of creativity?
  • Has creativity declined since the golden age of advertising?
  • Can technology help us to be more creative?
  • What does SlideShare have in common with skateboarding?

Finally, Fiona introduces her newest addition to the B2B Content Hall of Fame. It’s Salesforce… for everything they’ve produced.

Thanks again to Tom for talking with us.

Links to stuff we talked about:

SEO things:

Data v creativity things:

Want to contact the show?

We want to hear from you. Find us on twitter at @radixcom, or email your questions, voice memos, thoughts and ideas to [email protected]

How to listen…

You can download the episode here (right-click and “save-as” to download). Or stream the episode in the player at the top of the page.

(Or you can subscribe to the podcast on iTunes here. Alternatively, add our RSS to your preferred podcast player.)

Credits:

Audio editing and music by Bang and Smash.