I recently learned an important lesson from my own experience posting on LinkedIn: Never underestimate the value of short-form content that informs and engages an audience. And particularly in the realm of social media, even really short content can make an impact.
B2B buyers increasingly look to social channels as they evaluate purchases. The 2020 Content Preferences Study by Demand Gen Report shows that 39% of buyers say they look to social networks for relevant content more this year than they did 12 months ago. And we know that LinkedIn is a highly trafficked site for B2B buyers.
One Gold Nugget Is All You Need
When I posted my quick-hit grammar tip about the use of lie versus lay, I had no idea what the response would be. Here’s my entire post:
Lie vs. lay. This is a grammar lesson that can get tricky. But let’s keep it simple.
“Lie” is an intransitive verb. It does not need an object. You are not doing the action to something or someone else. Therefore, it’s correct to say, “I’m going to lie down.”
“Lay” is a transitive verb, which means it requires an object. You have to lay something down. For example, you would say, “I lay my keys on the counter when I come home.” Your keys are the object.
What about past tense? I’m not even going there. Maybe next time.
Since posting a few weeks ago, it’s had more than twice the views of any of my other recent posts—and it’s still getting more views.
Why Short and Sweet Works
Why did this post get so much attention? I believe three things played a big role:
- The tip resonated with other B2B marketers. You’ve probably seen these verbs used incorrectly and cringed yourself. We all like to feel part of a shared experience or group.
- It may have been a reminder for some. After all, I taught grammar to college students for more than 25 years, and I certainly can’t remember all the rules. I’m constantly looking up grammar rules.
- It was a single piece of valuable information that only took a few seconds to read. Sometimes, that’s all we need or want.
How We Can Apply This Lesson to Our B2B Marketing
Here are some lessons we can apply to our B2B content marketing efforts:
- We don’t always have to try to give our B2B buyers everything we’ve got in one piece of content.
- We can promote a longer asset in social channels with one tidbit of valuable information, perhaps as a series of these short posts.
- We need to keep it engaging. Talk to your buyers real person to real person.
On that note, I’m going to keep this post short and sweet. Because less really sometimes is more.
Have a short and sweet comment? Post it in the comments below!
Brenda Caine is a senior content strategist at Content4Demand. She works with B2B clients on content marketing strategy, personas, messaging and ideation; content audits, gap analysis and content mapping; blogs; content development and more. Brenda has a black belt in karate, and when she’s not immersed in technology, you can find her dancing in the ballet studio, lifting weights at the gym or strolling down the avenue in a 1930s dress with a smart hat to match.
