Why video content is no longer optional in B2B marketing

A picture of a desktop computer with a video ready to play.

Why video content is no longer optional in B2B marketing

A picture of a desktop computer with a video ready to play.
Source: Sosland Publishing

12.01.2025  ·  INSIGHTS FOR MARKETERS

In the food, beverage and agricultural sectors, trust and education drive purchasing decisions. Video content offers an unmatched ability to communicate complex information while building authentic connections with your audience.

As such, video content has moved from being a nice-to-have component of B2B digital marketing to instead being the centerpiece of these strategies. Companies that follow best practices when integrating video into their marketing mix are seeing substantially higher engagement rates, improved brand recall and a significant return on their investment.

How video drives revenue and accelerates the sales cycle

B2B digital marketing should reach prospects across multiple online channels – from websites and social media to email campaigns, webinars and product demonstrations. Across these channels, video content has become a very effective tool for engaging prospects at every stage of their journey while delivering tangible business outcomes.

During the awareness stage of the buyer’s journey, videos capture the attention of your target audience in ways that text and static images cannot. A well-crafted 60-second video explaining a new food industry technology can reach thousands of potential customers. Online video content is easy to share and is extremely effective at increasing online reach and engagement.

In the consideration phase, video is also an effective educational tool. Video demonstrations of new products, equipment and supply chain solutions, to name a few, provide detailed visual information that your prospects need to assess your product’s value proposition and whether your solution is a good fit for them. A well-crafted video that answers your potential customer’s burning questions will build credibility and will move them closer to a decision faster than your digital brochures.

When your prospects are ready to make a decision, you can also use video content to address any final objections or concerns they may have. Customer video testimonials carry authenticity that written quotes lack. Case studies presented through video allow prospects to see themselves in your success stories, which can lead to higher conversion rates.

Prospects who engage with video content demonstrate higher intent to buy, and they convert to customers at higher rates. These customers are also better informed about the products and services they are interested in, which can lead to smoother sales conversations and shorter sales cycles. When you calculate the impact of these effects – a broader reach, accelerated sales pipeline and improved conversion rates – the ROI becomes clear.

Best practices for video in B2B digital advertising

Understanding the value of video content is one thing; preparing your first video is another. Here are the essential practices that separate successful video marketing from wasted effort.

  • Keep it short. Your audience is busy managing operations, not browsing entertainment. Videos between 30 and 90 seconds typically perform best. Get to the point quickly, deliver your core message clearly and end with a specific call to action.
  • Design for specific platforms and context. A video created for one platform won’t necessarily perform the same on another. Vertical formats work better on mobile platforms whereas horizontal formats are better for desktop viewing. Sound-off autoplay is standard on social platforms, making captions essential rather than optional.
  • Optimize for reach and tracking. Implement proper tracking pixels and UTM parameters so you can measure exactly how video content contributes to conversions. Use platform-specific targeting to ensure your videos reach the right decision-makers.
  • Test and optimize continuously. Your first video won’t be perfect. Develop a testing framework that allows you to compare different video lengths, messaging approaches and visual styles. Let performance data, rather than assumptions, guide your refinements.

The investment required to begin producing video content is lower than ever. As competitors capture attention and market share, the cost of overlooking video marketing continues to rise. Video content isn’t a future consideration; it’s a current competitive necessity. Contact a Sosland Publishing media expert to explore opportunities that build trust and credibility – such as expert interview videos and new product premiere videos – to augment your next marketing campaign.

Why expertise wins: The role of influencer marketing in B2B

Person with megaphone speaking through smartphone

Why expertise wins: The role of influencer marketing in B2B

Person with megaphone speaking through smartphone
Source: Sosland Publishing

07.24.2025  ·  INSIGHTS FOR MARKETERS

Successful B2B companies understand that trust and authority drive purchase decisions. When your buyers are making complex, high-stakes decisions that affect their entire organization, they need credible voices who understand their challenges.

This is quite different from B2C marketing where viral moments and celebrity endorsements can influence purchase behavior. Instead of chasing traditional influencers, B2B companies are building strategic alliances with thought leaders who can genuinely move the needle on both brand credibility and business outcomes.

The B2B difference: expertise over entertainment

Traditional influencers excel at creating engaging content that captures attention and drives immediate action. They’re perfect for B2C brands selling products that buyers can quickly purchase in-store or online.

However, B2B buyers aren’t likely to purchase their next piece of equipment or a license to enterprise software because of a social media post. Instead, they must take time to consider what options are available and which of those options will serve their company’s best interests in the long term.

Industry thought leaders are well-suited to assist someone on the B2B buyer’s journey. Whether they are industry analysts, subject matter experts or niche creators, these individuals have built their reputation through deep expertise rather than broad appeal.

These thought leaders might have smaller audiences than the typical social media influencer, but their audiences include decision-makers, budget holders and other industry insiders who value substantive insights over entertainment. These thought leaders don’t just create content, they shape industry conversations, guide strategic thinking and influence the formation of industry best practices. Their audiences listen to and trust them because of years of demonstrated knowledge.

Converting thought leadership into measurable ROI

The goal of partnering with thought leaders is to co-create content that serves both your audience and theirs. High-value formats like webinars, videos and podcasts allow for deeper exploration of complex topics while positioning both the thought leader and your brand as trusted authorities.

This approach delivers two important returns on your investment. First, co-created content naturally earns backlinks from industry publications and from the online networks these thought leaders belong to, both of which boost your SEO performance. Second, it elevates the quality of your lead generation by increasing social engagement among a highly qualified audience.

From awareness to authority: measuring what matters

B2B thought leader partnerships require different metrics than traditional influencer campaigns. While engagement rates and reach matter, the real indicators of success run deeper. To assess these partnerships, try measuring:

  • Long-term brand credibility by tracking share of voice in industry conversations, analyst recognition and thought leadership rankings.
  • Content performance by tracking time on page, download rates and social shares from industry professionals.
  • Pipeline influence by tracking lead quality scores, conversion rates and the percentage of sales influenced.
  • Authority signals by tracking backlinks from industry publications, citations in other research and number of speaking opportunities.

The most valuable return often takes time to materialize. Building authority and trust is a long-term investment that compounds over months and years, not days and weeks.

Begin your strategic alliance today

When you are ready to move beyond traditional influencer marketing, start with one thoughtful collaboration. Identify a respected voice in your industry whose audience aligns with your ideal customers. Approach the relationship as a foundation for a long-term strategic alliance, rather than a one-off campaign.

From there, consider launching your first co-created piece of content. A great starting point is a sponsored webinar that features your company representative alongside the industry expert, discussing third-party research or addressing a timely challenge. You might also explore a co-branded white paper that positions both voices as trusted sources while offering real insights to your target audience. Both assets can then be promoted through a key advertising partner, such as through Sosland Publishing’s channels, and shared through your own networks.

Above all, focus on delivering genuine value – not just visibility. These programs are designed to help your brand become a trusted problem solver and partner within your industry.

This approach requires patience and consistency, but the long-term impact is well worth the investment. Contact a Sosland Publishing media expert to explore sponsored webinars, white papers, or other content partnerships tailored to your goals.

How tailored emails to niche audiences drive B2B results

A crowd of people looking at a various marketing advertisements.

How tailored emails to niche audiences drive B2B results

A crowd of people looking at a various marketing advertisements.
Source: Sosland Publishing

05.20.2025  ·  INSIGHTS FOR MARKETERS

In today’s crowded digital marketplace, sending the same generic email to every prospect is like shouting into a packed stadium — no one feels personally addressed, and your message gets lost in the noise. If you want to increase engagement rates and accelerate your sales cycle, your email marketing must evolve into a targeted, segmented strategy that delivers audience-specific messaging that your recipients are happy to hear.

How to Segment Your B2B Audience Effectively

Not all members of your audience experience the same pain points — and they certainly don’t respond to the same marketing messages. For example, a CFO at a multinational corporation has dramatically different priorities than a procurement manager at a mid-size manufacturing company.

Effective B2B segmentation starts with familiar criteria:

  • Industry vertical
  • Company size
  • Job role or seniority
  • State in the buying cycle

Group your prospects based on common business challenges and decision-making drivers. This allows you to align your message with their pain points and goals, making your emails far more relevant to them — and making them far more likely to convert.

Over time, use behavioral data to refine your segments. We suggest monitoring:

  • Which emails each group opens
  • What resources they download
  • Which webinars or demos they attend

This data helps you understand what each segment cares about most. With this information, you can create hyper-targeted messaging that enables you to get your message in front of the right person at the right time.

Crafting personalized messages that convert

Once you’ve established clear segments, your messaging must speak directly to their priorities. For example, consider first an operations leader: try focusing on efficiency gains, productivity and process improvements to catch their attention. For financial decision-makers, emphasize ROI calculations, risk reduction and long-term cost-benefit analyses. Customizing your approach relative to each segment demonstrates that you understand each niche audience’s unique challenges, which positions your solution in a context that matters to them, enticing them to act on it.

Avoid surface-level personalization such as merely using the recipient’s first name. Instead, include customized content and resources like case studies or links to industry webinars that feature companies similar to theirs. Ask engaging questions that acknowledge their daily challenges and use language that matches their professional environment. Deep personalization through tone, relevant examples and helpful resources signal that your message was written for them, not just a generic message to a large crowd.

Measure success across segments

It should come as no surprise that each segment will also require its own metrics of success. Track each segment’s open and click-through rates and other conversion metrics separately to get an accurate picture of the performance for each segment. For example, consider whether C-suite executives deliver higher engagement and conversion rates than more technical evaluators when measuring the success of your campaign, or whether those in production or management take longer to convert.

Use these insights to fine-tune your content, message, frequency and offer types. See what succeeds for one segment and analyze what elements of your campaign are resonating. If those techniques can be applied to other segments, revise your approach accordingly. Be sure to also validate your campaign’s results against industry benchmarks whenever possible to continuously improve its performance.

In B2B marketing, one-size-fits-all messaging no longer cuts it. By embracing targeted email segmentation and personalization, you can increase engagement, shorten the sales cycle, deliver higher ROI and build trust with decision-makers. Don’t let your message get lost in the inbox. Contact a Sosland Publishing media expert today to build a segmented B2B email strategy that gets real results.

Driving ROI by sponsoring research-based webinars  

Generating ideas and driving roi

Driving ROI by sponsoring research-based webinars

Generating ideas and driving roi
Source: Sosland Publishing

04.18.2025  ·  INSIGHTS FOR MARKETERS

Webinars are a key marketing tool for ingredient and equipment suppliers in the food and beverage industry, providing a powerful platform for brands to share valuable insights and generate qualified leads.  

However, the success of a webinar hinges on the quality of its content. To capture highquality leads, brands must host or sponsor webinars that are informative and engaging.  

Yet most B2B marketers lack the time and bandwidth to create an impactful webinar from scratch. In response to this challenge, many companies are opting to sponsor research-based webinars. 

This style of webinar is typically hosted by a trade publication and explores the results of a study conducted by a market research firm. From capital spending studies to state of the industry reports, these presentations deliver exclusive findings on trends and challenges happening in specific market segments. 

By sponsoring research-based webinars, your brand can align itself with the latest industry research and showcase its products in a context that underscores its relevance and application.

Because the content covered in these digital events is highly soughtafter, these webinars attract industry leaders and decision-makers. Lead information about attendees, such as job titles, company names and contact information, is then readily available to your brand.

Crafting high-quality content is just the beginning—the period following a webinar is critical for converting leads into opportunities. Effective follow-up techniques can significantly enhance your chances of success by giving your brand a valuable touchpoint to re-engage and move prospects further along in the sales funnel. 

The following strategies can help keep conversations going after the webinar ends: 

      • Offer additional resources: Reinforce the value of your sponsorship and keep your brand top-of-mind with follow-up content, such as e-zines, native articles, or key takeaways from the event 
      • Send personalized follow-ups: Reach out to attendees individually, addressing any specific questions or concerns that were raised during the webinar. This approach demonstrates your commitment to addressing their needs. 
      • Schedule demos or meetings: Invite leads to explore your solutions further by booking product demos or one-on-one meetings to discuss their specific challenges. These conversations help gauge their buying intent and identify next steps in their buying journey.  

By leveraging research-based webinars to educate, engage and connect with your audience, your company can build brand authority and position itself as a trusted industry resource. Contact a Sosland Publishing media expert today to learn more about upcoming sponsorship opportunities and how your brand can make an impression on decision-makers in the food and beverage industry. 

Three B2B content marketing tactics that drive leads

White paper and native article acting as a magnet for a crowd

Three B2B content marketing tactics that drive leads

White paper and native article acting as a magnet for a crowd
Source: Sosland Publishing

02.20.2025  ·  INSIGHTS FOR MARKETERS

In today’s complex B2B landscape, effective content marketing isn’t just about creating new materials—it’s about delivering value to your prospects and guiding them through their buying journey. Decision-makers don’t want a sales pitch; they want useful information to make informed choices.

That’s why content marketing should focus on demonstrating how your product or service solves real industry challenges. Appeal to your audience’s emotions by telling a compelling story that highlights how your product addresses their pain points and provides a clear solution. High-quality, engaging educational content builds trust between you and your customers, helping you cut through marketplace noise and position your company for success.

Here are three proven content marketing tactics that deliver measurable results.

Tactic 1: Establish thought leadership with white papers

One effective B2B content marketing tactic is to craft a white paper. Start by explaining an emerging industry challenge and then provide a practical, implementation-ready solution. Offer deep insights backed by data that illustrates your solution’s success.

By creating this high-quality content, you will reinforce your credibility as a thought leader and develop a strong lead magnet. You can offer this white paper for free in exchange for your audience’s contact details, helping to nurture and move your leads further down your company’s sales funnel.

Tactic 2: Create valuable educational content with native articles

Another tactic is to partner with a platform to publish an informative native article. Use this opportunity to tell an engaging story that authentically addresses a specific industry problem while aligning with the platform’s editorial style. The goal is to educate decision-makers with a high level of technical accuracy, positioning your company as a trusted resource.

To maximize reach, optimize the article for search engine optimization (SEO) and then distribute it across multiple channels, such as social media or within one of your company’s promotional emails. To increase engagement with your native article, integrate high-quality video content as a value-add across your media platforms. By casting a wide net, you’ll increase brand awareness and generate valuable leads.

Tactic 3: Prove value through results of case studies

Case studies are also a powerful tool for guiding your customers through their buying journey. The most impactful case studies follow a simple formula: outline a specific challenge, describe the solution in detail and showcase quantifiable results.

Identify compelling customer success stories through comprehensive interviews and clearly present the outcome with a visual representation of the data. Consider also creating an accompanying case study video to enhance engagement and further solidify your company’s thought leadership. By sharing the case study widely across multiple channels and offering it in exchange for contact information, you can generate high-quality leads.

Continuous Improvement: Measuring Success

Remember, content marketing is a marathon, not a sprint. To maximize your efforts, develop systems to track key performance metrics and engagement trends. Continuously refine your strategy based on data insights and audience feedback. If you’re ready to guide your prospects through their buying journeys, contact a Sosland Publishing media expert today to discuss your next ad campaign.

How to beat ad fatigue and reignite interest in your brand

Ad Fatigue

How to beat ad fatigue and reignite interest in your brand

Ad Fatigue
Source: Sosland Publishing

01.21.2025  ·  INSIGHTS FOR MARKETERS

As countless brands compete for the attention of decision-makers every day, it’s no surprise that many audiences in the food and beverage industry are experiencing ad fatigue. A lack of innovative ads and content is wearing on audiences, and it’s on marketers to come up with fresh strategies and tactics to reengage prospects.

If your campaigns are failing to inspire action, there are a few steps you can take to win over customers.

1. Identify signs of ad fatigue

Combatting ad fatigue begins with recognizing the symptoms first. When campaigns aren’t performing the way you anticipated, dig deeper to see why you’re not getting results.

Common signs of ad fatigue include:

    • Lower engagement rates
    • Fewer leads or sales despite consistent exposure
    • Decreases in brand recall
    • Increases in unsubscribe rates

Once you’ve determined that your campaigns need to go in a new direction, the next step is to get a better understanding of your audience’s behaviors, needs and pain points.

2. Conduct market research

Investing in audience research can help you understand the unique challenges your prospects face and reveals how they interact with your ads and marketing content.

Surveys, focus groups, audience data and more will allow you to get in touch with your customers, narrow down effective strategies and tactics, and tailor content to different stages of the buyer’s journey. This approach will not only increase the relevance of your ads but also ensure your messaging is on point.

3. Explore new tactics

By leveraging insights from market research, you can create dynamic, story-driven content that resonates with your audience on a deeper level. Additionally, aligning your findings with diverse content formats is essential to reignite interest in your products.

Brands should explore a variety of channels to connect with their audiences in new and innovative ways. Marketing tactics that go beyond traditional print and digital advertisements include:

Incorporating any of these tactics requires a strong focus on your audience’s needs and motivations. Be sure and craft relatable narratives that inspire decision-makers and capture their attention while encouraging them to act.

By daring to think outside the box and embracing innovative approaches, brands can differentiate themselves from competitors and create campaigns that connect with their target audience. If you’re ready to learn more about making a lasting impression with your customers, contact a Sosland Publishing media expert today and discover a new way to engage with the food industry.

Three ways to repurpose your e-zine content

An e-zine next to a collection of computers and emails

Three ways to repurpose your e-zine content

An e-zine next to a collection of computers and emails
Source: Sosland Publishing

11.08.2024  ·  INSIGHTS FOR MARKETERS

Creating valuable content for your brand takes a significant amount of time and resources. E-zines are a powerful tool for B2B communication, and many companies overlook their potential for extended use across multiple channels. In today’s competitive landscape, repurposing the content you’ve already created can give you a strategic advantage. Here are three ways you can repurpose your e-zine content to maximize your impact and extend your company’s reach.

Understanding e-zines

An e-zine is an information-rich digital publication that combines the style of printed editorial content with the accessibility of modern digital formats. These publications usually feature expert commentary on the industry alongside engaging infographics, which makes them invaluable resources for B2B communication.

Unlike other digital content, e-zines offer a curated, magazine-like experience that enhances reader engagement and establishes thought leadership. With a keen strategy, this thought leadership can be easily repurposed to extend your reach across other marketing channels.

Leverage social media to extend reach

Firstly, the content contained in an e-zine can be transformed into compelling assets that are highly effective at driving engagement across social media. You can break down comprehensive articles into bite-sized graphical insights and statistics or develop an eye-catching carousel or slide show to share on LinkedIn or other social channels. By tailoring your content for the platform, you can increase your engagement and generate new leads.

Create powerful email marketing campaigns

Next, your e-zine content can fuel various strategic email campaigns. By using individual topics as the foundation for drip campaigns, you can send targeted insights to your prospects based on their interests and engagement history, which can move these prospects even closer to becoming new customers. This strategy also works well for reengagement campaigns: you can entice your inactive audience members to reengage by highlighting the best content from your recent e-zines.

Supply value-added digital assets

Finally, you can also extend the reach of your e-zine by pairing them with other digital products as value-added downloadable content. For example, you can offer your e-zines as downloadable assets available during your brand’s webinars, or you can have them as value-adds in other cross-promotions and partnerships. Consider also gating particularly valuable e-zines behind a form to capture new qualified leads.

E-zines can have much more value beyond their initial publication. By strategically repurposing that content across multiple channels and formats, you can maximize your content investment while maintaining a consistent brand voice and thought leadership position in your industry. Speak with a Sosland Publishing media expert today to explore how repurposing your e-zine content can enhance your marketing strategy.

Why it is essential to run lead-generating tactics alongside brand awareness campaigns

Basket of marketing strategies, including smartphone, email and ROS ads.

Why it is essential to run lead-generating tactics alongside brand awareness campaigns

Basket of marketing strategies, including smartphone, email and ROS ads.
Source: Sosland Publishing

09.20.2024  ·  INSIGHTS FOR MARKETERS

When planning a marketing strategy, businesses are often faced with choosing between lead generation or building brand awareness. Both approaches are essential for long-term success. Striking a balance between the two allows you to maximize your impact and build both short-term results and long-term growth.

How lead gen and brand awareness tactics compare

The goal of lead-generating campaigns is to attract a pool of prospects who are likely interested in your product or service and who can be nurtured through the sales funnel. These marketing strategies focus on capturing potential customers’ information to engage them directly.

Examples of tactics that help to collect contact details, which can then be passed on to sales, include offering free newsletter subscriptions, providing downloadable content such as e-zines and white papers, or using targeted email marketing and hosting webinars. These methods often require users to submit their contact information, making it easier for sales teams to follow up.

Brand awareness strategies, by contrast, focus on getting your company’s name and message out into the world. These campaigns are designed to build trust and familiarity with your brand, so that when someone needs a service or product you offer, your business is top of mind.

Examples of these tactics include increasing your social media presence, running print and run-of-site (ROS) advertising, and sponsoring online content to boost visibility and recognition.

Why both are essential together

It’s important to run lead-generating tactics in tandem with brand awareness campaigns because they enhance each other’s effectiveness.

Lead generation strengthens your brand awareness efforts by giving them a tangible outcome—your increased visibility translates into actionable prospects. New prospects are more likely to trust a brand that they’ve seen consistently over time, making them more inclined to engage with your lead generation content when they encounter it.

Brand awareness campaigns benefit from lead-generation tactics as well. Focusing solely on brand awareness without a way to capture leads can make it difficult to grow your business, so pairing these strategies helps balance your company’s sales funnel.

Building brand awareness draws people to the top of the sales funnel, while lead-generating tactics guide them toward becoming customers. Together, these approaches create a seamless customer journey from first encounter to conversion.

Thought leadership: Bridging brand awareness and lead generation

Thought leadership is a particularly effective way to leverage both brand awareness and lead-generation strategies. By providing expert knowledge and guidance on a topic, you position your brand as an authority in your industry. How you share that expertise can directly contribute to generating high-quality leads.

Content like in-depth advertorials, native articles, and e-zines not only boost brand credibility but they also create ample opportunities for lead generation. By showcasing your company’s expertise in these formats, you can become a go-to resource in your industry, increasing the likelihood that leads will convert into long-term customers.

In B2B marketing, lead generation and brand awareness are two sides of the same coin. A successful marketing strategy requires both, ensuring a steady flow of prospects while building trust in your brand—ultimately positioning your company for long-term growth. Speak with a Sosland Publishing media expert today to maximize the impact of your next campaign.

Advertorials 101: Crafting engaging content for food industry audiences

Advertorial Best Practices

Advertorials 101: Crafting engaging content for food industry audiences

Advertorial Best Practices
Source: Sosland Publishing

08.21.2024  ·  INSIGHTS FOR MARKETERS

An advertorial is a powerful marketing tool that blends the informative nature of editorial content with the persuasive power of advertising. While both advertorials and traditional advertisements aim to promote a brand, the key distinction lies in their approach and execution.

Traditional advertisements rely on overt sales pitches and bold claims, often interrupting the reader’s experience. In contrast, advertorials seamlessly integrate your marketing message into informative and editorial-style content, creating a more natural and engaging experience for the reader.

As a B2B marketer in the food industry, understanding this balance can be a gamechanger for your promotional strategy. To ensure your content will resonate with customers and prospects, be sure and follow these four best practices when developing your advertorial.

Choose the right format

The format of your advertorial should be tailored to your specific goals, target audience and the publication where it will be featured. Consider the preferences and expectations of readers when determining how you will present your content.

Common formats include:

    • Longform articles or features
    • Q&As
    • Product spotlights
    • Case studies
    • Infographics

Write a compelling headline and introduction

The headline and introduction of your advertorial are critical in capturing the reader’s attention and drawing them into your content.

Craft headlines that are informative, intriguing and relevant to your customers. Your headline should grab their attention and naturally invite them to continue reading.

Using a conversational and engaging tone in your introduction will help set the stage for the rest of the advertorial. Avoid using an overly promotional or sales-driven language as this approach tends to turn readers off.

Tell a story

Effective advertorials leverage the power of storytelling to create an emotional and memorable connection with prospects.

Weave a narrative that highlights the unique benefits, features or use cases of your product or service. You can also try incorporating personal anecdotes, customer testimonials or industry insights to bring your message to life.

Leverage visuals

Graphics play a crucial role in making your advertorial visually appealing and engaging. Incorporate high-quality images and infographics to complement your written content and enhance the advertorial’s message.

Getting started

Advertorials are a powerful marketing tool that can help you engage your target audience and build brand awareness.

If you’re ready to learn more about making a lasting impression with advertorials, contact a Sosland Publishing media expert today and discover a new way to engage with the food industry.

Six native article ideas to boost audience engagement 

Native Article

Six native article ideas to boost audience engagement

Native Article
Source: Sosland Publishing

07.08.2024  ·  INSIGHTS FOR MARKETERS

In the ever-evolving landscape of content marketing, native articles have emerged as a true game changer, providing an organic way to place your brand’s message alongside a publication’s editorial content.

By focusing on topics that are relevant and valuable to food industry professionals, you can create articles that educate, inform and position your brand as a trusted resource 

However, the key to developing a successful native article is to shift your mindset from traditional advertising to a more editorial-driven approach. Instead of simply promoting your products or services, you need to think like a journalist and create content that your audience genuinely wants to read.

There are several storytelling angles you can explore to engage your audience:

1. Q&As

Featuring interviews with industry experts, thought leaders or your own team members can offer unique insights and perspectives that resonate with your audience.

For example, in Automotive News’ native article “How to leverage data-driven analytics to drive dealership sales,” Urban Science speaks with an expert from its team and uses a Q&A format to explore the growing role of data. By speaking with an internal team member, the organization demonstrates its knowledge of a complex topic in a way that is easy to digest.

2. Trend reports

Analyzing and forecasting emerging trends, developments or shifts within a specific market via a trend report provides valuable insights into the direction of the industry. There are a variety of trends you can cover in the equipment or ingredient space but try and keep your content focused on compelling industry shifts and opportunities.

3. Guides

Providing step-by-step guides or tutorials on industry-relevant challenges or topics demonstrates your expertise and showcases your products or services in a practical, educational way.

For example, in the Construction Executive guide “Contractors’ Guide to Managing Cash Flow in 2022,” Grassi’s construction advisors outline how companies can budget for the year ahead while also examining common mistakes businesses make while planning.

4. Listicles

Organizing your content into easily digestible lists can make complex topics more accessible and engaging for your readers.

In the Industry Week native article, “4 Fundamentals of Effective Supply Chain Management,” the National Institute of Standards and Technology breaks down four key areas small manufacturers can focus on to develop structured processes, measurements and accountability for a robust supply chain.

In addition to being easy to read, listicles are an engaging storytelling format that are highly shareable, making it more likely for your content to reach a wider audience.

5. FAQs

Addressing common questions and pain points faced by your target audience can position your brand as a helpful and knowledgeable resource.

There are endless possibilities for writing an article in this format, but to ensure reader engagement, focus on topics that are relevant and address actual concerns. In addition, provide clear and concise responses to each question by providing valuable insights, actionable advice and practical solutions.

6. Explainers

Digging deeper into industry trends, technologies or best practices can help your audience better understand the challenges and opportunities in your field.

For example, in the Buildings native article “How 3D Renderings Can Reveal a Venue’s Hidden Potential,” Sightline Commercial Solutions explores some of the overlooked benefits that 3D rendering can bring to architectural design. In addition to explaining what this tech is capable of, the company also provides real-life examples to support their claims. This builds trust with readers and positions the brand as a reliable resource.

When it comes to native articles, the key is to experiment with different storytelling formats and find the ones that resonate best with your target audience. By providing valuable, informative and engaging content, you will effectively position your brand as a trusted partner and build stronger relationships with customers and prospects. 

Want to learn more about making a lasting impression with native articles? Contact a Sosland Publishing media expert today and discover a new way to engage with the food industry.