Marketing, as with any other business function, can be a fairly complex subject. Anyone with any industry experience knows there is a huge variety of marketing strategies, styles, and tactics. There are also several overarching business models you can fit most marketing agencies into, such as business-to-business (B2B) and business-to-consumer (B2C).
In this article, we’ll take a closer look at the differences between a B2C and a B2B content marketing agency, so you can better understand which agency is the best choice for your business. We’ll look at the differences in B2B and B2C messaging, as well as how they approach relationship building and the sales cycle.
B2B and B2C are used in a variety of business contexts: as well as marketing agencies, most product-focused companies can be divided into B2B and B2C. But what exactly do these terms mean?
In marketing, a B2B content marketing agency helps companies sell their products and services to other companies.
One of the key differences between B2C and B2B content marketing agencies is the tone and messaging they’ll use to sell their clients’ products and services. Although the B2B and B2C business models have different target audiences, it’s still important to create materials that appeal to those audiences. However, this requires an understanding of what business and consumer preferences are when it comes to marketing.
If you hire a copywriting agency for B2C marketing, they will likely create content that stresses the value of your products and the convenience of your purchasing process. Consumers typically look for a quick and easy way to get what they need but don’t want to spend more than they have to fulfilling those needs.
Additionally, B2C marketing usually employs a lot more emotional triggers and psychological tricks than B2B marketing. Bright colours and appealing designs are used to make consumers associate a particular product or brand with positive emotions, and any B2C content has a strong bent towards entertainment rather than education, which can help appeal to younger demographics like Gen Z.
A copywriting agency focused on B2B marketing will take a significantly different approach than its B2C peers. B2B customers often prefer technical, educational content that encourages them to consider a new idea or teaches them something new about their industry. B2B content marketing agencies do this because it emphasises their clients' expertise and industry knowledge.
Additionally, there’s a strong emphasis on the financial element of a product or service. Whereas B2C marketing pushes the idea of a product being the best value for what it does, B2B marketing tries to emphasise the money a product will make for a business (or how the product will cut costs and thus save money).
In the past, B2B marketing agencies were also much more likely to use formal language, speaking in a respectful, measured tone to business leaders and executives. In modern marketing, however, this will vary. A B2B agency whose clients primarily sell to small businesses may humanise their content because they’re trying to attract single-person companies, much like B2C marketing tries to appeal to individual consumers.
Indeed, there may be some overlap between B2B and B2C marketing, especially when it comes to using a formal or technical tone. For example, an agency working for a luxury brand will focus on formality instead of relatability to stress the pedigree and prestige of the product. Or a tech specialist marketing agency might highlight the very technical capabilities of a computer part or software tool because they’re confident that the target audience understands the jargon involved.
Another key difference between B2B and B2C marketing agencies is how they approach clients. Above, we’ve looked at the difference in the tone and style these agencies will employ. However, the way a B2B content marketing agency builds relationships with customers will also differ from the B2C equivalent.
Since multiple people usually need to approve a purchase within a business, B2B marketing also needs to appeal to multiple people. That said, most B2B marketing agencies will target their marketing towards a single person, usually someone with purchasing power within an organisation like a head of department. Once they have that individual’s attention, marketing materials can be tweaked to appeal more specifically to the business — for example, the agency might send personalised emails with more info on the product.
A B2C content marketing agency typically isn’t concerned with building relationships with individuals like a B2B agency is. Since most consumers won’t think about engaging with a brand beyond the initial purchase, B2C marketing agencies only build relationships at a macro level: they’ll design large campaigns to establish brand loyalty, so when a consumer thinks about a particular product, they’ll associate it with a particular brand.
CopyHouse is a highly experienced content marketing agency specialising in fast-growing technology brands. Our team of writers, strategists and designers have worked with both B2B and B2C brands, so we can help you realise your marketing goals regardless of your business plan.
To learn about our services and solutions, get in touch today.
.png)
.svg){kind=small}
