Content isn’t scarce, but attention is. We live in a world of decreasing attention spans, and this continues to grow. In today’s increasingly abundant and immediately available content workframe, gaining target customers’ attention is a massive and ongoing challenge for B2B brands. With so much coming at customers at once, many have become highly selective about where to focus their time and effort and what to consume. Today, prepare to learn how you can win the attention of your customers in the age of the “attention economy.”

ALSO READ: CTV and OTT’s Role In B2B World and Its Emerging Significance

What Is the “Attention Economy”?

Attention economics is an ideology that considers human attention as a scarce commodity. Matthew B. Crawford describes this concept in the following way:, “Attention is a resource-a person has only so much of it.” 

Nowadays, buyers face information saturation everywhere. They receive content assets from various locations like mailboxes, webpages, newsfeeds, and timelines. Social media channels and online news portals are known to compete aggressively to capture and retain user attention, and this applies toB2B brands as well. With so much content readily available, buyers’ attention is often spread thin. Potential buyers retain the value of their attention, and they only exchange it for something else of significant value to them, such as specific content. 

In the age of this growing attention economy, marketing and sales messages compete against thousands upon thousands of others in order to gain the attention of numerous potential buyers. This competition starts with breaking through to potential customers, gaining their  attention and interest, and finally proving enough value in order to make a conversion. Ultimately, value is the currency of the attention economy.

In addition, in order to break through and reach potential buyers, marketing messages must provide specific value to prospects. Ideally, a prospect should leave an online site with information that helps them understand a concept, process, technology, or opportunity. Yes, the  ultimate aim is to move potential customers towards a sale, but remember that usually, customers will downright reject sales pitches, especially when they come too early. 

Also, it’s important to remember this phrase: Don’t sell the product or service, but sell the “why.”  In other words, prioritize finding a way to describe to potential buyers how your product, service, and/or content assets can help them by changing their lives for the better or acting as a solution that addresses or solves a pain point of theirs. 

These Practices Have Brought B2B Brands Success 

Personalize Messages

This specific practice  goes beyond including a namePersonalization makes messages more valuable and meaningful. Therefore, it’s essential to customize messages according to the circumstances of the receivers. From here, the next step is to create content that addresses their pain points and how they can effectively be solved.  

Align Content to the Stages of a Buyer’s Journey

According to this 2021 Demand Gen Report, content influences the purchasing decision of 62 percent of B2B professionals. 

Overall, buyers want companies to understand their needs and expectations, which is the secret to making prospects believe you’re the right choice for them. It’s ideal to use content that  answers questions your potential buyers have at different stages of their purchase journey. This is where intent data plays an important role by providing real-time information regarding all of these aspects.

Drive Content Journeys With Customized Calls to Action

In addition, content assets should have customized calls to action (CTAs) that move prospects to the next stage of their  buying journey. At this point, allow your prospects to have control of their content journey that includes carefully selected options to choose from in your pile of CTAs. 

Aim For Maximum Engagement

Last, but not least, the practice of doing the right targeting in order to achieve maximum engagement is crucial. Intent providers who offer custom audiences are often the most helpful regarding specific targeting goals like these.  

The key to thriving in an attention economy is reviving the human-to-human connection in marketing campaigns by using intent data. Rather than spamming audiences, try to build better relationships with them instead. Then, consider marrying big data with old-school outreach. At the end of the day, a large majority of people only pay attention if you convince them that your content assets, products, and/or services are worthy of their time. If you’re ready to learn more about effective content strategies, predictive analytics, and/or cross-channel campaign management, check out these articles below!

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