The human touch
Part 2
In Part 1 of The Human Touch, we highlighted the importance of humanising B2B communications, addressing the challenges of complex jargon and the potential of AI in content creation.
In part 2, we share six ways to humanise your B2B content. Here’s our guide to keeping the human element alive and kicking throughout your creative process.
1 - Carry out a content audit
First things first. Let's talk about a content audit. It's like taking inventory of your wardrobe to see what still fits, what's outdated, and what could use a little sprucing up. When you dive into a content audit, you get a clear picture of what's hitting the mark and what misses it entirely.
According to SEMrush’s State of Content Marketing Report 2023, more than half (53%) of businesses that conducted a content audit noticed a bump in how much people were engaging with their content. And 49% saw their rankings and traffic go up too. An audit is a solid way to spot where you can make your content more relatable and engaging for your audience.
Video produced using a combination of AI and traditional video editing.
2 - Define what’s engaging
Analyse what aspects of your current content are interesting, engaging, and relatable. Understand that what may be fascinating for you might not resonate with your audience.
Consider if there’s a different angle or approach you could adopt to make your content more human. Sometimes, looking at your products or services from the customer’s viewpoint can reveal compelling stories that you hadn’t considered before.
Crucially, does your content pass the ‘so what?’ test?
Animation produced using Adobe After Effects.
3 - Connect with your audience
It’s crucial to have a clear understanding of who you are talking to. What are their needs, challenges, and interests? Tailor your content to answer these questions, focusing on what you want them to know, feel, and do after engaging with your content.
Your content should not only provide value but also empathy towards your audience's challenges and aspirations. This means moving beyond mere product features to how your solutions improve their lives or businesses.
As an example of engaging content, our sister agency Wildfire produced an engaging and eye-catching campaign for payments specialists, Bango. Titled “The Ad-venturer,” the campaign presented research findings in the form of a comic book, in order to educate B2B retail advertisers about how to tackle the challenge of customer targeting.
Campaign illustrations produced by professional graphic artist.
4 - Embrace storytelling
Transform your content strategy by thinking in narratives. Stories have the power to engage, inspire, entertain and create a lasting impact. Instead of just presenting facts and figures, weave them into a narrative that tells a story about your brand, products, or the solutions you offer.
Storytelling makes your content relatable and memorable. In his book Actual Minds, former Harvard Psychology Professor Jerome Bruner states that facts are 22 times more likely to be remembered if they are part of a story. This is something that B2C brands do particularly well, which their B2B peers could learn from.
Compare The Market’s Meerkat campaign is a great B2C example of how a well-told story can bring huge success for a brand. A combination of humour, a universe of memorable characters, and the release of a set of collectable stuffed meerkat toys made every piece of Compare the Market content instantly recognisable and attention-grabbing.
Image generated with DALL.E.
5 - Choose the right medium
How you tell your story is just as important as the story itself. Whether it’s through blogs, videos, infographics, or a mix of these, choose the medium that best suits your message and audience. Choosing the right content format can ensure you grab a reader’s attention. Another format will ensure you retain it. Another format may make your message more memorable.
Images produced on Adobe Photoshop and After Effects.
6 - B2B comms is a dialogue not a monologue
Keep the lines of communication open with your customers and prospects. Use their feedback through comments on social posts or on your website to continuously refine your approach. This iterative process ensures your content stays relevant, engaging, and human-centric.
After all, humanising your content is about creating a narrative that resonates with your audience on a personal level. It's about understanding their needs, telling stories that matter to them, and presenting your content in a way that captivates and engages them.
Image generated with DALL.E.
By engaging with these six steps and continuously adapting based on feedback, your content can stand out, not just for its professional value but for its human touch as well.
But now with AI on the scene, the story gets more complicated. Or perhaps it’s getting more interesting.
In part 3 we share four things we’ve learned about using AI to create more humanised content.
Find out how we can help you turn monologues into engaging dialogues by dropping us an email or filling in the form below to speak directly with with our Creative Director, Emile Kronfli.
A bit about our Creative Director
Emile brings a wealth of industry knowledge and creativity to his role. With his experience in growing and managing teams, as well as his extensive background spanning FMCG promotions to B2B tech, he is perfectly positioned to drive KT2's client content strategies to new heights.