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Your Exclusive Blueprint: The 4-2-1 Framework For B2B Media-First Content Strategy

+ Debunking B2B Media Marketing

Hello and welcome to the 108th edition of Fresh Salmon.

I am delighted to have you here, and if you wish to read past issues, please click here.

Thanks to your continued support and trust, Fresh Salmon is one of the fastest growing B2B newsletters.

Let's take a deep dive into this whirlwind of a digital revolution, shall we?

Today, our lives revolve around the mobile phone, once just a device for making and receiving calls and texts.

It's true, we're hooked, and not just because we love our phones. I'm talking about a full-blown, can't-live-without-it addiction. 

As a result of this digital obsession, our attention spans appear to be shrinking faster than a cheap, hot-washed t-shirt.

In this digital drama, Social Media platforms are the puppet masters.

Rather than just making a cameo in our lives, they want to play the lead role, keeping us riveted to our screens with an infinite supply of short-form videos.

Why? Because every second we spend in their world is a second they've won.

Therefore, short videos have become a popular way to keep people on Social Media platforms for a long period of time rather than having them click a link that takes them away.

But wait, there's a plot twist! 

Despite the frenzy for quick content, podcasts and long-form YouTube videos emerge as deep learning heroes. I mean, who would have thought it? 

Just when you think you've got the script figured out, artificial intelligence and ChatGPT flip the script.

Say goodbye to endless search engine scrolling and hello to conversational enlightenment. This, my friends, may be the seismic shift in SEO that we didn't see coming.

Just when you thought the consumer was the underdog, think again.

Buyers have learned to dodge those ebook download ads like seasoned pros. Smarter and savvier, they don't pick up the phone until they're ready. 

This is the new buyer's journey, a game of chess where the buyer is always three moves ahead.

In what ways does this impact B2B content marketing?

The Impact on B2B Content Marketing

With all the factors taken into account, it has transformed the way B2B companies should approach their content marketing. 

And this transformation is more dramatic than any of us could have imagined.

There was a time when blogs and text-based content were the crown jewels of B2B brands, and podcasts and webinar series were way down the list. 

However, with the advent of audio-video formats, zero-click content, mobile technology, and distribution opportunities, content marketing has shifted to media-first content.

A media-first content strategy is revolutionizing content marketing, turning it on its head. It's not just a shift; it's a whole new game. 

Powered by repurposed content and a distribution network that spans social media, video platforms, podcast networks, and newsletters, the content flywheel is spinning faster than ever.

An example of repurposing and distribution from a podcast

It’s Not Media Marketing, It’s Media-First Content Marketing

For those asking whether B2B marketing will morph into media marketing, let me clear the air: It isn't about changing lanes, it's about turbocharging the content engine with media-first content.

Let me tell you - this is not a shift from traditional to media marketing in B2B Marketing. As a matter of fact, it's a shift in how content is produced. 

With more people watching videos, listening to podcasts, and reading newsletters, the focus of B2B Content Marketing has shifted to Media-First Content Marketing. 

For once, let's put an end to those who are saying that B2B Marketing has become media marketing. That's just nonsense! 

Change your content strategy to media-first content because media-first content has the most distribution and engagement in today's world. It's that simple!

So, where do you start? 

Where to Start: Media-First Content Strategy

With a mindset shift that is as bold as it is simple: ditch one-off content ventures and commit to episodic media content.

Why? 

Because episodic content is similar to a television show you cannot put down once you begin watching it. This builds anticipation, loyalty, and a connection with your audience that keeps them coming back for more.

Introducing the 4-2-1 Framework, your blueprint for deploying a media-first content strategy across the funnel. Whether it's thought leadership or customer spotlights, it's about creating a content ecosystem that engages, educates, and converts.

Your media-first content strategy can be deployed on rails with the 4-2-1 Framework. In essence, this isn't much different from how you think about your content today: the top, the middle, and the bottom of the funnel.

This is what it means - 

You will generally build top-of-the-funnel content with the focus on Thought Leadership using a Video Podcast format. You'll generate the most content per month through this video podcast. An episode would typically be released once a week, so four episodes would be released every month. 

The Middle of the Funnel Content is where you share insights and discussions related to your product category. The deliverable here will be a panel discussion series. In general, we are looking at bi-weekly episodes, so two episodes per month would be typical. 

Your bottom of the funnel content should highlight your customers. Your customers' problems and how they solved them. They mention how your product has helped them solve this problem in this discussion. Typically, 1 episode is released each month based on a monthly frequency.

That’s it. So, there you have it. 

As the digital landscape evolves, so do the rules of engagement. Take advantage of media-first content and watch your brand story unfold in ways you've never seen before. 

I'm here to help if you're ready to take the leap or just have a burning question. Let's do it.

Interesting Thing That I Read This Week

This is a good one by Jessica Phillips.

Tweet That I Noticed This Week

As Greg said - it’s brilliant and evil at the same time.

What Do You Think?

This concludes this edition of Fresh Salmon.

I would like to hear what you thought of today's newsletter.

Also, let’s connect on Twitter, LinkedIn, or TikTok.

Cheers,

Vivek

PS. I love you ❤️