Do you have an active content marketing strategy? Most businesses do — in fact, according to a 2013 survey by the CMO Council and NetLine, Better Lead Yield in the Content Marketing Field, many B2B marketers spend over a quarter of their budgets on the development, delivery, and promotion of content.

This survey also points out why content is so important to B2B marketers: An overwhelming 87% of B2B decision-makers surveyed say that online content has a moderate (60%) to major (27%) impact on their decision to work with a vendor.

Clearly having a content marketing strategy is vital to getting B2B buyers’ attention. But content creation is only half the battle — simply producing content for the sake of having it isn’t enough. When it comes to building trust with your customers and prospects, content quality is far more valuable than quantity.

What causes readers to click away

In a rush to strengthen your content marketing program, it’s easy to fall into the trap of overproducing quick, one-dimensional material for your blog, website, and marketing resources. However, shallow content won’t attract and retain high-value prospects.

B2B executives are often short on time, so when they’re faced with a wall of content that offers little to no beneficial information, they’re likely to click away. The CMO Council and NetLine survey indicates which content characteristics are the most off-putting to B2B buyers:

• Too many requirements for downloading resources (50%)
• Content that’s blatantly promotional or self-serving (43%)
• Non-substantive and uninformed content (34%)

To avoid these unintended pitfalls of misdirected content marketing, you have to build trust by creating online content that’s valuable and worthwhile.

Make your content count

Exactly what makes content valuable? According to research by eMarketer, 47% of B2B buyers say that breadth and depth of information are the most important content characteristics, followed by 44% who say ease of use and readability are the most necessary traits.

But whether you’re presenting ground-breaking data or simply informing readers about your business, all great content shares the same traits: Quality content is relevant, well-researched, and offers tangible benefits to the reader.

To up your content’s trust factor, consider adding these high-value tools to your content marketing toolbox:

• White papers and reports that reflect new research or industry insights.
• Customer case studies that demonstrate real customers’ pain points and how your business addressed them.
• Product reviews and testimonials that reflect what customers honestly think about your product or service.
• A reliable email newsletter filled with educational, timely, and relevant articles and offers.

Content marketing is one of the best ways to connect with your B2B audience. Just make sure your readers have access to well-planned, in-depth content that makes your business stand out.