How brand journalism can work for Built Environment firms

Let’s start with two facts:

• Over the past decade, trust in the mainstream media has drastically declined.
• Over the past decade, trust in content by B2B brands has drastically increased.

What do these two facts tell you about designing a B2B content strategy in 2024?

B2B brands have an exceptional opportunity to position themselves as thought leaders, innovators, and outliers by exciting and educating an audience with journalistic content.

Construction firms can build skyscrapers, tunnels, and nuclear reactors but still fall short when it comes to building brave, bold brands with a loyal following.

Brands that adopt this strategy will…

• attract the best talent;
• win more industry awards;
• have a shorter sales cycle;
• build a loyal, grateful following;
• charge more money than their competitors;
• employ a more motivated team.

More than 70 per cent of B2B purchasing decision-makers say they prefer to spend their time researching online and on their own; as a brand it’s your responsibility to give them enough content and reasons to purchase/gain employment/refer through you.

Make short films, write investigative articles, report on innovations and provide genuine insight and value; act like a newsroom and take your audience on the journey with you.

This method is called ‘B2B Brand Journalism‘ and it works because of the free value you provide.

It’s about telling, not selling, and if done correctly, the messaging will deepen the sense of who you are, rather than diluting it through cheap, disposable content.

However, this approach will only work if you’re purpose-driven, intelligent, and original with your approach to messaging.

Larry Fink, chairman and CEO of BlackRock in his annual Letter to Investors entitled ‘Purpose and Profit’ was unambiguous about the matter:

“Unnerved by fundamental economic changes and the failure of the government to provide lasting solutions, society is increasingly looking to companies, both public and private, to address pressing social and economic issues.

“These issues range from protecting the environment to retirement to gender and racial inequality, among others.

“Purpose is not a mere tagline or marketing campaign; it is a company’s fundamental reason for being – what it does every day to create value for its stakeholders.

“Purpose is not the sole pursuit of profits but the animating force for achieving them.”

The Built Environment needs brand leaders that add value through educating an audience, brands that will build content to educate the industry about what’s around the corner, winning new clients, attracting the next generation of talent, and leading the pack.

There are thousands of stories in the world that directly align with your brand – report on them. Help people draw their own conclusions with intelligent messaging. Find stories analogous to your brands and people will make the connection themselves, they will feel they have come to the conclusion themselves, this is real power and insight; people must come to their own conclusion about things to buy in.

Tell, don’t sell.