The rise of B2B Rich Content

The use of video and rich content across the web is now ubiquitous. Just look at BBC Olympics coverage: I watched most of it online - often live - rather than on the telly (not during working hours of course), and could access highlights for any event, at any time. It was great. I now expect this functionality on websites.

That's a high profile example, but this trend is coming to B2B too. For instance: highlights of b2b events can and should be taped and streamed online. I don't want to read a boring long, text based case study, I want to watch customers talking enthusiastically about the company I'm considering. I don't want to download a technical PDF of how to do something, I want to watch someone showing me. I want to interact.

It's all far more engaging for prospects and customers, and brings far more proof to what you say.

And now there's another reason to develop this content, as highlighted at the Beyond Search Event at the Tate Gallery this week: with Universal Search, rich content will now be indexed and appear in search results alongside traditional entries. These entries standout against others and mean users are far more likely to click on them to visit your site.

The barrier is that this content takes more thought, determination and time to produce. And will cost more also, though the increased return should balance this.

Because of this though, I think it represents a real opportunity for those prepared to embrace this: while others find reasons why not to do it, it gives those who are determined a chance to move ahead of the pack.