Tailoring broker content marketing to connect with HR professionals

As we begin 2024, the digital landscape continues evolving at an unprecedented pace, reshaping how businesses connect with their audiences. This evolution presents unique challenges and unparalleled opportunities for benefits advisors who are primarily engaging with HR professionals. In this ever-changing digital world, content marketing emerges not just as a tool, but as a vital strategy to attract, engage, and retain the attention of HR decision-makers.

The landscape of employee benefits is intricate and highly specialized, differing markedly from broader industries. Benefit agencies face the task of communicating complex information in an accessible manner, all while competing in a space crowded with options for HR professionals. This is where content marketing steps in as a game changer. It’s not just about disseminating information; it’s about crafting compelling narratives that resonate with HR professionals’ specific needs and challenges. The power of well-structured, insightful content can bridge the gap between the technicalities of employee benefits and the human element of HR decision-making.

I wrote my bestselling book “Content Marketing,” over ten years ago, but I feel that content is still one of the most powerful marketing tactics available. Whether you’re looking to refine your existing strategy or build one from the ground up, the insights here are geared to help you cut through the noise, connect meaningfully with HR professionals, and position your agency at the forefront of the industry in 2024. Content marketing has become more competitive since I started with the tactics and AI tools have even made it more so, but with a combination of proper strategies, your business can soar this year.

Building a strategic content marketing foundation

In content marketing, especially for those in the benefits industry, laying a solid foundation is critical to ensuring long-term success and resonance with your target audience. These are the fundamental tactics that I use with all benefits advisors, honed through years of experience and tailored to meet the unique demands of this sector.

Defining your target audience – A deep understanding of your audience is at the core of any effective content marketing strategy. This goes beyond basic demographics. For benefit brokers, the audience encompasses a range of professionals – from HR managers grappling with employee benefits decisions to CFOs who might get final signoff. Each segment has its own specific needs, interests, and pain points. Whether addressing the complexities of benefits packages or simplifying the nuances of industry regulations, your content should speak directly and meaningfully to these diverse groups. Defining your ideal customer profile (ICP) is also an essential step. A foundational strategic brand and marketing plan should be done before you begin marketing tactics.

Setting FAST goals – In content marketing, adopting the FAST approach to goal-setting can be transformative. This means:

• Frequent discussions: Regularly revisiting goals ensures your team remains aligned, motivated, and aware of their progress. It’s a dynamic way to provide feedback and celebrate achievements.
• Ambitious: Set goals that push your team slightly beyond their comfort zone. These should be challenging yet attainable, encouraging your team to aim higher while building new skills.
• Specific: Precise goals are vital for tracking progress and making necessary adjustments. Clear milestones set explicit expectations, aiding your organization in achieving desired outcomes.
• Transparent: Clear, transparent objectives facilitate easy evaluation and understanding. This transparency promotes accountability, as everyone can see the goal’s progress and their contributions. Integrating these goals into your team’s communication platforms, like Slack, Asana, or Notion, keeps everyone in sync.

The FAST system is highly effective for content marketing teams, ensuring strategies are focused, adaptable, and geared for success.

Identifying your content sweet spot – Every agency has unique strengths and areas of expertise – your content sweet spot. This is where your knowledge and capabilities intersect with your audience’s interests and needs. Perhaps your agency specializes in innovative benefits solutions for small businesses, or you’re experts in navigating benefits for large corporations. Identifying this sweet spot helps craft more relevant and engaging content and positions your agency as an authority in a specific niche. Remember, the riches are in the niches.

Developing a content calendar – A content calendar is crucial for maintaining a consistent and strategic approach to your content creation. It involves planning various content formats – insightful articles, engaging infographics, informative videos, or interactive webinars. Each format serves a purpose and appeals to different audience preferences. Moreover, this content should be distributed across channels where your audience is most active, from your website and social media platforms to email campaigns. By diversifying your content and its delivery, you ensure a broader reach and engagement, catering to how your audience consumes information.

Content that converts: engaging benefits professionals:

In the world of benefits, your content needs to do more than just inform — it must engage and convert. 

Emphasize thought leadership - Positioning your agency as a thought leader is vital. This involves crafting authoritative content that delves into industry trends, regulatory updates, and best practices. By sharing your deep understanding and unique insights on these topics, you inform your audience and establish your agency as a trusted advisor in the benefits space. This builds credibility and trust, essential for long-term relationships with HR professionals. This is one of the reasons I bundle public relations activities with a content marketing campaign — they work together very well.

Focus on actionable insights – Content should empower your audience with practical applications. Offer tangible tips, user-friendly tools, and downloadable templates that benefits professionals can immediately implement. This approach demonstrates your agency’s commitment to providing value beyond the basics, helping your clients streamline their processes and make more informed decisions.

Tell compelling stories – Stories are powerful. Share real-world case studies, customer testimonials, and human interest stories to illustrate your agency’s success and your positive impact on clients. These narratives humanize your brand and provide tangible evidence of your expertise and the results you deliver. It’s about showing, not just telling, the effectiveness of your solutions. I’ve used a tool called Vocal Video and offered Amazon gift cards in the past to get great end user video testimonials; you can get compelling stories this way.

Embrace interactivity – Interactive content is a potent tool for engagement. Incorporate quizzes, polls, and surveys into your content strategy to create more dynamic experiences. These provide an engaging element for your audience and allow you to gather valuable data on their preferences, challenges, and interests. This data can inform your future content and marketing strategies, ensuring they align with your audience’s evolving needs.

Optimizing your content for maximum reach

Your content needs to be seen and shared to be useful. Here’s three ways you can optimize your content for maximum reach, drawing from techniques. 

SEO optimization – The foundation of content visibility lies in search engine optimization (SEO). Start by identifying and integrating relevant keywords that HR professionals are likely to search for. These should be seamlessly woven into your website’s content, from blog posts to service descriptions. But SEO isn’t just about keywords; it also involves optimizing your website’s structure and ensuring fast loading speeds. Regularly updating content and maintaining a healthy link profile are also crucial. Remember, the goal is to rank higher in search engine results, making it easier for HR professionals to find you when they need your expertise. It’s time consuming work;I can spend two hours writing content and may spend another one to two hours optimizing it for the search engine. It’s a pain but worth it in the long run.

Social media mastery – Social media is a powerful tool for amplifying your content. Each platform has its unique audience and best practices, so tailor your strategy accordingly. For brokers, LinkedIn and X (Twitter) might be more effective than Instagram or TikTok. Share insights, engage in industry conversations, and post your content to build a community of engaged followers. Don’t just broadcast; interact. Comment on posts, answer questions, and participate in discussions. This builds your reputation as an active and knowledgeable player in the benefits space. 

The power of email marketing – Email remains one of the most effective channels for direct engagement. Develop engaging email newsletters and drip campaigns that provide ongoing value to your subscribers. These could include industry updates, tips, and highlights of your latest content. Segment your email list to ensure that the right messages reach the most relevant audiences. A well-crafted email campaign can keep your agency top-of-mind, nurture leads, and gently guide your audience through the buyer’s journey. Email has always been for me the best, most cost-effective source of traffic, leads and sales. 

Artificial intelligence - AI in content marketing serves as a valuable tool, augmenting rather than replacing the human touch that is essential in crafting deep and complex subject matter like employee benefits. While AI aids in brainstorming ideas and drafting preliminary content, the nuanced understanding and expertise of a writer are irreplaceable for ensuring accuracy and depth. In my experience, AI has been instrumental in streamlining 20% to 25% of our workflow. This efficiency gain doesn’t diminish the need for hands-on work, especially in areas like SEO optimization, which still demands a meticulous, human-led approach. Instead, the time saved by using AI is redirected towards producing more in-depth content or fine-tuning our output for better engagement and relevance. AI in this realm is not a magic solution; it’s a facilitator that enhances our capability to produce more without compromising on the quality that only human expertise can bring.

As we look ahead into 2024, the landscape of content marketing is poised for exciting advancements. The digital world is not just evolving; it’s transforming how we connect with HR professionals, presenting a canvas ripe for innovative approaches. The journey we’ve embarked on, from defining our audience to mastering SEO and embracing AI as a supportive tool, sets a precedent for the future. It’s a future where content is not just created but crafted with intention, empathy, and a deep understanding of our audience’s needs. Here’s to a year of meaningful connections, innovative strategies, and content that truly makes a difference in the world of employee benefits professionals.

Rick Ramos, the author of ‘Transform Your Marketing,’ currently leads TransformYourMarketing.com, an agency that helps benefits brokers and healthtech companies market to HR departments to drive sales.