Did you know that less than 1% of blog readers become loyal customers? This shows a big problem with many scientific companies’ B2B blogs. They aim to be authorities and attract customers but often fail. This leads to low traffic and few leads.
If you don’t know why these blogs fail, you might keep making the same errors. You’ll miss a chance to share your scientific knowledge and new ideas. It’s key to know the common mistakes, like overly technical content, bad strategies, and not knowing your audience well. This can turn your research blog into a powerful marketing tool that really speaks to your audience1.
Key takeaways
- Less than 1% of blog readers become loyal customers, making engagement crucial.
- Many scientific companies’ blogs are underperforming despite significant investments.
- Understanding common blogging pitfalls can lead to better audience connections.
- The need for clear strategies and audience knowledge is paramount for blog success.
- Overly technical content can hinder reader engagement and understanding.
Why scientific companies should have blogs
Having a blog can help scientific companies get noticed more. It’s a way to attract people who need what you offer. A good blog is not just for sharing knowledge but also for connecting with customers.
The pursuit of traffic and leads
Getting people to visit your blog is key. An author on Medium has published 100 data science blog posts and received about 450,000 views2. This shows how blogging can draw a big audience. When people find useful content, they’re more likely to become leads.
Spreading the word about your science (thought leadership)
Being a thought leader is a big plus of blogging. By sharing innovative ideas, your company can demonstrate its leadership in your industry. Blogs that tackle industry problems build trust and make your brand more known.
Solving readers’ (prospects’ and leads’) problems with your product or service
Offering solutions can win people over. By showing how your products solve problems, you create content that matters. Blogs can explain complex topics, making your science-based solutions clear and useful.
Your blog does more than just sell your products. It helps readers make informed choices. Showing value in your blog can boost your sales, helping your business grow2.
Overly technical content: A barrier to engagement
Many scientific blogs struggle because they use too much technical language. This makes it hard for more people to understand. Good communication turns complex ideas into simple ones that spark conversation and learning.
When jargon hides the insight
Content marketers find writing to be a big challenge, with 91% saying it’s hard3. Almost 80% of people just scan web pages, showing the need for quick, valuable content4. If your writing is too technical, you might lose your readers.
How to simplify without losing integrity (using plain English)
It’s key to make content simple without losing its scientific truth. Using plain English can attract more readers and help them engage with science. Studies show that adding images with text can increase retention by 55%4. Writing in a way that’s easy to understand lets you share your knowledge well.
Choosing a friendly language makes your content more welcoming. This way, your insights can shine without being hidden by too much detail. By focusing on clarity, you show respect for your audience’s time and build real connections with your science.
Why most scientific companies’ blogs don’t create leads
Many scientific companies find it hard to get leads from their blogs. This is because their content doesn’t match what people want. It’s important to know what your audience likes to make content that speaks to them.
A study shows that 70% of life science customers prefer suppliers that add real value5. This means blogs should focus on providing valuable information that readers are looking for.
Disconnect between content and consumers’ needs
When content doesn’t provide what people want, it doesn’t engage them well. Companies often don’t know how to create the right blog content. To improve, spend time understanding your audience’s problems and interests.
Addressing these needs can increase sales leads by 30% and grow your revenue5.
No strategy or knowledge of how to write suitable blog material
Creating good blog content is more than just writing. You need a strategy based on what your audience needs. Without this, your content might not work well.
Companies that focus on lead generation have a 50% better chance of attracting the right customers5. This shows that planning your content is key to success.
Lacking clear calls-to-action
Many blogs don’t have clear calls-to-action, missing chances to engage readers. Without actions like signing up for newsletters, companies might miss out on leads. Research shows that a steady flow of leads can improve conversion rates5.
You need to add effective calls-to-action to your blogs. This will guide readers to valuable interactions.
Focusing on news (for you) instead of insights (for the reader)
Many bloggers make the mistake of focusing too much on internal news. They forget to give readers the insights they really want. Sharing company updates is important, but your blog should do more than that.
It should teach and help your readers with science-backed info. This makes your company a thought leader. If you only share news, you might lose your audience’s interest.
Balancing news with educational value
It’s key to mix company news with educational content. Your blog posts should give deep insights into your field. This makes your content more valuable to your readers.
Just sharing updates or press releases won’t keep readers interested. They want to learn more, not just hear about your achievements. By focusing on education, you build trust and loyalty with your readers.
This is what we do with the blog for Yasui, a century-old Japanese manufacturer with an innovative medical device. We promote the advantages of the product while answering readers’ questions.
Put news in the news section and use the blog for thought leadership
Create a news section for updates and press releases. Use your blog for deeper insights and innovative ideas. This way, you keep your content professional and attract readers who want to learn.
By making your blog a source of knowledge, you become a leader in your field. This attracts a loyal audience eager for your expertise. It shows you’re committed to both sharing news and educating your audience.
Inconsistent posting frequency
Posting too little or too much can hurt your blog’s credibility and engagement. A regular schedule helps keep your content fresh and relevant. This is key to keeping your audience interested and informed.
Maintaining a content calendar
Having a content calendar is crucial for managing your resources well. Companies that post 2-4 times a week see the best results in content marketing. They get more traffic and conversions.
Those posting 11 times a month get two to three times more website traffic than others6,7. This planning makes your content more cohesive and aligned with your marketing goals. It helps keep your audience coming back.
Know your resources and aims
Your company needs to know what it can do and set achievable goals. Posting more often, like 16 times a month, can lead to 4.5 times more leads6. Companies with over 400 posts get three times as many leads as those posting less6.
By focusing on posting regularly, you can build a loyal readership. This leads to more engagement and potential sales.
| Posting frequency | Traffic increase | Lead generation |
| 2-4 times/week | Best results | Higher conversions |
| 11 posts/month | 2-3 times more | Nearly double leads |
| 16+ posts/month | 4.5 times more | Significantly increased |
| 400+ posts | 2-3 times higher | Over 4.5 times more |
By sticking to a consistent posting schedule and using a content calendar, your blog will perform better and be more valuable67.
Ignoring SEO best practices
Not following SEO best practices can hurt your blog’s visibility and reach. It’s key to understand how keywords work. Short-tail keywords draw a wide audience, while long-tail keywords attract more specific ones. Doing thorough keyword research helps find terms that interest your readers, boosting your blog’s appeal8.
How keywords impact traffic
Keywords are crucial for your blog’s search engine ranking. Blogs with high-quality, relevant content get more visibility and clicks. Using keywords wisely can greatly increase your website’s traffic, making it a must-do9.
Long-tail and short-tail: Cover all the bases
Using both long-tail and short-tail keywords reaches different parts of your audience. Short-tail keywords get more traffic but are competitive. Long-tail keywords attract more qualified leads, helping your content marketing. Don’t ignore site speed and mobile-friendliness, as they affect SEO and engagement8.
Too much focus on selling and not helping
Many scientific companies struggle with their blogs. They often focus too much on selling and not enough on helping their audience. It’s important to balance selling and solving problems to build trust with readers.
An approach that only sells can frustrate readers who want useful content. This can lead to them disengaging because they feel bombarded by too much marketing.
Finding the balance: Selling vs. solving problems and helping
While driving sales is a blog’s goal, being too pushy can scare off customers. Studies show that helpful content can lead to three times more leads per dollar than ads10. You build trust with your audience by focusing on solving problems and offering insights.
This shift from a sales-only approach to one that helps can improve engagement and loyalty.
Creating authentic trust-based connections with readers
To build trust, deliver personalized and informative content that speaks to your audience. About 70% of consumers feel closer to companies that create custom content10. When readers see value in what you offer, they feel valued and respected.
This can influence their buying decisions. Remember, the language in your blogs matters. People are less likely to notice sales talk when they’re reading helpful content10. Creating genuine connections through helpful content makes you more likely to get your readers to buy from you.
| Focus area | Outcome | Reader perception |
| Selling | High disengagement; i.e., they leave and don’t come back | Frustration and distrust |
| Problem-solving | Increased leads | Valued engagement |
| Trust-based connections | Sustained loyalty | Feeling respected and close to the brand |
Don’t know who you’re writing for
Understanding your target audience is key to impactful blog content. Knowing your target audience is crucial for scientific companies as it increases the impact of your message. You can tailor your content by creating specific personas to truly engage your audience.
Understanding your target audience
Defining your target audience helps you create content that meets their needs. Whether it’s for physicians, clinicians, or science fans, your blog posts should speak to their interests. Research shows that knowing your audience well boosts content effectiveness, leading to more interaction and sales11.
For example, content about health and lifestyle became more popular during the COVID lockdowns. This shows how reader interests can change11.
How to tailor content to specific personas
Content tailoring means crafting messages for different personas in your audience research. Using storytelling grabs readers’ attention and helps them understand11. Begin by outlining each persona’s characteristics, including their motivations, challenges, and preferences.
Using keywords can also improve your content’s visibility online, attracting the right audience12. Make sure your calls to action (CTAs) are clear and relevant. This approach keeps readers interested and encourages them to take action.
Hire scientific content experts to take care of it for you
There are only a few content experts who can handle scientific content, making it accessible to non-expert readers such as sales staff and distributors. MacroLingo is one of them. And we don’t just do it in English; we do it across languages.
We make complex ideas clearer to understand and interesting to read about.
Using writers with years of experience in science or the pharmaceutical industry can make your blog more credible and impactful. Working with certified experts helps you create content that’s both informative and engaging. Contact us if you want your scientific blog to stop failing and to be done the right way.
Source Links
- Science Publishing Innovation: Why Do So Many Good Ideas Fail? – Science Editor – https://www.csescienceeditor.org/article/science-publishing-innovation-why-do-so-many-good-ideas-fail/
- Why should you blog as a Data Scientist? My experience after writing 100 blogs – https://medium.com/data-science-in-your-pocket/why-should-you-blog-as-a-data-scientist-my-experience-after-writing-100-blogs-76ecbac8b9ea
- Content Marketing: Barriers and Wins from the Agency Perspective – https://www.launchteaminc.com/blog/bid/351369/content-marketing-barriers-and-wins-from-the-agency-perspective
- How to Structure Content to Maximize Engagement | Forge and Smith – https://forgeandsmith.com/blog/structure-content-maximize-reader-engagement/
- 5 reasons why life science companies nearly always need more sales leads – https://www.biostratamarketing.com/blog/5-reasons-why-life-science-companies-nearly-always-need-more-sales-leads
- How Often Should You Blog? [Blog Post Frequency RESEARCH] – https://marketinginsidergroup.com/content-marketing/how-often-should-you-blog-blog-post-frequency-research/
- How Often Should A Business Blog? Well, Inconsistency Is For The Birds – https://www.verblio.com/blog/how-often-should-a-business-blog-inconsistency-is-for-the-birds
- Common Digital Marketing Mistakes: Ignoring SEO Best Practices – https://www.technadigital.com/ignoring-seo-best-practices/
- Do you ignore SEO? This blog post will change your mind – From Corporate To Career Freedom – https://www.fromcorporatetocareerfreedom.com/ignore-seo-blog-post-will-change-mind/
- Why your content should focus on helping, not selling! – https://blog.quuu.co/why-your-content-should-focus-on-helping-not-selling/
- Content Writing Eased my Transition into Technical, Science, and Medical Writing – https://medium.com/@gearthdexter/content-writing-to-medical-writing-12f711b73a52
- I started a science blog. A week later, AI got really good at writing blog posts. – https://abitofbio.medium.com/i-started-a-science-blog-a-week-later-ai-got-really-good-at-writing-blog-posts-1fcf9215470
