Why are you creating content? In addition to education and entertainment, content can increase brand awareness, generate leads, and establish credibility. But at its core, marketing content has the responsibility to deliver a return on investment (ROI) in the form of sales. Whether you have a brick-and-mortar location or an e-commerce store, your marketing dollars need to convert to real income. One way to find success with your content strategy is to think about your customer’s journey.
What is the Buyer’s Journey?
Most customers go through a process to make a purchase. If you meet your customer where they are in their buyer journey, you’re more likely to gain their trust and make the sale. Although there are many different paths a buyer can take, depending on the product and the industry, here are the general stages of a buyer’s journey.
- Awareness – potential customers are looking for answers to their own problems or trying to solve a problem.
- Consideration – customers who want to buy but are still comparing options or looking for the best solution to their problem.
- Decision – your customer is ready to buy.
For example, new parents may know that they need a crib, but they will probably do a lot of research before buying one. If you were to offer them a coupon when they’re early in the process, they may forget or lose it when they get to the buying stage. Your marketing content didn’t make the sale. Instead, direct your copywriters to focus on the customer’s place in their buying journey to guide them through the process that will eventually culminate in the sale. Here are some content ideas for each stage of the buyer journey.
Getting Attention at the Awareness Stage
Content that reaches out to potential customers at this stage needs to be easy to consume. You want to attract potential customers and help them move to the next stage of the buyer’s journey with your content. Social media posts raise awareness of your brand. Blog posts grab a customer’s attention and make them want to know more. Tutorials and webinars can garner interest. You’re not trying to make someone buy at this stage. Your customer isn’t ready. Your goal is lead generation.
Moving Customers through the Consideration Stage
Customers in the consideration stage are comparing options or seeking out solutions to specific problems. Your job is to convince the consumer that your product delivers something that the competition doesn’t. You want to address the customer’s concerns and objections; you are “lead nurturing”. Content that fits this stage includes:
- Case studies
- eBooks
- Demo videos
- Product comparisons
Encouraging Customers to Make a Decision to Buy
This is where you really get the ROI on your content, but you do have to guide your customer to this stage. At this point in the sales funnel, you can show your customer how your product compares to others on the market. Email campaigns with a special offer can appeal to customers at this stage. Customers who have reached this point in their journey often respond to other customer’s testimonials. You want your customer to click “buy”; you are focused on lead conversion.
Know Your Audience
The key to content marketing is to understand your customer and to know where they are in their journey. When you do this well, you have the greatest ROI with SEO content and organic reach. An experienced content agency can help you create content that resonates with your audience and makes an impact on your bottom line. Contact MintCopy for more information about our content creation services.
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