Top performing companies point to content marketing as one of the keys to their success. Whether it’s building brand loyalty, nurturing leads, or generating sales, content that’s aligned with the buyer’s journey is a marketing superpower. It guides potential and existing customers through the journey from discovery to consideration to decision. Here’s how you can align your content with your customers’ buyer journey to get the most out of your content marketing budget.
Discovery: Starting the Journey
The first phase of the buyer’s journey is discovery. When your potential customers have a problem, they’re looking for a solution. They want to solve an issue that’s keeping them up at night (or distracting them from more important issues). During the discovery phase, your content should make them aware of your solutions and build rapport and trust.
At this stage of the game, you’ll want to provide high-quality information and research that shows you understand their problem. For example, you could provide:
- Blog posts that describe pain points and why they happen.
- Research reports or white papers that provide a deep dive into specific problems.
During the discovery phase, your audience won’t be ready to commit to a solution. They’re looking for validation, statistics, and research related to their problem. This is a great place to offer thought leadership from your team or to present original research that positions your company as a leader in the industry.
Consideration: The Middle of the Journey
After discovery comes consideration. This stage is where your audience understands their problem, they know they need a solution, and they’re starting to look for the right product or service provider. This is the stage where your products and services take center stage.
At the consideration stage, the goal is to explain how and why your solution is best. This can include:
- Comparison blog posts that directly show how your service is better than the competition.
- Product demonstration videos or posts with screengrabs.
- Case studies and success stories that demonstrate how well your solutions work.
- On-demand webinars or pre-recorded panel discussions that showcase product features.
This stage of the journey is the time to let your solutions shine and let a little humblebrag into the conversation. Your goal is to authentically present solutions that will alleviate potential customers’ pain points.
Decision: The Final Exit
Finally, a potential customer arrives at the decision phase. They’ve evaluated their pain point, they’ve researched the solutions, and they’re ready to decide (and get out their wallet). This is where your content can close the deal by affirming their choice to buy.
In this final step, it’s important to give them an incentive to choose your solution. The content at this stage of the journey should be interactive and support their choice to work with you. Some ways to accomplish this include:
- Content that promotes a free trial.
- Real-time webinars or Ask Me Anything sessions where they can ask questions.
- Third-party reviews and links to positive content by third parties about your brand.
- Content that promotes one-on-one training opportunities or meetings, so they know personal support is available.
Aligning your content with a buyer’s journey takes some planning and careful thought, but it’s worth the effort. When customers feel supported through each stage of their decision-making process, they’re more likely to feel valued and understood. It positions your brand as a thought leader and a trusted partner, which can translate to brand loyalty and long-term client relationships over time.
If you need help planning your brand’s content, our team is here to help. We can plan, write and produce visual and written content for each stage of your target audience’s journey. Let us analyze your buyers and design a plan that works for you!
