Content marketing isn’t just for pushing your site to the top of search engine rankings. It’s also a valuable tool you can use to move customers from considering a purchase to actually buying. To get the most out of your content marketing efforts, you need to create different types of content for each stage of the buyer’s journey or your sales funnel.
Presenting the wrong kind of content to customers at a particular point in this journey can drive them away instead of drawing them in. Here’s a handy guide to help you understand the major parts of the content funnel and what content works best at each point.
Advance Awareness About What You Offer
At the top of the sales funnel, potential customers are just becoming aware of your existence. They might be in search of answers to general questions about your industry, or they might stumble upon your site while browsing the web. This is the largest part of your funnel, as many of the people who encounter your company may never move forward toward a purchase.
For customers at this stage, a blatant sales pitch or instructions on how to make a purchase would be inappropriate. The primary goal for this stage is to hook site visitors with informative or entertaining content that makes them come back for more or investigate further. Content for the awareness stage of the buyer’s journey should also build brand awareness and authority so that consumers view your brand as the best in your industry.
Focus on the Consideration Process
Consumers at the consideration stage of the buyer’s journey are in the process of gathering information to decide whether to buy and which company should get their business. They might be evaluating your offerings and comparing your company with others in the same industry. Content you produce for this stage of the sales funnel should focus on convincing customers that your product or service is the best fit for them.
Related: How to Pull the Trigger: Perfecting Your Sales Funnel
Potential customers at this point want in-depth information. Detailed articles, white papers and case studies are all appropriate for consumers trying to learn more about your company, industry and specific product offerings. Use content at this part of your sales funnel to satisfy the curiosity of site visitors, and start making gentle suggestions that move them toward purchasing by adding calls to action.
Drive a Purchase Decision
At the end of the sales funnel, consumers have narrowed down their options and reached the point where they are ready to buy. Content aimed at these consumers should help drive that final decision and make the process of buying as easy as possible.
During this last phase of the buyer’s journey, reviews and ratings can help consumers make that final decision to buy. Special offers and sale pricing presented at this point can create a sense of urgency.
Content Funnel Considerations
Keep in mind that how long consumers spend in each part of the funnel can vary significantly by industry and by the type of product or service you’re offering. B2B clients often take longer to make a purchase decision and need more information during the consideration process. Consumers of streaming services or entertainment media might make purchase decisions quickly once you capture their attention during the awareness stage.
Engage your audience and increase conversion by creating the right kind of content for each stage of your sales funnel. To learn more about it, get in touch with us and we’ll help you develop effective content pieces for your brand. Fill out our contact form or call us at (888) 983-3103.
