Creating a solid content strategy is imperative to making sure your content doesn’t dry up and stop providing value. Providing value to your consumers is the whole point to all this blogging and content creation, right? After you’ve mapped out your strategy, you’re good as gold, so get to it! Well… Sometimes that’s when the brakes are put on and confusion sets in. What kind of content do I start with? Don’t worry; I think we have all been there. Here are some of my recommendations for providing content based on which stage of the Buyer’s Journey you’re working on.
The Awareness Stage
Although every industry may be different, prospects in the Awareness Stage are typically looking for information in the form of ebooks, white papers, and other educational content. Providing educational content that is quick and easy for your viewers to consume and can be accessed at any time or place without much commitment is great for this stage. You may find that different content types are good for this stage of the Buyer’s Cycle, but informative, “how to” content is a good place to start.
The Consideration Stage
Again, you may find that alternative content types work in your industry for this stage, but I recommend providing comparison guides on solutions to problems, expert advice, and live events. Webinars are good content to start introducing during this stage. This focuses on a medium level of commitment as the buyer gets closer to their decision, but is still considering several methods for their solution. It is also important to make sure visitors are learning about the various solutions available for their problem. Keep all of this in mind when creating content for the Consideration Stage of your Buyer’s Journey for each persona.
The Decision Stage
Live demos, product descriptions, case studies, vendor comparisons, and trial downloads are all great pieces of content for the Decision Stage in the Buyer’s Journey. Content for your consumers in the Decision Stage is very specific to your services and gives them in depth information about what you as a company can provide for them if they choose to work with you. What makes your approach different from anyone else’s? This is where you answer those company specific questions. The buyer is finally at the point where they want to know about your company and what makes you unique. Make sure to educate them on why you are the best company for the job and help them understand the benefits to your method of solving their problems.
These are some of my recommendations for content in each stage of the Buyer’s Journey. Have you found that different content works in your industry? Let us know in the comments what type of content works for you. If you have any further questions or comments we are happy to chat about content strategy; just comment or contact us to get the conversation started.
