It’s often said – and rightly so – that content marketing targets consumers early in the buying cycle, enabling effective lead nurturing through to post-purchase phase. This statement is only part of the journey to success as companies need to use the right content to influence their prospects through each stage of the funnel. So what content is needed where?
A typical buying cycle
Awareness
This consumer isn’t necessarily sure what they want yet; they are simply aware that they have a need for a product or service. To target consumers at this stage of the buying cycle it is important to raise your brand profile through concise informational content such as social media broadcasts or online news articles. These consumers aren’t yet ready for any marketing collateral or direct contact as they may not know what they are looking for – the idea is to simply plant the seed of your brand in their minds.
Research
The research phase is often where content can make the most impact. Content at this stage should be commercially-neutral, offering unbiased industry information. Such content could take the form of infographics, blogs, webinars and videos that educate your audience; giving them confidence to move to the next stage. The most important thing to consider at the research phase is to keep content interesting and highly targeted to your consumer-base. That way, people can easily find what they need and aren’t put-off by any sales patter.
Consider
This is the stage where the brand can slowly be introduced with more expansive pieces of content. Whitepapers are best left for the consideration stage as they contain a plethora of information that might confuse prospects if served any earlier. After all, it’s no good giving a knowledge-packed whitepaper to someone who isn’t sure what they’re after.
Testimonials offer a great way to introduce your brand in a natural way at the consideration phase, positioning your brand within the industry and proving that you can deliver. Generally shorter than a case study, testimonials help with transparency and give a great introduction to your services.
Buy
Finally! The purchase stage… Now you can start proving your worth as your prospects are going to want to find out more about your existing consumer base through case studies and cold hard statistics. This is the best stage to introduce product/service-specific information in the form of sales collateral or brochures and to provide details on pricing. Consumers want to know about who you are and what the working relationship could be like – this is the phase in which to reassure them.
The customer must be at the heart of your buying cycle content strategy. It’s not an easy job to nurture prospects through each stage and you don’t want to risk any slipping through the net through poorly managed content. Remember to listen – it’s not all about you anymore, it’s about empowering your customers to make an informed purchasing decision.
