Tailoring content strategy to each stage of customer journey

Today’s consumer is extremely demanding, which poses quite a challenge for marketers. First, sales language in any issue immediately sets off a red alert and effectively discourages from making a purchase decision. Another problem is the enormous competition and widespread access to particular services and products. Regardless of what you offer, there are bound to be several more companies around you that do the same thing. So how do you stand out in today’s reality and convince a customer to make a purchase? A content strategy tailored to each stage of the customer’s purchase path may be the answer.

Content strategy – table of contents:

1. Most purchasing decisions are an afterthought
2. How to match the content strategy to the different stages?
3. Awareness stage
4. Consideration stage
5. Purchase stage

Most purchasing decisions are an afterthought

It is relatively rare that a customer makes a spontaneous purchase decision. Understanding the entire process of the customer journey and the factors that ultimately influence the finalization of the transaction are key elements that will help you create the right content strategy to meet the consumer’s needs. First, you need to know that the buyer’s journey consists of three stages.

The first is a state of awareness. This is the moment when the customer is aware of the problem but does not yet have knowledge of how to solve it. Next, on the other hand, the customer thinks about the options and considers the various solutions. The final stage is the decision stage, in which he chooses from among the available options the one that best suits his needs.

How to match the content strategy to the different stages?

First, you must realize that each stage of the customer journey requires a different type of content strategy. If you want them to make it through to a purchase decision, you need to tailor your content strategy to each stage of their activity. Let’s start at the beginning.

Awareness stage

The key is to make it interesting and not scare the consumer. Packing a lot of promotional content on the front page is no go. Instead, aim at informing and educating. Focus on imparting knowledge on a given topic, without necessarily referring specifically to the solutions you offer. Do you think such texts do not sell? That’s not their role. What you should care about at this point is raising awareness of your brand and getting the consumer to notice you.

However, this does not mean that such texts do not contribute anything. They make customers feel understood and taken care of. When creating this type of content, try to shift your thinking to look at it from a customer’s angle. At this stage, it is their needs that should matter the most to you. If you can achieve this, then you will have a chance to move to the next step.

This is the moment when the buyers need lightweight, general content strategy that allows them to learn about the topic. Informative blog posts or social media posts are ideal for this role. This type of content is not only user-friendly but also search-engine-friendly. If you add to your knowledge base regularly and formulate your questions properly then your ranking can increase. This is a great way to increase your site’s reach organically.

Consideration stage

The customers in the second stage are aware of their problem and know the options for solving it. Their main focus now is finding the best way to do it. This is a good time to convey factual arguments as to why it is with you that they will find what they are searching for and how your solution is better than those offered by your competitors. However, the point is not to praise your product, but to highlight its real advantages. The content strategy you create should therefore become more targeted and personalized. You will succeed in achieving such an effect, as long as you properly define the customer persona beforehand.

At this stage, focus on the benefits and values of the solution offered. Nothing sells better than examples. That’s why a great way to make a presentation is a case study. People love stories, so it’s worth taking advantage of that.

Purchase stage

Do you think that if you have brought the customer to the final stage, everything will go your way? This approach is a big mistake. Remember that both at the very beginning and the stage of purchase, the customer may abandon the finalization of the transaction. Now your greatest challenge concerns facing competition offering the same solution as you.

The customers are already aware and know exactly what they are looking for. However, they haven’t made a final decision on a supplier yet by checking and comparing the possibilities that different companies offer. In your favor is the relationship you managed to build during the previous stages, but you can’t rest on your laurels. This is the moment when you should allay any doubts and answer all questions the clients may have.

At this stage, a certain bond has already formed between you and the customer. He or she knows your company and is willing to take advantage of the solution you offer him. Therefore, the best incentive to purchase will be to provide a personalized offer or make available a special discount code. It is also a good idea to offer a free consultation, during which you will answer any questions the customer may have.

Understanding the customer’s needs at each stage of the journey is fundamental for creating valuable messages. Only in this way will you be able to plan a content strategy that is practical and sales-boosting. After all, every piece of content strategy has exactly that purpose: to sell. Directly or indirectly. The clue of content marketing is to devise it in such a way that it fits into the mindset of customers and provides value to them.

Read also: Balanced scorecard and its application in e-commerce

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