Building Better Customer Journeys with Strategic Content

In case you haven’t heard; content is king. That's an expression that’s overused but even so, content is the driving force behind the entire customer journey.

The content you develop will be the thing that customers see, from the first spark of awareness to the pinnacle of brand advocacy. For businesses, having exceptional content can significantly elevate customer experiences. It can build stronger loyalty ties, and boost sales.?

Content can enhance various stages of the customer journey, especially when it’s backed by insightful data and actionable strategies. Using this information strategically helps businesses to maximize potential in terms of reach, awareness, and traffic.

The Customer Journey: A Quick Overview

The customer journey typically consists of five key stages:

1. Awareness: The customer becomes aware of a need or problem.
2. Consideration: The customer researches and evaluates options.
3. Decision: The customer decides on a solution or purchase.
4. Retention: The customer uses the product and may need support.
5. Advocacy: The customer shares their experience with others.

Stage 1: Awareness

In the awareness stage, potential customers are just starting to realize they have a need or a potential problem. This is your chance to grab their attention with informative, engaging content that speaks directly to their pain points.?

Blog posts, social media updates, infographics, and videos are great tools for this stage. Make sure your content is easily discoverable by leveraging SEO best practices.

Content Types: Blog posts, social media updates, infographics, videos

Strategy: Create informative and engaging content that addresses potential customer pain points. Use SEO techniques to ensure content is easily discoverable.

Insights and Statistics:

• Statistic: 81% of consumers conduct online research before making a purchase.
• Insight: High-quality content that appears in search results can capture potential customers' attention early in their journey.

Actionable Tips:

• Conduct keyword research to identify what your target audience is searching for.
• Publish content that answers common questions and solves problems related to your industry.

Stage 2: Consideration

During the consideration stage, potential customers are evaluating their options and comparing different solutions. This is where you provide in-depth, valuable content like e-books, whitepapers, case studies, and webinars to help them understand the benefits of your products or services.?

Educational content builds trust and positions your brand as an authority, making it easier for customers to see why your offering stands out. Give them the information they need to make an informed choice.

Content Types: E-books, whitepapers, case studies, webinars

Strategy: Provide detailed, valuable content that helps customers compare options and understand the benefits of your products or services.

Insights and Statistics:

• Statistic: 70% of consumers prefer to learn about products through content rather than traditional advertisements.
• Insight: Educational content builds trust and positions your brand as an authority.

Actionable Tips:

• Create case studies that showcase the success stories of your customers.
• Offer downloadable resources like e-books or whitepapers that provide in-depth knowledge.

Stage 3: Decision

Once at the decision stage, potential customers are ready to choose a solution and commit to a purchase. Your goal is to provide reassurance and remove any remaining doubts by offering content like product demos, free trials, and testimonials. Positive reviews and real-life case studies can significantly influence their decision by proving the value and reliability of your offering. Your content should smooth the path and make it easy for them to take the final step with confidence.

Content Types: Product demos, free trials, testimonials, detailed product descriptions

Strategy: Remove barriers to purchase by offering content that reassures and convinces customers of the value of your offering.

Insights and Statistics:

• Statistic: 92% of consumers read online reviews before buying.
• Insight: Positive testimonials and reviews can significantly influence purchasing decisions.

Actionable Tips:

• Feature customer testimonials prominently on your website.
• Offer detailed product demos or free trials to let potential customers experience your product firsthand.

Stage 4: Retention

In the retention stage, your focus shifts to keeping customers satisfied and engaged with your product. Continuous support should be provided through FAQs, how-to guides, user manuals, and newsletters to ensure they get the most out of their purchase and more importantly, feel like they are receiving value.

Consistent engagement and helpful content can turn one-time buyers into loyal customers who keep coming back again and again. Maintaining this relationship creates long-term loyalty and maximizes customer lifetime value.

Content Types: FAQs, how-to guides, user manuals, newsletters

Strategy: Provide continuous support and educational content to ensure customers get the most out of your product and remain satisfied.

Insights and Statistics:

• Statistic: Increasing customer retention rates by 5% can increase profits by 25% to 95%.
• Insight: Ongoing engagement and support can turn one-time buyers into loyal customers.

Actionable Tips:

• Develop comprehensive how-to guides and FAQs to address common issues.
• Send regular newsletters with tips, updates, and new product features.

Stage 5: Advocacy

Advocacy is where your happiest customers become your biggest champions. Provided you have done your job right, they should be sharing their positive experiences with others. You can encourage this and gain more visibility by featuring success stories, creating referral programs, and for the most impact, showcasing user-generated content.?

Word-of-mouth recommendations from satisfied customers are the best possible advertisement and can significantly boost your credibility and reach. Nurture these advocates to amplify your brand's reputation and attract new customers.

Content Types: Success stories, referral programs, user-generated content

Strategy: Encourage satisfied customers to share their positive experiences and recommend your brand to others.

Insights and Statistics:

• Statistic: Word-of-mouth marketing influences 74% of purchasing decisions.
• Insight: Happy customers who advocate for your brand can significantly boost your credibility and reach.

Actionable Tips:

• Create a referral program that rewards customers for bringing in new clients.
• Highlight user-generated content on your social media channels and website.

Key Takeaways

At the heart of every successful customer journey is great content. It is there at the moment that a customer first discovers you to the moment they become. It drives genuine connections and when targeted to customers' emotional buying needs, it affects consumer behavior and drives long-term growth.?

• Strategically crafting and deploying content tailored to each stage of the customer journey, attracts and converts more leads.
• Content that speaks to pain points and preferences can influence behavior and build lasting relationships.
• Content that educates, engages, and reassures stands out as a critical differentiator when consumers are inundated with choices.
• Companies that utilize effective content marketing strategies will be well-positioned to meet and exceed customer expectations.

References:

Think with Google: Consumer Insights

HubSpot: The Ultimate List of Marketing Statistics for 2023

BrightLocal: Local Consumer Review Survey 2023

Harvard Business Review: The Value of Keeping the Right Customers

Nielsen: Global Trust in Advertising and Brand Messages