Media network blogContent marketing This article is more than 9 years oldCreating relevant content throughout the customer journey
This article is more than 9 years oldGood content marketers understand what a customer wants, and when. Knowing the seven stages of the customer journey helps you into their shoesContent marketing is not simply making people want stuff, but making sure they get what they want – a product or service that fits their needs, which they understand how to use and which will deliver on the promise made to them.
If advertising states the brand promise, direct marketing was traditionally the conversion mechanic for a linear customer journey. Now content marketing provides a means of delivering on that promise and driving engagement throughout an increasingly non-linear customer journey.
The exact path a customer takes on their journey, and the demands for support at each stage, vary by product or service. As my colleagues often say: "There's no cookie cutter approach to content." However, the customer journey and content requirements tend to align with some identifiable stages. Understanding these stages allows you to create the right content for people as and when they need it.
1) Awareness
Content marketing has started to play a leading role in driving awareness. Putting products and services in context with customer needs creates an understanding of what a company offers and provides genuine value for the audience.
This could be a branded publication (for example, website, magazine) that gains credibility over time, raising your company's profile around a particular topic, or it could be more of a campaign (for example, a product launch), where content is distributed across social media.
Example: Fujitsu: I-CIO - a global thought leadership website that addresses the needs of CIOs to raise awareness of the solutions Fujitsu offers.
2) Triggers
Customers can be triggered into action by a variety of events (for example, seasonal, personal, political), both positive and negative. Mapping out annual customer requirements helps plan content that meets customer needs. At this stage, content can anticipate specific queries and help people assess their needs.
Example: Sainsbury's: Live Well For Less seasonal recipe content that inspires the audience to try something new and meets long-tail search queries.
3) Discovery
Once people have identified a clear need but require more information, the aim is to make sure customers are in a position to make a fully informed decision. Content at this stage is often product focused, with storytelling used as a powerful tactic to explore features and demonstrate provenance and expertise.
Example: Range Rover: The Journey Helps customers discover new innovations by highlighting the quality of their product.
4) Selection and completion
Your product or service may come in a range, with features and benefits needing to be put into context so they are easy to understand and quantify. Again, content here should be product focused to quantify why a particular option fits a particular need or suits an anticipated area of interest.
Example: GoPro: shop by activity Grouping products by activity and producing content-rich product pages helps customers find products that fit their needs.
5) First use
Depending on the product, customers may need a light introduction, a walk-through or detailed operational instructions. User-testing content with real customers helps ensure that the experience is as good as possible. It's a crucial and often overlooked aspect of the customer journey that cements the continuing connection customers have with your brand.
Example: Garmin: Vector pedals A video of detailed installation information which explains how to use a complex product.
6) Ongoing use
Post-sale is a huge opportunity to continue supporting customers to form a lasting relationship. Providing updates on product changes or giving hints and tips on blogs helps people get the most out of their purchase. It also shows you care, builds trust and helps deliver on your brand promise.
Example: Tate Membership Letters, emails, guides and a magazine reminding members of current and future product benefits.
7) Renewal
Subscriptions expire and products get superseded or reach the end of their natural life (a great content trigger). This is where your investment in the relationship comes into play and they are happy to buy again.
Reminding customers why they originally purchased, and the benefits they've had since, can be a powerful driver of re-purchase. In B2B marketing, this is often achieved by distributing case studies (ie, highlighting other customers' successes) or sharing interesting customer survey results.
Example: Grant Thornton: International Business Report Annual research from Grant Thornton demonstrates to customers the depth of insight they have access to.
Obviously this is a simplified customer journey, but it should highlight the opportunities available to deliver relevant content that actually helps people rather than simply selling to them.
And finally, a word on efficiency. Some content assets can play multiple roles across the customer journey. But because different business units frequently own a different part of that journey, duplication of effort is not unusual. This can be avoided by ensuring an understanding of content is present across the business, with central governance enabling a single view of content across the full customer journey.
David Williams is digital strategist at Seven.
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