Content Isn’t Just for Marketing, It’s for the Entire Journey
Content is the ultimate driving force of the internet. It’s, at the risk of sounding too obvious, the reason why people go on the internet in the first place. Businesses can leverage online content in many ways – like to promote their brand, draw in leads, inform consumers, and boost their SEO.
However, David Beebe says:
“Content marketing is like a first date. If you only talk about yourself, there won’t be a second one.”
The key to a successful content strategy is providing engaging, entertaining, and informative pieces throughout the customer’s journey, not just in an effort to sell. Brands that can harness the power of versatile content can use it both to steal their audience’s hearts and to drive conversions.
We all know that the right content can generate leads, but that’s not what we’re here to talk about today. Good content connects with the audience and inspires their trust. Good content engages readers. Good content walks alongside customers throughout their entire journey.
Content informs readers
Most of the written content on the internet aims to inform rather than market. A recent study by Data Reporter reveals that 59.2% of users go on the internet to find information. So it should come as no surprise when we say that the initial reason readers engage with your content is to learn. Informative content really allows businesses to trump competition when it comes to authority.
This type of content includes newsletters, blogs, and articles.
I say! A two-for-one sale on monocles? Splendid, but… doesn’t that defeat the purpose?
Beyond that, businesses use informative content to let users know about their products and services. It fosters a positive experience for users by helping them make informed decisions. It also helps solve user queries, relaying expertise and giving insightful advice to readers. The combination of all of these factors improves a brand’s credibility, which not only increases conversions but also strengthens the bond between the brand and the customer.
Content helps existing customers or clients
Great ways to remain helpful throughout your customer’s journey include:
- Newsletter updates on discounts, new products, news in the industry;
- FAQs that help users troubleshoot;
- Polls that take user feedback into account, and;
- Blog posts that share alternative or additional ideas on how customers can benefit even more from your service.
You can give your customers the VIP treatment by offering insights and deals that they would not be able to get elsewhere. And as you may know, customer retention is much cheaper than customer acquisition.
By consistently providing customers with relevant and valuable information, you’d also be able to dodge the burden of support queries, all the while keeping your target audience informed and satisfied.
Offering exclusive content or deals also allows brands to show their gratitude for customer loyalty, which is always appreciated.
Content builds a community
Content allows businesses to have conversations with their customers, but also allows their customers to engage with each other. Just the comments section of a blog can help build a community of like-minded individuals who are on the search for similar information, which would strengthen their bond to your brand.
Create the canopy people want to get lost inside of!
Engage with customer communities. Launch polls or surveys. This will allow your business to continually improve products and services in accordance with your clients’ needs. A consumer-driven mindset inspires brands to continue innovating and stay on top.
Content allows businesses to be part of the customer journey
Let’s talk about the four essential steps of the customer journey and provide examples of how written content can be incorporated efficiently into each step.
The awareness stage
The awareness stage is the starting point of the customer experience. It’s when the customer becomes aware of a problem or a need, does research, and gathers information on ways to address that pain point. Businesses that provide informative, useful, and relevant content such as blogs, newsletters, and social media posts really stand out in this scenario.
The consideration stage
Once the user gathers all the information they need, they will then go on to process what they’ve learned and weigh the pros and cons before making their final decision. Written content at this stage facilitates their decision-making process.
For instance, landing and comparison pages are essential for this part of the customer journey. Reviews and testimonials can be used to solidify your product or service’s place in the market, as 90% of consumers tend to trust recommendations from other consumers — even if they haven’t personally met them.
The purchasing stage
A potential customer has finally decided to become an actual customer. Awesome! But – the customer journey doesn’t end here, and brands should remain present at every step of the way to achieve maximum results. After the purchase, it is important to make sure that the customer continually has a good experience with your brand, and is satisfied with the product.
Make sure to let them know that once they’ve unpacked the product, their cat will LOVE the box.
Guidebooks, advice, and updates are great ways to enhance product usability. Customer satisfaction surveys are also very useful in order to understand whether users are genuinely happy with their purchases and how you can improve them.
The loyalty stage
You have the sales, you have the customers. The next step is to keep them loyal. But just like relationships between people, relationships between brands and their target audiences could also weaken if there is no effort to maintain them. If you don’t want to get left behind for a hotter new brand, you need to keep your target audience engaged by sending them well-timed, periodical content. Some great examples of these are newsletters, exclusive content, and downloadable freebies such as ebooks.
From my experience…
To illustrate all this a bit better, I’d like to share my experiences from working in the fashion industry. Imagine a newbie fashion blogger trying to gain some followers on social media. So far, they’ve tried piecing outfits together on their own and it hasn’t resulted in much traction. They’re not completely sure the outfits are hitting the mark, the image quality is questionable, and feedback is feeble.
Truth is, most big fashion influencers are doing it differently. They have the help of professional stylists and photographers, who put their outfits together and make sure their posts are polished, edited, and attractive enough to garner likes. They’ve got people managing their image and style, sometimes even for public appearances. While it may look like a one-person job, it certainly isn’t behind the scenes. And that’s exactly how they gain fame, money, and a loyal follower base.
Publishing content works somewhat like this. Oftentimes, to get the results you want, you need professional help. Working with a content writing agency could give you access to all the resources you need to create perfectly tailored pieces that hit the bullseye and provide the best ROI long-term.
To reiterate
Content marketing is our primary source of communication with target audiences, and the truth is: without that communication, a loyal brand-consumer relationship cannot be established.
If you want to strengthen your connection with consumers but don’t have the time or a propensity for writing, book a call with us so we can create tailor-made content that speaks your brand’s voice and connects with your audience.
Written by Ipek Ozener
Born in Ankara. Based in Istanbul. Studied fashion design and currently enjoys working as a content writer. Loves traveling and attending music festivals.