A Content Marketing Funnel Explained
A funnel for marketing content helps potential customers to learn more about your company and solve their issues. They also feel comfortable buying from you. Different kinds of content work best in every stage of the funnel.
At the top of the funnel, infographics, videos, and checklists attract attention, bring in leads, and keep the readers engaged. Guides and templates that are gated perform well in this stage.
Awareness
At this point, customers know that your brand exists. They are also aware of the solutions you offer. At this point, content is meant to provide information and help prospects about the issues your solution tackles and how it differs from competitors.
To identify your content gaps for this stage, consider the types of keywords your target audience uses to browse on the internet. You can conduct keyword research to determine the terms your customers use when searching online. This will assist you in determining whether your product or service is in demand. These data can be used to build a content calendar and decide which content pieces should be designed to target these keywords.
Producing content for this stage of the funnel will also help you build brand affinity among consumers. The more consumers learn about your brand, the more trust they'll have in the ability of your company to solve their problems. This results in greater conversion rates, whether it's subscriptions to newsletters, purchases or clickthroughs to your site.
A well-planned strategy for content can also help you close this gap in conversion. If, for instance, you find that most of your content is aimed at increasing awareness, but nothing influences consumers to make a buying decision, then you could increase the amount you spend on advertising campaigns targeting middle-funnel keyword phrases.
Another way to boost your bottom-of-funnel conversion is through social media. Social media platforms like Twitter and Facebook permit you to communicate directly with your customers, giving you an opportunity to showcase your customer service. This could range from tweeting good reviews to promoting special offers.
You can also make use of content that already exists to help buyers move through the funnel, like blog posts or case studies. For example, if you write a blog post explaining the advantages of your product than a competitor's then you can post it on social media and invite readers to subscribe to your email list for more information. You can also encourage conversions in this stage by asking users to include your name on their social media posts once they have tried your product. This will inspire others to do the same and help spread the word about your company.
Then there is the consideration
A well-planned content strategy should comprise a variety of content types that draw customers in every stage of the funnel. Brand awareness campaigns, for instance may include ads, but also blog posts and infographics addressing common concerns and objections. The content can then be shared via social media or emails to drive organic traffic.
As consumers progress through the process of considering and begin to look for specific features in a product that will help them make a purchase decision. Frequently asked questions (FAQ) pages are an excellent content type to use in this phase. Use tools for keyword research, such as Ubersuggest or search for popular hashtags within your industry to find questions that your audience asks. Then, you can write answers to these questions and place them on your content funnel map.
In this phase it is essential to present an unambiguous value proposition that demonstrates to prospective customers the way your product or service will solve their problem and make them more money. This content should also highlight your brand's uniqueness compared to the competition.
This is a simple step to evaluate because the consumer is making a purchase decision. Look at metrics like conversion rate, payment numbers and click-through rate to determine whether your efforts are achieving.
When consumers reach the advocacy stage they become loyal fans of your brand and are more likely to share your content because they feel strongly about it. This is a great method of increasing your reach. However, you must focus on creating content that encourages people to share it, rather than focusing on purely engagement metrics. Utilize Sprout Social, for example to track the number of shares on social media that result from your marketing efforts with content. This will give you an accurate image of your impact.
Decision
They are looking for content in the decision-making process that confirms the purchase and describes how to use the product. At this point, they need to know that your product solves their issue and make the investment worthwhile. Quality content is essential at this point, such as product guides videos, case studies and customer success stories. Your customers also want to be capable of asking questions and receive answers from your support team. Sending them personalized emails and round-the-clock customer service is a great way to please your customers and encourage them to share their experiences with others.
At this point, you're hoping that the customer will become a brand ambassador and promote your product to their friends and colleagues. To turn those who are advocates to raving fans you'll have to provide them with useful content that will help them make the most of your product or service. This can be done by creating personalized newsletters, tutorial video free trial offers, and loyalty programs.
It's time to begin focusing on retention after your audience has changed from leads to paying clients. Content marketing funnels usually focus on revenue as the end goal. However, consumers will remain in contact and interact with brands after making a purchase. For this reason, it's important to reimagine the funnel as a loop model rather than a static structure that concludes with revenue.
While traditional funnels for content marketing can aid in planning your strategy however, they do not take into account the complexity of the buyer journey. Reimagining the content marketing funnel as a circular model will help you develop an integrated strategy. You can create content that engages your audience and drives conversions by planning for each step of the process. Then, you can use the data from these conversions to enhance your strategy and make sure that it is working effectively. Are you ready to see how this strategy will benefit your business? Contact us today to request a free Content marketing playbook!
Retention
A content marketing funnel is a valuable tool that can assist brands develop their strategy, implement it and evaluate its success. It also gives them visibility into the gaps in their strategy for content that need to be filled. For example when a company has a large amount of content geared toward increasing awareness and generating interest, but only a few pieces targeted towards the middle of the funnel, they should focus on creating content that is targeted at this stage.
Utilize tools such as Ahrefs, which look at the average time on the page and bounce rate of each piece to determine how targeted your content is. The higher these numbers are the more effective your content is.
It's crucial to regularly update and keep relevant the content you write to be at the top of your funnel. This will keep your audience engaged in your brand, its products and services. The best method to accomplish this is by creating new content that is focused on specific keywords, answers questions that are likely to be searched by your audience, and highlights the most up-to-date information about your business or product.
When your customers enter MOFU the audience will be seeking out more information about your product or services as well as solutions to their problems. In this stage, it's important to build trust by offering authentic reviews and demonstrating value.
In the final phase of your content marketing funnel your audience will decide whether or not to buy. This is achieved through gated content, which requires an email or other form of registration to gain access. This content is designed to turn the interest and awareness you've built at the top of your funnel for content marketing into qualified leads for your sales team to follow up on.
seo article writing software can still influence your customers' journeys through your brand, even though your sales and support teams are primarily responsible for retention of customers. Create content that delights your customers throughout the entire funnel of content marketing. This can include useful sources, behind-the-scenes details and special offers that only your audience has access to. If you can establish a relationship of trust with your audience, then they will become your best advocates and will help you reduce the time to sell.