A Content Marketing Funnel Explained

A content marketing funnel is a way to help potential customers learn about your brand, find solutions to their problems and then feel comfortable buying from you. Content is better suited to every stage of the funnel.

Checklists, videos and infographics are effective in attracting attention, generating leads and keeping readers engaged. Guides and templates that are gated work very well at this point.

Awareness

At this stage, consumers are aware that your brand exists and the services you offer. This is the stage where content is designed to educate and inform potential customers about the issues your solution addresses and also the differences from competitors.

To identify your content gaps at this point, think about the types of keywords that your customers use to search on the internet. Keyword research can be used to determine the terms your customers use when they search online. This will help you determine if your product or service is needed. This information can then be used to create an editorial calendar and figure out the types of content that be targeted at those specific terms.

As a bonus, creating content for this part of the funnel helps you build your brand's affinity with consumers. If your customers are aware about your brand, they'll have greater confidence in your ability to solve their problems. This results in greater conversion rates, whether it's subscriptions to newsletters, purchases or click-throughs to your website.

A well-planned strategy for content marketing services can also assist in closing the gap in conversion. If, for example, you find that most of your content is targeted at generating awareness, but not enough influence consumers to make a buying decision, then you could increase the spending on marketing campaigns that target middle-funnel keyword phrases.

Social media is another way to increase your bottom-of funnel conversion. Social media platforms like Twitter and Facebook enable you to engage directly with your customers giving you the opportunity to showcase your customer care. This can include tweeting good reviews to promoting special offers.

You can also use content that already exists to guide buyers through the funnel, such as case studies or blog posts. For instance, if you write a blog post on the advantages of your product than one from a competitor then you can post it on social media and invite readers to subscribe to your mailing list to receive more information. You can also encourage a conversion in this stage by asking your followers to tag you in their social media posts after using your product. This will encourage others to follow suit and spread the word about your brand.

Inquiry

A successful content marketing strategy incorporates the use of a variety of types of content to engage customers throughout the funnel. Brand awareness campaigns, for example may include ads as well as blog posts and infographics that address the most common issues and objections. These pieces of content can be distributed via email and social media to boost organic traffic.

As consumers move through the consideration phase, they begin looking for specific features of the product that can help them make a purchase decision. This is a great time to make use of FAQ pages. Utilize keyword research tools such as Ubersuggest or search for popular hashtags in your industry to discover the questions your readers are asking. Then, you can write answers to these questions and place them on your digital content marketing funnel map.

During this stage it is crucial to present an unambiguous value proposition that demonstrates to potential customers the way your product or service can solve their problems and earn them more money. The content should also emphasize the distinctiveness of your brand compared to the brands of your competition.

It's a fairly simple step to measure, as consumers are making a choice whether or not to purchase. Look at metrics like conversion rates, payment numbers and click-through rates to see whether your efforts are producing results.

When consumers reach the point of advocacy your brand is becoming more and more important to them. They will be sharing your content with their friends because they are so enthusiastic about it. This is a good way to increase your audience. But you'll need to concentrate on creating content that entices people to share, instead of focusing solely on engagement metrics. Consider using a tool like Sprout Social to track the social shares that result from your content marketing efforts. This will give you a precise image of your impact.

Decision

In the final phase consumers are seeking documents that support their purchase and outlines how to utilize the product. At this stage, they want to be certain that your product will solve their issue and justify the purchase. It is crucial to have high-quality content at this point, including product guides, case studies, videos and customer stories of success. Your customers would like to have questions answered and get answers from your support staff. It's a great method to impress your customers and inspire them to share their experiences.

You're hoping that at this stage the customer will be an advocate for your brand and spread the word about it to their coworkers and friends. In order to convert these advocates into raving supporters, you'll be required to provide them with relevant content that will help them get the most out of your product or service. You can accomplish this by creating customized newsletters, tutorial video, free trial offers and loyalty programs.

After your audience has changed from leads to paying customers and paying customers, it's time to concentrate on retention. The standard funnel for content marketing models tend to view revenue as the end of the journey, however it's crucial to keep in mind that customers will continue to interact with brands even after they have made a purchase. It is crucial to redefine the funnel as a dynamic structure that incorporates revenue, not static models.

While conventional content marketing funnels can aid in planning your strategy but they don't take into account the complexities of the buyer's journey. Reimagining the funnel of b2b content marketing agency marketing as circular models will help you develop an overall strategy. You can create content that engages your audience and drives conversions by planning for each phase of the journey. Then, you can utilize the information from these conversions to enhance your strategy and ensure it's working. Are you ready to see the difference that this approach can make for your business? Contact us today and request a complimentary content marketing strategy content guidebook.

Retention

A funnel for content marketing is a helpful tool that can help brands develop their strategy, implement it and measure its success. It also gives them insight into the gaps in their strategy for content that need to be filled. For example, if a brand has a significant amount of content that is geared towards awareness and interest, but only a few pieces aimed at the middle of the funnel, they should be focusing on creating content geared towards this stage.

A great way to see how on-target your content is to use tools such as Ahrefs to look at the average time on the page and bounce rate of each piece. The higher the number, the more effective your content.

It's crucial to regularly keep up-to-date the content you create to ensure that you are at the top of your funnel. This will ensure that your audience stays engaged and curious about your brand and the products or services it offers. This can be accomplished by creating new content which focuses on keywords, answers questions that your target audience is likely to search for, and highlights current information about your product or industry.

As your audience enters the MOFU stage they'll be seeking more information on your product or service, as and ways to resolve their issues. At this stage, it's important to build trust by providing honest reviews and demonstrating the value.

In the final stage of your content marketing funnel your customers will decide whether or not to buy. This is accomplished through gated content, which requires an email or another form registration to access. The purpose of this content is to transform the engagement and awareness you've built at the top of your funnel for content marketing into leads that are qualified for your sales team to follow up with.

While customer retention falls mainly into the hands of your sales and support teams, you can still have an impact on the journeys of your customers your brand by creating content that delights them throughout the entire content marketing funnel. This can include useful information, behind-the-scenes information and special offers that only your customers have access to. If you can establish a relationship of trust to your customers, they will become your best advocates and help to reduce the time to sell.