9 Lessons Your Parents Taught You About Content Marketing Funnel

A Content Marketing Funnel Explained

A content marketing funnel can help potential customers learn about your company, find solutions to their problems and then feel comfortable buying from you. Different kinds of content work best at every phase of the funnel.

At the top of the funnel, infographics, videos, and checklists attract attention, bring in leads, and keep readers entertained. Guides and templates that are gated perform well at this stage.

Awareness

At this point, customers are only aware of your brand and the solutions you provide. In this stage the content should provide answers and educate prospects about the issues your solution tackles, as well as how it differs from competitors.

To determine the gaps in your content at this point, think about the different types of keywords that your customers use to search on the internet. You can use keyword research to determine the terms your customers use when searching online content marketing. This will aid you in determining if your product or service is needed. This information can be used to create an editorial calendar and decide the types of what content marketing that target those terms.

Additionally creating content for this stage of the funnel will help you build your brand affinity with your customers. The more people learn about your brand, the more confidence they'll have in the ability of your company to solve their problems. This translates into greater conversion rates, whether it's subscriptions to newsletters, purchases or clickthroughs to your site.

A well-planned and executed content strategy can also assist in closing the conversion gap in this stage. If, for instance you observe that the majority of your linkedin content marketing is aimed at generating awareness, but nothing influence consumers to make a buying decision, then you could increase the amount you spend on marketing campaigns that target middle-funnel keyword phrases.

Social media is a different way to increase your bottom-of funnel conversion. Social media platforms such as Twitter and Facebook let you interact with your customers directly, giving you the opportunity to showcase your customer care. This can range from retweeting 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 example, if you write a blog post on how your product is superior than the competition's, you can post it on social networks and invite readers to subscribe to your email list for more information. You can also encourage conversions at this point by asking users to tag you on their social media posts once they have tried your product. This will inspire others to do the same and spread the word about your company.

Consideration

A well-planned content marketing strategy incorporates various types of content to capture consumers at every stage of the funnel. For example, brand awareness campaigns might include ads but they should also feature blog posts and infographics which address common concerns and objections. This content can be further shared via social media or email to drive organic traffic.

As consumers move through the consideration phase, they begin looking for specific product features which will assist them in making the purchase decision. Frequently asked questions (FAQ) pages are a great type of content for this stage. Utilize keyword research tools such as Ubersuggest or search for popular hashtags in your industry to discover the questions that your audience is asking. Create answers to these questions, and then add them to your content funnel map.

During this phase, it's crucial to provide a clear proposition of value that shows how your product or services can solve their issues and generate more revenue. This content should also highlight your brand's uniqueness when compared to your competition.

This is a straightforward step to evaluate since the consumer is making a purchase decision. Examine metrics such as conversion rates, payment numbers and click-through rates to see if your efforts are working.

When consumers reach the point of advocacy, your brand grows increasingly important to them. They will be sharing your content with their friends because they are so passionate about it. This is a powerful method of growing your audience. But you'll need to concentrate on creating content that inspires people to share it, instead of focusing on only engagement metrics. Utilize Sprout Social, for example to track social shares as a result of your content marketing efforts. This will give you a much more precise picture of your influence.

Decision

They are looking for content at the decision-making stage that confirms the purchase and explains how to make use of the product. At this point, they need to know that your solution solves their issue and make the investment worth it. At this point it is essential to provide high-quality content, like product guides as well as case study videos and customer success stories are essential. Your customers want to be able ask questions and get answers from your support team. It is a great way to please your customers and encourage them by sharing their experiences.

You're hoping that at this stage the customer will turn into an advocate for your brand and promote it to their colleagues and friends. To turn these advocates into enthusiastic customers, you'll have to provide them with valuable content that helps them get the most from your product or service. Personalized newsletters videos, tutorials, free trial offers, and loyalty programs are all great ways to do this.

It's time to focus on retention after your audience has transformed from leads to paying customers. The traditional funnel for content marketing content planner models tend to view revenue as the end of the journey, however it is important to keep in mind that consumers will continue to interact with brands after they have completed a purchase. Therefore, it's essential to redefine the funnel as a loop model rather than a static structure that ends with revenue.

The standard funnels for content marketing are useful for making your plan however they do not take into account the complexity of the buyer's journey. Reimagining the content marketing funnel as circular models will help you develop an integrated strategy. You can create content that engages your target audience and increases conversions by planning for each step of the journey. Then, you can use the data from these conversions to enhance your strategy and ensure that it's working. Are you ready to see the difference that this strategy can make to your business? Contact us today to request a free content marketing content guidebook.

Retention

A funnel for content marketing can be a powerful instrument to aid brands in planning and execute their strategy. It also gives them visibility into the gaps in their strategy for content that must be filled. For example, if a brand has a significant amount of content geared toward the public's attention and interest, but only a few pieces that are geared towards the middle of the funnel, they should prioritize creating content for this stage.

A great way to see how well-targeted your content is is to use tools such as Ahrefs to determine the average time spent on page and bounce rate of each piece. The higher these numbers are, the better your content is performing.

It's crucial to regularly keep up-to-date and relevant the content you write to ensure that you are at the top of your funnel. This will ensure that your audience remains engaged and interested in your brand and the products or services it offers. This can be done by creating new content which is focused on keywords, addresses questions that your audience is likely to look for, and provides the most current information about your industry or product.

When your audience arrives at the MOFU stage they'll want more details about your product or service as well as solutions to their issues. It's also crucial to establish trust at this stage by giving honest reviews and demonstrating your value.

The final step of the content marketing funnel is when your target audience will make a purchase. This is usually done through restricted content that requires an email address or some other method of registration to gain access. This content is designed to convert the interest and awareness you've created at the top of your funnel into qualified leads. Your sales team will follow to follow up.

You can still influence your customers' journeys through your brand, even if the support and sales teams are primarily responsible for customer retention. Create content that will delight your customers throughout the entire process of content marketing. This can include helpful resources, behind-the-scenes information and special offers that only your customers be able to access. If you can establish a relationship of trust to your customers, they will become your most loyal advocates and help to reduce the time to sell.