A Content Marketing Funnel Explained

A content marketing funnel helps potential customers learn more about your company, solve their problems and be confident about buying from you. Different types of content are more effective for each stage of the funnel.

Checklists, videos and infographics are effective in getting attention, creating leads and keeping readers interested. Guides and templates that are gated do very well at this point.

Awareness

At this stage, consumers are aware of the existence of your brand. They are also aware of the solutions you offer. In this stage, content is meant to provide information and help prospects about the issues your solution tackles, as well as what makes it different from competitors.

To understand your content gaps for this stage, consider the types of keywords your target audience uses to browse online. You can use keyword research to determine what terms your audience uses when they search online. This will assist you in determining whether your product or service is in demand. This information can then be used to create an editorial calendar and determine which content pieces will focus on those keywords.

Creating content for this stage of the funnel can aid in building brand loyalty with your customers. The more your consumers know about your brand, they'll have greater confidence in your ability solve their problems. This results in higher conversion rates for newsletter signups or purchases as well as clickthroughs on your website.

A well-executed strategy for content can aid in closing this conversion gap. For instance, if discover that the majority of your content is aimed at awareness but not enough is influencing buyers towards a purchase decision, you can increase the amount of money you spend on advertising campaigns to target middle-funnel keywords.

Social media is another way to increase your bottom-of funnel conversion. Social media platforms like Twitter and Facebook enable you to engage with your customers directly and give you the chance to show off your dedication to customer service. This could include anything from retweeting good reviews to promoting special offers.

You can also leverage existing content to lure customers to the bottom of the funnel for a lower cost, such as blog posts or case studies. If you write a blog post explaining why your product is superior to a competitor's you can share it on social media and encourage your readers to sign up for your email list to receive more information. You can also encourage a conversion at this point by asking your audience to tag you on their social media posts after having used your product. This will inspire other users to follow suit and help spread the word about the brand.

Inquiry

A good content marketing strategy strategy will comprise a variety of content types that attract customers at each stage of the funnel. For instance, brand awareness campaigns might include ads however, they should also include blog posts and infographics which address common objections and concerns. These content pieces can be distributed via email and social media to increase organic traffic.

As consumers move through the consideration stage and begin to look for specific characteristics of products that can help them make a purchase decision. Frequently asked questions (FAQ) pages are an excellent content type for this stage. Utilize keyword research tools such as Ubersuggest or search popular hashtags for your industry to find questions that your audience is asking. Create answers to these questions, and then put them on your content funnel map.

During this stage it is essential to present an enticing and compelling argument that demonstrates how your product or services will solve their problems and generate more revenue. This content should also highlight the uniqueness of your brand in comparison to your competitors.

This is a relatively easy step to measure, as consumers are making a decision whether or not to purchase. Consider metrics like conversion rate, payment figures and click-through rates to determine 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 passionate about it. This is a powerful method to increase the number of people who follow your brand. But you'll need to concentrate on creating content that inspires people to share, instead of focusing solely on engagement metrics. Consider using a tool such as Sprout Social to track the social shares that result from your content marketing efforts. This will give you a precise picture of your influence.

Decision

The majority of people are looking for information at the decision-making stage that validates the purchase and describes how to make use of the product. At this stage, they want to be certain that the product will solve their problem and justify the cost. At this point it is essential to provide high-quality content, such as product guides and case study videos and customer success tales, is essential. Customers also want to be in a position to ask questions and receive answers from your support team. Sending them customized emails and 24 hour customer service is a great way to delight customers and encourage them to share their experiences with others.

It is your hope that at this stage the customer will turn into an advocate for your brand and will promote it to their colleagues and friends. To convert these advocates to rave customers, you'll be required to provide them with relevant information 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 focus on retention after your audience has changed from leads to paying clients. Content marketing funnels typically focus on revenue as the end goal. However, consumers will continue to interact and interact with brands after they make an purchase. It's crucial to reimagine a funnel as a dynamic model that incorporates revenue, rather than static models.

The standard funnels for content marketing are helpful in making your plan, but they do not take into account the complexity of the buyer's journey. Reimagining the funnel of content marketing as a circular model will help you develop an overall strategy. By planning for every stage of the journey, you'll be able to create content that will engage your audience and increase conversions. Then, you can use the data from these conversions to enhance your strategy and ensure that it's working. Are you ready to experience the impact that this approach can make to your company? Contact us today and request a complimentary content marketing playbook.

Retention

A content marketing funnel can be a powerful tool for helping brands plan and execute their strategy. It can also give them insight into the gaps in their strategy for content that need to be filled. If a brand has lots of content that is geared towards generating the public's attention but only few pieces targeted at the middle of funnel, it should create content for this stage.

Utilize tools such as Ahrefs, which examine the average time on page and bounce rates of each piece to determine how specialized your content is. The higher these numbers are, the more effective your content is.

After you've put together content to be the top of your content marketing funnel It's crucial to keep it current and relevant. This will ensure that your audience remains engaged and interested in your brand and the products or services it offers. This can be accomplished by creating new content that is focused on keywords, addresses questions your audience is likely to search for, and provides the most current information about your industry or product.

When your audience arrives at the MOFU stage, they'll be looking for more detailed information about your product or service as and ways to resolve their problems. In this stage it is crucial to establish trust by providing authentic reviews and demonstrating value.

The final phase of the funnel for content marketing is where your audience will make a purchase decision. This is usually done through gated content that requires an email address or some other method of registration to gain access. This content is designed to convert the engagement and awareness you've cultivated at the top of your content marketing funnel into qualified leads for your sales team to follow up on.

While customer retention largely falls into the hands of your support and sales teams, you can influence the journeys of your customers your brand by creating content that entices customers throughout the entire marketing funnel. This can include helpful resources, behind-the scenes information and special offers that only your audience will be able to access. When you can foster loyalty with your audience they'll be able to serve as genuine advocates for your product and naturally aid in reducing your sales cycle times.