Content marketing is an effective way to connect with and acquire loyal customers. In fact, according to the Content Marketing Institute, content marketing can be six times more effective than other forms of advertising! But what types of content marketing are the most effective for turning customers into loyal brand advocates?
To take your content marketing to the next level, it’s important to take into consideration sales funnels and which stage of the funnel your audience is in. By targeting consumers with customized content you can ensure that your message will be relevant to their needs.
The sales funnel consists of three sections – the top, middle and bottom.
As you move down the funnel, the pool of potential customers gets smaller and smaller. This means that as the bottom of the funnel approaches, there are fewer and fewer people who are willing to purchase your product or service.
However, by paying close attention to the buying stage of your viewers, and tailoring content to meet their needs at each stage, you can help widen the funnel resulting in a larger pool of potential customers.
Ready to get started attracting new customers and turning them into loyal brand advocates? Below we’ll discuss the types of content marketing that are effective at each stage of the sales funnel and how this knowledge can help you convert visitors into customers.
In this article, we’ll cover:
Types of Content Marketing
There are many different types of marketing content ranging from blog posts to social media posts to email campaigns and exclusive, insider information.
With so many options, it can be difficult to decide which medium will be most beneficial in helping you to attract and gain loyal customers. The answer to this dilemma – the sales funnel!
Within the three sections of the sales funnel are a total of four stages.
These stages consist of the attraction stage, consideration stage, decision/purchase stage and the delight stage.
Depending on which stage they’re in, different types of content marketing will work better to attract and engage consumers. The most important thing to consider when developing marketing content is which stage of the sales funnel your viewers are in. By knowing which stage your customers are in, you can better tailor your content to meet their needs.
But what characterizes these stages and what types of content marketing will work best for consumers in each stage?
Top of The Funnel Content
The top of the sales funnel is full of consumers who are searching for a solution.
They have a want or need to fulfill and are on the lookout for solutions to their problems. This section of the funnel is a stage known as the attraction stage.
The Attraction Stage
The attraction stage is characterized by consumers who are seeking information and education. During this stage, it’s important for consumers to find interesting information that teaches them more about your products and services.
Content for Consumers in the Attraction Stage
For individuals in the attraction stage, it’s important to provide captivating and educational content that will draw their attention to your brand.
Educational blog posts (with subtle calls to action), social media posts, and gated eBooks can be helpful to potential customers in this stage and are effective forms of marketing content.
Examples:
- Blog posts – provide consumers with educational articles that relate to your product or service.
- Social media posts – develop captivating content that is relevant to your brand and the problem your products and services can solve.
- Ebooks – Provide information to your customers while establishing your organization as an authority.
If your content captures your viewer’s attention and they find it useful, they are more likely to continue to the middle of the sales funnel and on to the next stage – the consideration stage.
Middle of the Funnel Content
The middle of the funnel is made up of consumers who have discovered a solution to their problem but don’t yet know which option is right for them.
With so many options available, it’s important to provide consumers at this stage with helpful information that is specific to your product. Establishing a strong and beneficial relationship with consumers at this point is key to converting them into customers.
The middle of the sales funnel consists of the consideration stage and the decision/purchase stage.
The Consideration Stage
The consideration stage is when your consumers have already seen your content and are intrigued to learn more about you and your company.
Out of all the types of content marketing, this one stands as one of the most important because it’s at this stage where a customer will decide to do business with you or not.
They are often looking to compare your products or services to others before deciding on one that best suits their needs and desires. Providing them with the information necessary to alleviate their concerns and questions can help build trust and a strong, lasting relationship.
Content for Consumers in the Consideration Stage
Expert guides, in-depth video guides and explanatory videos that highlight your products and services are a great way to expose consumers to the value of your offering. These types of content are also great for comparing your products and services to others and therefore will be helpful to consumers in this stage of the sales funnel.
Examples:
- Expert guides – create comprehensive guides to your products and services that highlight their value and differentiation points
- In-depth video guides – develop video guides that discuss your product or service and how it can specifically help a consumer with a given need
Advesa’s own insight’s blog features in-depth video guides that make sense of complicated digital marketing topics. These videos don’t just provide educational value, they display our expertise in the world of digital marketing. Demonstrating both our value and our expertise, our in-depth video guides are a simple and fast way to engage with our audience.
If you can show consumers the value of your product or service and how it specifically meets their need, they’ll move on to the next stage in the funnel – the decision/purchase stage.
Did you know that SEO is one of the most important factors in getting your site to rank? Learn more by visiting our complete beginner’s guide to keyword research.
The Decision/Purchase Stage
In the decision/purchase stage, potential customers are very close to making a purchase with you and may just need a little more information to seal the deal.
Consumers in this stage are ready and willing to make a purchase but still must decide which product or service to go with. This is the moment where your content must convince them that your product or service is the best option for them.
Clear and concise descriptions of what you’re offering and proof of its value and effectiveness must be portrayed in your content for consumers in this stage.
Content for Consumers in the Decision/Purchase
Case studies, testimonials, reviews, demo videos and free trials are effective content types when engaging with consumers in the decision/purchase stage.
This type of content is effective at persuading consumers that your product or service is the right choice for them. It showcases the proven effectiveness of your offering and options like free trials provide an added incentive.
Examples:
- Reviews – showcase the value of your product or service by highlighting positive feedback from real customers
- Free trials – offer potential customers a free trial to give them the push they need to adopt your product or service over others
- Free consultation – let potential customers know what your organization can do for them and their business through a free, custom-tailored consultation
At Advesa, we offer a contact form for our customers to easily get in touch with us for anything they need help with. Whatever questions or concerns potential clients may have will be answered directly by us, which helps them know that they made the right choice!
Bottom of the Funnel Content
The bottom of the sales funnel contains customers who have already made a purchase with you. The goal now is to retain them as repeat buyers and to turn them into loyal brand advocates.
The stage in the bottom of the sales funnel is known as the delight stage.
The Delight Stage
In the delight stage, it’s important to provide ongoing support to your customers. In order to keep them around, you’ll need to provide content that continues to provide them with value.
Content for Consumers in the Delight Stage
Effective content for consumers in the delight stage includes evergreen content, targeted email campaigns and exclusive offers and information for members only.
Examples:
- Evergreen content – create helpful articles and content that offers advice or tips. This information should be timeless and able to provide support to your customers indefinitely
- Exclusive offers and information – provide insider content and exclusive offers or savings to customers and members only. This will provide your loyal customers with additional value and keep them coming back
Evergreen articles like the ones above are timeless pieces of content that provide valuable information while standing the test of time. Usually, these will be your top performing content pieces because informative and timeless content will always be in vogue.
Want to learn more about Evergreen content and how to make your own? Check out our full guide with tips, keywords and examples.
Key Takeaways on Types of Content Marketing
Identifying which stage of the sales funnel your audience is in and tailoring content to them based on that stage will help you to improve engagement rates, widen your sales funnel and ultimately turn prospects into customers and customers into loyal brand advocates.
Here’s a recap of the stages of the sales funnel and the types of content that are most effective for each.
- Top of the Funnel: Attraction Stage – use blog posts, social media posts and gated eBooks to captivate and educate your audience.
- Middle of the Funnel: Consideration Stage – use expert guides, in-depth video guides and explanatory videos to demonstrate your products and services and to compare them with your competitors’ options.
- Decision/Purchase Stage – use case studies, testimonials, reviews, demo videos and free trials to showcase the value of your offering and nudge those on the fence towards trying your product.
- Bottom of the Funnel: Delight Stage – provide evergreen content, targeted emails and insider content to continue to provide value to your customers.
Paying close attention to your audience and the stage of the sales funnel they’re in can have a huge positive impact on the effectiveness of your content marketing. Be sure to monitor your results and make changes to your strategy when necessary.
