How to Build a Customer-Centric Approach in Content Marketing

With the availability of information online, we are witnessing a shift in power from businesses to customers. Instead of waiting for customers to come to you, you need to be in front of your audience with useful content and show them you’ve got the best offer out there. 

But what does your target audience want to see? Figuring out what they want and need is the basic step towards content marketing success, but it can be quite challenging. So how do people actually build a customer-centric content strategy? Try following the customer journey map. 

Understand the Customer Journey 

A customer journey is a flow of stages every customer goes through when they consider purchasing. Customers in each stage share the same needs and behaviours, so you have to make sure you respond and cater to their needs and behavioral tendencies with your content. You may also work with Flourish Media to map out the customer journey of your prospects and enhance your marketing strategy. 

The Awareness Stage

In the very beginning, customers are unaware of their problems and needs. Your goal in this stage is to bring attention to the problem and your brand. Remember that customers here are more interested in understanding the problem, so your content should focus on educating and informing more than selling your brand. Try creating blog posts, being active on social media platforms like LinkedIn, and distributing free learning materials like beginner guides. Check out FILT Pod if you want to boost your visibility on LinkedIn with a community of business owners.

The Consideration Stage

Once the problems and needs are recognised, customers start to look for options that can solve the problems and fulfill their needs. Your goal is to bring attention on how you can help them and provide evidence to back up your claims. Whitepapers, newsletters, demos, and eBooks are all very effective in this stage. Your content should showcase the benefits to your audience. Remember your content needs to answer the following questions: “Who can help me?” “Is there a better alternative?” “Will this be worth my money?” 

The Decision Stage

Now that your customers have chosen your brand, they are seeking for more information to support their decision before purchasing. Your goal is to deliver core values of your business and convince them why your brand is the best fit. What should you be doing? Tell success stories or pitch a data-driven yet personal brand story to your audience. Remember to have your past customers or clients share testimonials as well. People trust word-of-mouth more than anything else! 

The Retention and Loyalty Stage

Now your customers have finished purchasing. Now is the most important stage in determining whether you can get yourself a loyal customer. Your content needs to appeal to them on a personal level and convey the message “I care about you”. Try revealing not only the beautiful stories but the struggles you’ve faced throughout the journey. By launching loyalty programs, following up with emails, building social media communities, you can also humanize your brand and engage with your customers on an emotional level. 

Such a holistic content strategy, keeping the needs of all the customer stages in mind, ensures that your prospects get all the information they need no matter where they are in the customer journey! It will make them feel that you care about them and eventually make it easier for them to buy from you.