How to Create Content that Guides Buyers From Awareness to Purchase
Everybody says you have to keep creating content. But how does it help your bottom-line? Does it actually contribute to your monthly sales?
It’s a logical question. Especially because content creation isn’t a quick, easy job. It requires hours of work if you want your content to be consistent and of high quality.
Let’s look at it from the buyer’s perspective.
Role of Content Marketing in the Buyer’s Journey
Buyers go through 3 main stages: awareness, consideration, and decision. First, they become aware of a problem, then they look for solutions and compare different options, and then they make a decision to buy.
The goal is to nudge them through the journey, from being unaware to purchase. And you can do that with the help of strategic content creation.
You not only guide them to buy from you, you’re also establishing your brand as a trusted source of information and assistance. Through your content, they’ll grow to know, like, and trust you.
So, what does content look like at every stage?
How to Create Content for Every Stage of the Buyer’s Journey
Awareness
Let’s break down this stage even further: when potential customers are (1) completely unaware and (2) when they become problem-aware.
Completely Unaware
They don’t yet know that they have a problem that needs solving. For example, a manager might not be thinking about how their overly strict management style is negatively affecting the team. They’re not aware of the problem.
Then, one day, as they’re scrolling through Instagram, they come across a reel that says: 5 Signs You’re Lowering Team Morale and Causing Poor Performance. Which then goes on to enumerate 5 signs that they do see happening in the office. Now that they know there’s a problem, they can start looking for solutions.
Where to reach them:
The completely unaware are not on Google looking for information. So, the best way to reach them is through social media. Reels perform especially well in reaching new people, so that’s a good place to start. LinkedIn posts can also help you reach new people—the many individual circles of your connections.
What content to create:
Tell them a story that they can relate to, and help them realize a problem they have. Show them that they can alleviate a pain point or that there are better situations they can aspire for.
Problem Aware
At this stage, they know there’s a problem, and they’re doing some research. They’re looking for information so that they can better understand what they're experiencing.
Where to reach them:
Search. They’re probably on Google or other search engines. If you have superior content about the problem they’re experiencing, then your blog articles will be right on top of search results. That’s the power of having a blog—regularly publishing quality content on your website can improve search engine rankings, and your website gains more visibility.
Social media. They could be following similar accounts or industry hashtags. So, social media is still a good place to be visible.
What content to create:
Articles. Write about the problems they’re experiencing (which you solve for clients). This puts you on their radar early in the journey.
Lead Magnets. Give away free resources like PDFs or videos where you give them an in-depth discussion of the problem they’re experiencing. You get their email addresses, and they walk away with clarity.
Videos. Some people prefer video over written content. So, publish educational videos on social media—long-form videos on YouTube or bite-sized reels. You can repurpose your articles so that you don’t have to start from scratch.
Other Social Media Posts. Instagram carousels and stories, Twitter threads, LinkedIn polls, and text posts. Try different formats in different channels—whatever suits your natural style and wherever your prospects hang out. Use hashtags to get discovered.
Focus on educational content. The goal at this stage is to increase brand awareness by giving away relevant, helpful content.
Consideration
Now that they know more about their problem, they want to know how to solve it and where to get assistance. They’ll be checking out options, looking for the best fit for them.
Where to reach them:
Search. They’re still on search engines. This time, keywords are centered on solutions.
Social media. Many people today look at brands’ social media pages before they purchase (or before they even consider the brand). They’d want to see what you post, what you talk about, what you care about. Are you an expert? Can you solve their problem? Your overall social media presence can bump you up their shortlist or remove you altogether.
Email. If you’ve collected their email at the awareness stage, then you have the opportunity to nurture those leads through email marketing. Send them regular newsletters that offer valuable information. Show them that you’re an expert and that you can help solve their problem.
What content to create:
Articles. Give them solutions. It no longer serves to gatekeep information, so give them what they need to do things on their own. When they realize that they do need your help, that’s when they’re truly ready and will be happy to pay you for your services.
Lead magnets. You get to give them value while also building your email list. Create a PDF or conduct a free masterclass that gives them actionable tips. Like a step-by-step solution to their problem or the one thing that will bring them the biggest impact.
Case studies. They’re checking options and comparing your offerings against others in the market. Show them your best work—front and center.
Social media posts. Nurture through value and engagement. You can provide more information with carousels and reels. Encourage engagement through stories and replying to comments and DMs. You can do the same on other channels, like LinkedIn. Publish value-rich articles and engage with them by leaving meaningful comments on their posts. These interactions help you build rapport, developing like and trust.
Decision
It’s time to purchase. At this stage, they’re looking for information on the buying process—what to do, where to go, what the payment methods are.
Where to reach them:
Website. They know you and have probably visited your website a couple of times throughout the journey.
Email. They could be in your email list, or they could simply have your email already in their contacts, ready to start communication.
Social media. Prospects could be following you on your social media pages, and some of them might send inquiries via DM.
What content to create:
Buying process. This is the point where they want the details. So make sure that your website, especially your sales pages, accurately and effectively sell your offerings. It should include information on how they could purchase your offerings and what the next steps are.
FAQs. At this stage, they might have questions about your products and services. Do you offer payment plans and refunds? Do you allow lifetime access, even when your digital products are updates in the future? How can they reach you for support?
Promotions. Sometimes, all they need is a nudge. They’ve been waiting for a sweet deal. You can give them that with limited-time discounts, bonuses they can get if they buy right away, a free trial, or other promos.
Social media content. Make the purchasing experience easy for them by having all the information they need on your pages. You can add your email to your Instagram bio, add the offer details in your Highlights, or pin a post. You can also encourage them to send you a DM for inquiries.
Conclusion
It can be difficult to visualize the role of content in your overall marketing strategy. It can seem like it’s entirely separate from your sales and profits.
But content plays a key role in building relationships with potential and existing customers—your overall digital presence gives them a feel of who you are and whether you’re the right fit for them. Content helps you get prospects to know you, to like you, and to trust you.
You can also look at it as the end goal itself: helping other people solve their problems, making life a little easier, a little less stressful. Now that’s fulfilling. That’s a win-win.
Content creation demands effort, but it’s worth it.