Today, online shopping is not the same as before. Previously, people would decide on a product and typically use the internet to find the desired product’s location. Before a successful marketer we need to know about Buyer’s Journey and Best Content Works.
Alternatively, days have changed, and people have unlimited marketplace options to choose from.
Now, a customer experiences the buyer’s journey before they click on “Buy.”
A report by Data Portal shows that most people are online for 6 hours and 58 minutes on average daily and might be on the buyer’s journey throughout.
Let us take you through the buyer’s journey and share the type of content that works best for it.
What is Buyer’s Journey?
The dynamics of purchasing goods have changed from a pushy sales pitch to an informed customer. The potential buyers are more aware of the item they want to buy and do not decide on the final choice immediately.
HubSpot defines the buyer’s journey as “a process to become aware of, consider and evaluate, and decide to purchase a new product or service.”
Simply put, it is a person’s path to purchase before they decide what to buy from where.
Steps of the Buyer’s Journey
The buyer’s journey comprises three fundamental steps: awareness stage, consideration stage, and decision stage.
Awareness Stage
The awareness stage is the first step of the buyer’s journey and, let’s say, the most critical one as well.
Because, well, if there is not a need to buy a product, the buyer’s journey would not exist either.
The awareness stage is the realization of a problem. The customer wants to comprehend the situation properly at this stage. The quest starts on the search engine with their query to collect information relevant to the issue.
Consideration Stage
The next step is the consideration phase, where the buyer considers buying a product (that could be your product as well).
This is the time for you to win your customer over other competitors. And you can do so by offering exact answers to their expected queries.
When you understand their problem so well, the buyers believe you can offer the best solution.
The content on your website or e-commerce store plays a major role in determining how far you go on the consideration stage.
Will the potential buyer close the tab of your business in a few minutes, or will they consider it among the last 2 – 3 choices?
It all depends on how you interact with the customer through consideration stage content. It may include an in-depth explanation of your product, a comparison with direct and indirect competitors, or case studies.
Decision Stage
The last step of the journey is the decision phase. This is the stage where you want the potential buyer to become a buyer and click on “Buy Now” on your e-store or site.
This stage may progress from choosing a brand and finding the required item in the store or selecting from a few options of different brands shortlisted.
The buyer’s journey ends when they checkout and pay for their product.
The buyers realize the issue, learn more about them in the awareness stage, consider various options before shortlisting a few, eventually decide on the final choice, and proceed to check out.
But, here, the question arises, “how can you use the steps of the buyer’s journey to your benefit?”
Let’s say one hundred and sixty-two websites have the product your customer is searching for. What will make him buy from your brand?
The answer is ‘content.’
The decision-making process moves along the buyer’s journey from the initial stage; every element contributes to the customer’s final decision.
We have compiled a list of all kinds of content that works best for the buyer’s journey to sell your product.
What Content Works the Best for Sales in Buyer’s Journey?
The type of content for each step of the buyer journey is very specific and visibilises your brand in its particular way.
Walk with us through this blog to understand what content works best for which step of the buyer’s journey.
Awareness Stage
As the awareness stage is the customer’s first step towards finding a relevant solution, you must make the best out of it. Read further to know which method should be used to promote awareness to customers.
Blog Posts
Blog posts are an indirect yet common approach to reaching potential customers and providing awareness. They can be useful in different ways in all stages of the buyer’s journey. Blog posts help provide answers to all the questions of your customer.
Keyword research and competitor analysis are the most critical part of the process. Blog posts are easy to understand and offer in-depth information on the subject.
Social Media Posts
When 4.6 billion people use social media globally, you ensure to make the best use of social media.
It is the most accessible method to reach your customers through social media using images, videos, and reels. Attractive social media posts are believed to connect to a large audience in lesser time to inform about your products.
Engaging potential customers and directing them to your website through social media can help create an effective lead generation funnel for your business.
Informational Videos
Studies show that your brain processes 60,000 times faster than text, which is why YouTube has become a go-to place for informational and how-to videos. They encourage awareness trial and usage to pursue the customers to purchase.
However, they also require thorough research and knowledge about the product before creating video content. Consider all the questions that not only tell the viewer how your product can solve your problem but also explain the extensive details of the issue.
Consideration Stage
The consideration phase calls for more information about your product, especially compared to competitors. You can add infographics, reports, comparison tables, checklists, and case studies to make through the consideration stage.
Comparison Charts
Comparison charts are an excellent means of presenting the highlights of your product compared to another similar one. You can mention how your product focuses on intricate details that another seller’s item looks over.
Don’t forget to add infographics and statistical reports to the comparison tables or videos to prove your claim.
Checklists
Mentioning checklists in your product details is among the top choices for a b2b content marketing funnel in a sales-driven buyer’s journey. They show that you know the customer’s problems well and provide a step-by-step solution. You may also add a downloadable e-book link with all the information containing a checklist or mention it on the website.
Sponsored Ads
You may also run sponsored ads on your social media posts, comparison videos, and other informational content to increase visibility.
If you wonder, “what should consideration stage ads do?” you will be surprised to know studies report that visitors from a paid ad are 50% more likely to convert into buyers.
Decision Stage
The decision stage is the last step of the buyer’s journey and takes the customer to the product to fulfill their needs. It is the best time to attract customers to purchase from you using discounts, coupons, offer subscriptions, etc.
Demo Video
A report by Splitit on online checkouts exhibited that 87% of online shoppers said they would not continue checkout if it were too difficult. Furthermore, 55% stated that they might also never return to the site.
As a marketer, you can save yourself or your client from this loss by providing the customer with a demo of the process to make it easy. They will appreciate your effort in saving their time, and the chances of purchase are higher.
Tempting Discounts
Who doesn’t like discounts?
Tempt your customers with a ‘subscription discount’ or ‘first-time purchase’ discount to get an edge over your competitors. You may also give coupon codes to encourage them to buy from you again.
Before we conclude the article, we would like to clear a few misconceptions about the buyer’s journey and related terms for better understanding.
Buyer Journey vs. Customer Journey
While buyer journey and customer journey may sound the same in general conversation, the context varies in marketing and sales perspectives.
A buyer’s journey can be defined as a set of steps that make them a customer, such as awareness, consideration, and decision phase. On the other hand, a customer journey engages existing customers to retain a loyal customer base.
Sometimes, people also confuse the buyer journey with a sales funnel. They are somehow similar but also different. Keep reading to know how.
Buyer Journey vs. Lead Generation Funnel
The buyer journey refers to the steps that bring the customer to make a purchase. However, it could be a lead generation funnel if the right type of content involved in the buyer’s journey ends in generating sales for you.
The main purpose of creating a relevant b2b content marketing funnel is to eventually engage new and existing customers to generate sales.
The Bottom Line
The buyer’s journey is an important aspect of sales, as you can boost your business by creating effective content for the buyer’s journey. Make sure to design specific content for each process step, including the awareness, consideration, and decision stage. While informational content and how-to videos are suitable for the awareness phase, checklists, e-books, and comparison data may prove more helpful for the consideration stage. Moreover, marketers consider demo videos and lucrative discounts beneficial in the final decision phase of the buyer’s journey.
Always remember that a b2b content marketing funnel can turn the buyer’s journey into a lead generation funnel for you if designed the right way!