I have a confession: I\u2019m a chronic review reader. I start every purchase with a Google search. I rely on content \u2014 both from reviewers and from companies themselves \u2014 to make my final decision.<\/p>\n\n
So, here\u2019s what I know firsthand: Shoppers are looking for different types of content at different stages of the buyer\u2019s journey.<\/p>\n
<\/a><\/p>\n Here\u2019s an example. I recently decided to automate my LinkedIn thought leadership. To find the right solution, I read listicles about social media management tools.<\/p>\n Once I was acquainted with the market, I looked up product overviews. Then, I watched demos to see how the tools work. When I finally chose Buffer, I had dozens of pieces of content to support my decision.<\/p>\n As a marketer, you need to craft a strategy that supports the different stages of your buyer\u2019s journey. You\u2019ll need material for every step of the content marketing funnel. Below, I\u2019ll share strategies that work \u2014 both as a marketer and a consumer.<\/p>\n Let\u2019s dive in.<\/p>\n Table of Contents<\/strong><\/p>\n What is the content marketing funnel?<\/a> <\/a> <\/p>\n The content marketing funnel maps the buyer’s journey from initial awareness, through consideration, to the final purchase decision.<\/p>\n Understanding this division \u2014 typically top, middle, and bottom \u2014 helps you create targeted content that addresses prospects’ needs and nurtures leads through each stage of the decision-making process.<\/p>\n Aligning content with each stage of the buyer’s journey helps you provide value, build trust, and guide customers toward choosing your product.<\/p>\n <\/a> <\/p>\n As I highlighted in the previous section, you can divide your content marketing funnel into three stages.<\/p>\n In this section, I\u2019ll explain what each of these levels involve and the kind of content you can create, using my own business as an example.<\/p>\n At the top of the funnel, I focus on attracting B2B SaaS decision-makers who are just realizing they have content challenges. My goal is to educate and inform, not to pitch my services directly.<\/p>\n I create content like:<\/p>\n Blog posts addressing common B2B SaaS content struggles With these, I hope to attract potential clients and showcase my expertise in the B2B SaaS space.<\/p>\n In the middle of the funnel, I target B2B SaaS prospects actively seeking content solutions. They’re comparing options, so I position my services as the ideal choice.<\/p>\n I develop content such as:<\/p>\n In-depth guides on creating effective SaaS content strategies This content helps prospects evaluate my services and builds trust in my specialized knowledge.<\/p>\n At the bottom of the funnel, I focus on B2B SaaS decision-makers ready to choose a content strategist. I aim to overcome any final objections and encourage them to reach out.<\/p>\n I offer content like:<\/p>\n Free content audits or strategy consultations The goal of this content is to convert prospects into clients by offering the last piece of information or reassurance they need to choose my services.<\/p>\n <\/a> <\/p>\n Throughout my years as a content strategist for B2B SaaS companies, I\u2018ve personally discovered the buyer\u2019s journey is rarely a straight path.<\/p>\n With the exception of impulse software purchases (which are rare in B2B), most decision-makers begin in an \u201cunaware stage.\u201d They typically fit the demographics of an ideal client \u2014 what I call a buyer persona \u2014 but they\u2018re unaware of the SaaS solution or don\u2019t yet realize they need it.<\/p>\n A triggering event often changes their situation or highlights a pain point that needs solving. This is what kicks off their buyer’s journey.<\/p>\n\n Let me share an example I’ve used with clients: Imagine a growing startup realizes its project management is becoming chaotic. These companies rarely decide to purchase a SaaS project management tool immediately.<\/p>\n Instead, they often turn to the internet to learn more and make decisions as they progress through the following stages. My job is to assist them in that decision-making process through strategic content.<\/p>\n In the awareness stage, B2B buyers are experiencing a problem or pain point, and their goal is to alleviate it. They’re typically looking for informational resources to more clearly understand, frame, and give a name to their problem.<\/p>\n A common search query a prospect might begin with is: \u201cHow to improve team productivity?\u201d At this stage, they\u2018re not yet thinking about specific SaaS solutions; it\u2019s much too early for that.<\/p>\n Instead, they\u2018re looking to contextualize their problem first. As a B2B SaaS content strategist, I\u2019ve discovered that showing up in search engine results, even in these early stages, is crucial to establishing authority and gaining the trust of buyers starting the journey.<\/p>\n Moving to the consideration stage, I\u2018ve observed that B2B buyers have usually clearly defined and named their problem.<\/p>\n They\u2019re now committed to researching and understanding all available approaches and methods to solving their defined problem or opportunity. In other words, I’ve seen how they start considering potential SaaS solutions.<\/p>\n From my work, I know that a typical search inquiry a prospect would make at this stage might be: \u201cProject management software vs. traditional methods?\u201d In the consideration stage, the prospect isn’t yet ready to buy, but they are deciding on the potential solution for them.<\/p>\n My strategy here is to consider indirect competitors and educate prospects on the pros and cons of various SaaS options.<\/p>\n Once they’ve progressed to the decision stage, B2B buyers have typically decided on their solution strategy, method, or approach.<\/p>\n Their goal now is to compile a list of available SaaS vendors, make a short list, and ultimately make a final purchase decision.<\/p>\n Prospects at this stage make search inquiries like: \u201cAsana vs. Trello vs. Jira.\u201d At this point, they\u2018re ready to invest in a solution.<\/p>\n They\u2019ll likely go with a SaaS provider they like, know, and trust so long as that provider can meet their specific business needs.<\/p>\n <\/a> <\/p>\n As in all marketing disciplines, it\u2019s essential to understand your audience<\/a>: how they think, the answers they seek, and the path they tend to take to find a solution.<\/p>\n From that research, you can begin crafting a documented content strategy<\/a> that maps your content to the various stages of the buyer’s journey.<\/p>\n When you don\u2018t completely understand your audience, it creates a disconnect between your business and your potential customers.<\/p>\n For content marketers like me, this usually means you\u2019re putting out content your readers don’t really relate to, which can cause you to lose them.<\/p>\n To avoid this, you\u2018ll have to consider the stage they\u2019re at in their journey, how to meet them there, and the best channels to put the content in front of them. The internet has made it easier for marketers (and salespeople) to engage customers at the various stages of their journey using content marketing.<\/p>\n That\u2019s one of the main reasons why 14% of marketers<\/a> consider content marketing the marketing channel with the highest return on investment (ROI).<\/p>\n HubSpot’s marketing platform<\/a> offers powerful automation tools that can help streamline this process. I love how you can use the platform to create personalized content experiences, see how users engage at each stage of their buying process, and send tailored content when users need it.<\/p>\n Creating the right content at the right time can, however, be a challenge.<\/p>\n Building a content strategy starts with identifying the types of content<\/a> you\u2019ll need to reach your audience according to their progression through the buyer\u2019s journey, and we\u2019ll guide you through it in terms of both the marketing flywheel.<\/p>\n <\/a> <\/p>\n Once you have an idea of your buyer persona and how prospects move closer to purchase, you can begin creating content for your buyer at different stages and tailor that content per channel.<\/p>\n Doing so can help you map your content to the relevant stages of the buyer\u2019s journey<\/a> to make a marketing funnel.<\/p>\n Your journey may look very different depending on your industry, business model, product, pricing, and audience.<\/p>\n Some B2C customers, for example, spend very little time in the middle of the buyer\u2019s journey compared to B2B customers, who require far more nurturing, engagement, and relationship development before a purchase is made.<\/p>\n A $50 pair of sneakers, for instance, requires a lot less hand-holding when it comes to making purchase decisions than a $10,000 business software investment.<\/p>\n <\/a> <\/p>\n Because audiences can vary widely based on industry and intent, persona research is of the utmost importance<\/a>.<\/p>\n By understanding their unique process for awareness and evaluation, you can create a truly effective content marketing funnel<\/a> and strategy packed with custom content that best supports their journey toward making a purchase.<\/p>\n\n So, let\u2019s take it from the top and start from the beginning of the buyer\u2019s journey.<\/p>\n At the awareness stage<\/strong>, a buyer is looking for top-level educational content to help direct them to a solution, like blog posts, social content, and ebooks.<\/p>\n Their value as a lead is low because there\u2019s no guarantee that they\u2019ll buy from you. But those who find your content helpful and interesting may journey on to the middle of the funnel.<\/p>\n\n The ideal channels for the awareness stage may include:<\/p>\n Blogging Let\u2019s run through the different content formats best suited for these channels.<\/p>\n <\/a> <\/p>\n A blog post is an ideal piece of content targeting the awareness stage.<\/p>\n By targeting a pain, problem, or topic your target audience wants to discover and then posting it to your website, you\u2019re creating a brand asset that\u2019s crawlable by Google and discoverable by search engine users.<\/p>\n You can also promote your blog content across other channels.<\/p>\n When I\u2019m having trouble ideating topics that align with my audience\u2019s pain points, HubSpot\u2019s Blog Ideas Generator<\/a> can come in handy \u2014 just type in a few details about your audience or content, and the platform will generate catchy titles relevant to your input.<\/p>\n\n Image Source<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n Ahrefs does blog content right. They include original data and informational advice to create long-form articles that serve their audience.<\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n Download for Free<\/a><\/p>\n You can use social media to promote your other content, and you can also create content specifically for the channel.<\/p>\n According to Backlinko, 86.1% of all eligible audiences<\/a> aged 18+ are active on social media. Since I target B2B SaaS companies, my social channel of choice is LinkedIn.<\/p>\n\n Image Source<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n In the above example, I\u2019ve shared a carousel on my top tools on LinkedIn. These formats are popular on LinkedIn, as the content is created to be snackable with short-form take-aways.<\/p>\n A whitepaper is an organization\u2019s report or guide on a particular topic.<\/p>\n Whitepapers are especially useful as downloadable offers when readers want to go more in-depth on a specific subject they\u2019re reading about.<\/p>\n I\u2018ve found it\u2019s crucial to provide unique information your audience can\u2018t find elsewhere, which helps audiences understand the report\u2019s value and compels them to download it.<\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n Image Source<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n Every year, HubSpot publishes a survey on the state of marketing to provide helpful guidance based on thought leadership to marketers, sales professionals, and business owners.<\/p>\n Inside, readers find statistics from a broad survey and industry experts\u2019 opinions on what the data means and where the industry is going.<\/p>\n For complicated tasks with many moving parts, your audience may simply want a blueprint that spells out what they\u2019re supposed to do to achieve their end goal.<\/p>\n\n Image Source<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n Buying a home is a perfect example of this, and Opendoor meets its audience\u2019s needs by providing a handy checklist (in infographic form!) for the reader that spells out all the steps that need to be taken. The graphic is aesthetically pleasing and even allows room for a few tips along the way.<\/p>\n My experience has taught me that sometimes, the best way to solve a pain or problem is to learn a new skill.<\/p>\n While a purchase may be required along the way, your audience often needs to become more informed about the problem and potential solutions first. That\u2018s where I\u2019ve seen instructional video content really shine.<\/p>\n HubSpot Marketing has a series of videos dedicated to teaching viewers about where SEO principles are broken down to the audience in easy-to-understand language and visuals. Knowing that SEO is a complex subject, the Marketing team aims to make it accessible to viewers.<\/p>\n I\u2018ve learned that informational content for a broad audience isn\u2019t always sufficient for my buyer personas to make a decision.<\/p>\n In some cases, they require more utility or personalization. That\u2018s why I\u2019ve found kits and tools to be excellent content pieces for guiding readers along their path to purchase.<\/p>\n\n Image Source<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n Nerdwallet creates content around several financial topics, budgeting being one of them. It can be challenging to create a budget, though, so they developed a calculator that allows users to provide their own numbers to receive customized recommendations.<\/p>\n Similar to whitepapers, I’ve had success using ebooks and tip sheets as downloadable content. However, I typically make these shorter and more actionable.<\/p>\n\n Image Source<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n CoSchedule combines a few tactics by promoting their headline analyzer tool with a blog post about writing great headlines that drive traffic<\/a>.<\/p>\n On that blog post, they include a great tip sheet of powerful words<\/a> to include in headlines if you want to catch a reader\u2019s attention.<\/p>\n <\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n Download for Free<\/a><\/p>\n A webinar is a web seminar where information is typically provided through video.<\/p>\n A webinar can be prerecorded or streamed live, which opens up many possibilities for disseminating information to an audience that wants more visual and auditory content.<\/p>\n\n At HubSpot, we create webinars as a key part of our content marketing strategy and often run a valuable topic multiple times to get more mileage out of the content.<\/p>\n Moving on from the awareness stage content, let\u2019s delve into the next stage of the buyer\u2019s journey.<\/p>\n When someone moves into the consideration stage<\/strong>, it means you\u2019ve captured their attention. They know they have a problem that has to be solved, and now they\u2019re trying to discover the best solution. The need for a future purchase commitment creeps up as they\u2019re evaluating their options.<\/p>\n\n This stage is typically a point of extended engagement where you\u2019re nurturing a lead, building a relationship, and establishing trust between the audience and your brand.<\/p>\n The ideal channels for your consideration stage may include:<\/p>\n Website or Blogging Let\u2019s go through the best content formats for this part of the buyer\u2019s journey.<\/p>\n <\/a> <\/p>\n In the consideration stage, the buyer persona still considers solutions to their pain or problem. For this reason, product comparisons are a great way to help them decide.<\/p>\n\n Image Source<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n For example, when I worked with a project management SaaS, we created comparison guides between different competitor tools to help our readers understand which tool might work best for their team.<\/p>\n I’ve successfully used case studies in both the consideration and decision stages. In my view, a well-crafted case study convinces the reader that our solution works by showcasing real results for actual clients.<\/p>\n When I create case studies for my B2B SaaS clients, I make sure to appeal to both emotions and logic. I tell a compelling story about the client’s challenges while providing detailed, quantitative data on how our solution solved their problems.<\/p>\n\n Image Source<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n HubSpot Partner Agency Blueleadz<\/a> tells a story about their client and their problems while providing a detailed account of how they solved them.<\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n Download for Free<\/a><\/p>\n A free sample is another example of content or an offer that overlaps between the buyer\u2019s journey stages. Consider this: An individual wants to paint the inside of their home but doesn\u2019t know what color.<\/p>\n As they consider which color (the solution) to use, they pick up paint chip cards from their hardware store. A provider creates these cards based on their individual solution. When the individual falls in love with a color, they already know who the provider is that makes it.<\/p>\n\n Image Source<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n SILKCARDS taps into this buying behavior by offering samples of their unique printing methods on the content that they create.<\/p>\n They know their business is tactile, and digital content alone is not enough to close a deal. Once their prospective customer holds the sample in their hands, other business cards are put to shame.<\/p>\n So, now that you\u2019ve provided content to help customers list out or sample their options, it\u2019s time to move them into the decision stage<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n As prospects near the end of the buyer\u2019s journey, they\u2019re evaluating providers down to specific or specialized offerings.<\/p>\n Marketers, in turn, want to go above and beyond their expectations and provide an easy and frictionless customer experience that can win them over their competitors.<\/p>\n Handling objections, remove hesitation, position ahead of comp<\/p>\n In my experience, the most effective channels for decision-stage content include:<\/p>\n Website. Here are the content formats I’ve found most effective in helping prospects get closer to purchase.<\/p>\n <\/a> <\/p>\n Most of my clients in B2B SaaS offer free trials of their products. Free trials allow potential customers to experience the power of the tools firsthand. Once they see how new tools impact productivity and efficiency, they\u2019re much more likely to become paying customers.<\/p>\n\n Image Source<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n Dropbox Sign<\/a> does this well. Though they have a free option with limitations, they know that offering a free trial upfront is the key to getting clients into their larger tiers. Their pricing page sets the prospect\u2019s expectations and points them to the free trial.<\/p>\n A consultation is another example of providing just a little bit of service in exchange for the opportunity to close the sale.<\/p>\n The best consultation reduces the anxiety of entering into a sales conversation by promising something concrete they can walk away with (a strategy or actionable advice) in exchange for their time.<\/p>\n\n In my B2B SaaS strategies, I often include consultation offers. I’ve found they work best when they promise concrete, actionable advice.<\/p>\n To increase conversions, I always make scheduling as frictionless as possible and use automated booking systems like Calendly.<\/p>\n A coupon appeals to a fear of missing out (FOMO) mindset.<\/p>\n By reducing the price by a certain amount, a coupon is handing a price objection while convincing the prospect that they\u2019re leaving money on the table if they don\u2019t use the coupon. This inertia is enough to win the prospect\u2019s business.<\/p>\n While traditional coupons aren\u2018t as common in B2B SaaS, I\u2019ve had success with limited-time offers or special pricing for early adopters. This creates a sense of urgency and can be the final push a prospect needs to make a decision.<\/p>\n\n
\n Levels of the Content Marketing Funnel<\/a>
\n Understanding the Buyer\u2019s Journey in Marketing<\/a>
\n Why Creating Content for the Buyer’s Journey Is Important<\/a>
\n Creating Content for Each Stage of the Buyer’s Journey<\/a>
\n Content Ideas for Each Stage of the Buyer’s Journey<\/a> <\/p>\nWhat is the content marketing funnel?<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Levels of the Content Marketing Funnel<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Top of the Funnel (ToFu)<\/strong><\/h3>\n
\n Infographics showcasing content marketing ROI statistics
\n LinkedIn posts sharing quick content strategy tips
\n Short videos explaining content trends in SaaS <\/p>\nMiddle of the Funnel (MoFu)<\/strong><\/h3>\n
\n Case studies highlighting my success with other B2B SaaS clients
\n Detailed posts exploring specific content challenges in SaaS
\n Comparison charts showing how my approach differs from in-house teams <\/p>\nBottom of the Funnel (BoFu)<\/strong><\/h3>\n
\n Testimonials from satisfied B2B SaaS clients
\n Detailed breakdowns of my content strategy process
\n ROI projections based on previous client results <\/p>\nUnderstanding the Buyer\u2019s Journey in Marketing<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Awareness Stage<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Consideration Stage<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Decision Stage<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Why Creating Content for the Buyer’s Journey Is Important<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Creating Content for Each Stage of the Buyer’s Journey<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Content Ideas for Each Stage of the Buyer’s Journey<\/strong><\/h2>\n
\n Search Engine Marketing
\n Social Media Marketing <\/p>\n1. Blog Post<\/strong><\/h3>\n
\nFeatured Resource:<\/strong> 6 Free Blog Post Templates<\/a><\/strong>
\n<\/h4>\n2. Social Media Post<\/strong><\/h3>\n
3. Whitepaper<\/strong><\/h3>\n
4. Checklist<\/strong><\/h3>\n
5. How-To Video<\/strong><\/h3>\n
6. Kit or Tool<\/strong><\/h3>\n
7. Ebook or Tip Sheet<\/strong><\/h3>\n
\nFeatured Resource:<\/strong> 36 Free Ebook Templates<\/a><\/strong>
\n<\/h4>\n8. Educational Webinar<\/strong><\/h3>\n
\n Search Engine Marketing
\n Email Marketing
\n Social Media <\/p>\n1. Product Comparison Guides<\/strong><\/h3>\n
2. Case Study<\/strong><\/h3>\n
\nFeatured Resource:<\/strong> 3 Free Case Study Templates<\/a><\/strong>
\n<\/h4>\n3. Free Sample<\/strong><\/h3>\n
\n Email marketing.
\n Live chat and chatbots for service. <\/p>\n1. Free Trial or Live Demo<\/strong><\/h3>\n
2. Consultation Offer<\/strong><\/h3>\n
3. Coupon<\/strong><\/h3>\n