The Content Marketing Funnel
A guide from SEMRush on how to create and measure various contents for the various stages of the marketing funnel
End of last year an advertising agency approached and wanted to see if I would build and lead a content marketing division.
“We want to scale and build content solutions for our client matching to the scales of Buzzfeed and the likes of Arre. We have the vision to create Netflix originals for branded content,” said the visionary marketing leader.
I run away from visionary and future-looking people. But most importantly I don’t get along with people who focus only on operations and ROI.
“Strategy. Oh yes, it is there but what can we do on Instagram Reels from a content point of view.”
Anyways the gig never happened because I had clarity that I was not the right person.
Content Marketing Strategy
Do you think the strategy is important while deciding your content marketing plan?
SEMRush asked a similar question to 1500 marketers for its latest Global Content Marketing Report 2020. “84% said yes to having a content marketing strategy( no one lies in a survey), however, 30% said that their strategy was average.”
I have already shared my thoughts on the report and how content marketing teams are using technologies, content distribution and overcoming challenges.
While you know the trends and how marketers are thinking about content marketing in 2021, but how do you use the content mediums in the various stages of the marketing funnel.
I am not a big fan of the marketing funnel but then I am not a fan of many things in the world. Don’t be Prasant Naidu and click on the guide that SEMRush has provided for Content Marketing Funnel.
On being asked: What kind of contents do marketers produce in 2020? Blogs, email and case study and infographics lead the race.
However, how do you integrate the various content methods to the three stages of the marketing funnel?
SEMRush says: “A content marketing funnel is a system that helps companies attract potential clients. It guides a user on their journey — from their first tentative interaction with a brand to actually becoming a paying customer.”
“In 2021, content marketing has become central to having a successful digital marketing strategy for many brands. Still, marketers often fall into the trap of rolling out content erratically, without thinking about the best way to organize it, or how to measure its performance. Of more concern is that many also fail to decide how content will help them meet their business goals.
Understanding which type of content works best at each stage — and continuously measuring its performance — is crucial for delivering real value to your audience. Ultimately, it’s what will help you build a real relationship with your customers and encourage them to take the desired action.”
Top of the Funnel(TOFU)
The TOFU is the very beginning of the buyer journey when people might not be ready to buy anything from you. Instead, they might be starting to realize they have a problem that needs a solution. So, it’s your job to capture their attention, offer the best answer to their question(s), and gently introduce them to your brand.
The type of content that works best at this stage is educational content focused on high-level topics and aimed at solving your audience’s problems leads the way. More specifically, ‘how-to’ guides.
Pageviews and average time users are spending on the page are the top two ways of measuring the content performance of TOFU. The average time is becoming more crucial when long-form rather valuable articles are drawing more attention.
Long reads, explanatory headlines and a clear structure make your content better.
“The longer your text is the more pageviews it will get. Texts of 3000+ words get twice as many pageviews as those of 900–1200 words and the numbers grow linearly. 7000+ word articles remain the highest performing in all respects, from pageviews to backlinks and social shares.”
Middle of the Funnel(MOFU)
At the MOFU stage, the number of people interacting with your content is smaller. They have a clear idea of what their problem is and are researching specific ways to solve it. These users may be more likely to engage with your brand further if you can offer them the right value.
The goal at this stage is to help guide prospects from an introduction to your brand to an in-depth understanding of your solution.
According to the marketers, surveyed success stories work exceptionally well at the MOFU stage. Product overviews, case studies, tutorials and webinars, as well as how-to guides and webinars can also generate a lot of engagement.
This is also the point when most marketers set up full-stack email marketing workflows to nurture leads and keep them engaged with the brand.
The number of leads and conversion rates become a bigger conversion metric.
Bottom of the Funnel(BOFU)
In the BOFU stage, the goal is to position the brand as superior to your competitors, build trust, and, ultimately, secure the purchase. Users at this stage have mapped a strategy for solving their problem and are ready to make a decision on the best way to do it.
At this stage, all of your content should address specific questions about your solution. Customer-generated and case-oriented content are some of the most effective at this point. This can include product overviews, customer reviews, case studies and use cases.
Email marketing remains an effective tool to keep the purchase moving forward and arm potential customers with everything they need to make the final decision to buy. Other effective channels include organic search and PPC.
At this point of the marketing funnel metrics like conversion rate, payments, and ROI are the success factors to consider.
The guide ends with insightful advice:
“Content marketing success is going to look different for each business. However, by measuring your content performance as related to the buyer journey, you can make sure your efforts are working and you’re not wasting valuable time or resources.”
So don’t forget to create buyer journeys for your business.