Content for the Customer Journey – Phase I: Awareness
In our digital age, the road to consumer’s
dollars is paved with good content. As online sales rapidly increase and mobile
devices feed us information 24/7, it’s never been tougher for brands to break
through the noise and differentiate themselves in a crowded marketplace. Luckily,
we’re here to help start you off on the right foot by showing you how to create
awareness content for the customer journey.
Awareness Content for the Customer Journey
As marketers, our primary goal is to
influence customer behavior, which is why it’s so crucial to start your
customer journey by first researching your audience. The Awareness stage (at the very top of the marketing funnel) is your chance
to introduce your business to customers, and you want to be certain you’re reaching the right
audience. Consumers in this stage
of the buying process are focused on discovery, which means they’re looking for
content that addresses and helps solve their problems. Engaging with consumers
in the Awareness stage is about positioning your brand as a trusted resource–one that creates compelling,
actionable content that helps move consumers further down the purchase funnel.
Engaging Consumers with Awareness
Based Content
Think
of Awareness content as the “get to know you” phase of
marketing. As your target audience likely doesn’t have top-of-mind awareness of
your brand, your first objective is to show how you can benefit them with your
product or service. People in the Awareness
phase are eager to learn about your brand and how it can solve their
problems or provide value to their life.
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According to GWI, 42% of consumers report
using social media to research new brands or products, making social platforms
second only to search engines for discovery. What’s more, 81% of shoppers conduct online research
before making a purchase. With a figure that high, it’s
likely that a majority of your audience falls into this category. Since people
are looking for information and answers about a product or service they need, your
goal is to create content that is attention grabbing, entertaining and
informative. Capture your audience’s attention through videos, images,
step-by-step Pins, and inventive flat lays or posts that illustrate how your
brand differentiates from competitors.
Invest in Evergreen Content
Though
seasonal marketing has its place, evergreen content is the best way to generate
visibility and position your brand for engagement. Evergreen content is
accessible, high-value content that retains its appeal no matter what the
season or business objective. They can feature generic messaging about brand
benefits or highlight a specific part of your industry.
Awareness Content in Action
This Instagram Story from our client, Altar’d State, is a great example
of how to capture users in the Awareness stage. Instagram Stories are by nature
short, informative, entertaining, making them the perfect option for a piece of
Awareness content.
This Story ran early in December and highlighted Christmas gifts—something top of mind for the target audience. Natural imagery, playful copy, emojis, and a “Swipe Up to Find a Story Near You” function made it accessible, shoppable, and shareable, encouraging discovery of the Altar’d State brand during the busy holiday season. As you create content to generate brand awareness, remember that the key to engaging awareness content isn’t quantity, but intention. If you create content with the intention of addressing awareness objectives, you’re more likely create an asset that provides a measurable return and helps drive consumers to the next state of the funnel: consideration. Ready to read more? Check out our full Content for the Customer Journey eBook.
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