How to drive customers through your marketing funnel using content

"The session began by asking attendees why they made content, and we were pleased to see answers corresponding to every stage of the marketing funnel. Engagement and storytelling ranked the highest, while other popular answers included education, selling products/generating sales, brand awareness, creating a dialogue, enhancing brand messaging, boosting SEO, making people feel like they belong, entertaining and creating a buzz."

"Then Niki asked whether some common content faux pas had occurred within our attendees' companies, with 66% of people saying that they had been asked to upload a video taken on an iPhone to their brand's social media account, and 54% saying that they had been rushed to publish content immediately for an imminent event. Each situation points to confusion about creating appropriate content for different stages of the funnel."

"Of course, the client doesn't think of themselves as within a funnel. Instead, their journey in their mind is more likely to go as follows: I want to treat myself - how should I spend my money? I've decided what type of product I am looking for, but which brand to choose? Is this brand's product really right for me? Can I afford it? Is it a socially acceptable purchase? What will it"

Attendees create content for engagement and storytelling as well as for education, sales, brand awareness, dialogue, messaging, SEO, belonging, entertainment and buzz. Survey responses reveal common content mistakes: 66% faced requests to upload iPhone-shot videos to brand social accounts and 54% were rushed to publish for imminent events. Such mistakes indicate confusion about appropriate content for different funnel stages. The classic three-stage funnel is adapted for HNW and UHNW audiences into six stages: pre-awareness, awareness, interest, desire, action and retention, roughly aligning to notice me, consider me and buy me. The pre-awareness stage is crucial because elite customers often start wanting to treat themselves without a specific product and are highly open to brand temptation. Clients mentally progress from wanting to treat themselves to selecting a product type, choosing a brand, evaluating fit, and assessing affordability and social acceptability before deciding.

Read at The Drum