In almost all steps of the Customer Journey meet customers and potential customers to specific content. As an important component of online marketing, content marketing thus offers valuable starting points for making content effective. A well thought-out content marketing strategy starts at certain Touchpoints in the customer journey. This raises the question of how users with suitable content have them picked up from where they are.
Importance of the Customer journey in content marketing
The variety of possible content requires a precisely defined strategyto play out the content as effectively as possible. 
In doing so, you should consider the customer journey of your customers as the linchpin of content marketing measures.
The customer journey can ideally be broken down into different Phases consider. There are several approaches with different numbers of phases. What they have in common, however, is that in each phase there are certain Touchpoints exists. These are Touchpoints with specific content that can be controlled and defined as part of a content marketing strategy.
For the planning of the content in the different steps, the concept of the Customer Journey Map has prevailed. Such a map can be understood as a roadmap for the points at which customers interact with your content.
Customer journey map: Planning the content in the phases
When planning a customer journey map, analyze the touchpoints where your customers come into contact with your content.
Customers expect content that offers them added value.
The content alignment depends on the product and target group, among other things. For example, the content can inform or entertain. Only if customers understand the Find desired contentthey are highly likely to move on to the next phase of the customer journey.
When planning the content for the customer journey, a precise knowledge of the target group required. Demands and expectations to the content can vary, for example, according to the interest and age of the target group. An exact target group analysis is therefore one of the prerequisites for determining the content.
Touchpoints analysis
Ideally, each touchpoint of the customer journey is associated with a positive experience linked. The customer experience benefits when your customers in the various steps are reach the desired destination smoothly. Especially considering the wide variety of offers today, the typical customer is not very patient.
If the customer does not reach the desired destination, frustration can arise, which can mean the end of the customer journey.
Already hurdles like:
- long loading times of the contents
- Link links to less informative content or
- lack of payment methods at check-out
can lead to the customer switching to the competition.
Customer Journey Mapping
In the design of the Customer Journey Map it is recommended that these to go through by yourself. This helps to accurately track the customer's journey throughout the content. This tells you whether the information is easy to find, helpful and easy to consume. For example, the navigation menu or the ordering process can be better assessed.
Here, all touchpoints can be identified. In doing so, you check whether the respective touchpoint can meet your customers' expectations. This gives you an overview and helps you identify any Optimization potential open. Especially when it comes to extensive online stores with numerous touchpoints, such an approach is relevant.
The touchpoints can be visualized graphically as a customer journey map. Such a map is also a helpful tool in the later course of content optimization. Tool. Experience and customer feedback contribute to the existing concept of the suitable contents to add.
Content types and their Relevance in the Customer Journey
While some users prefer content that is easy to consume, others value information that is as detailed as possible. Still others want content that is particularly technically appealing or that invites interaction. The classification of the content can be made on the basis of the Expectations of the target group classify. For example, the content can be
- Provide information,
- Impart knowledge,
- be entertaining,
- help
Informative content
The provision of Information is particularly important for sophisticated products. For example, when it comes to technical devices that stand out positively from others due to special features, customers want to know these details in detail.
Knowledge transfer content
The Knowledge transfer through content goes beyond pure information and refers, for example, to detailed reviews or scientific studies. Content that imparts knowledge helps to establish oneself as a Expert and thus as trustworthy to present in a specific area.
Entertaining content
Entertaining content can be designed, for example, in the form of interaction elements such as videos or images to share. Wittily designed advertising or sweepstakes promotions can also entertain.
Helpful content
Content is helpful, when it provides customers with certain Problem solving is imparted. These include guide texts, tutorials, and video and online seminars.
Touchpoints: Content for the phases of the customer journey
One approach to the phases and steps of the customer journey is the well-known principle of advertising effectiveness: AIDA. As an abbreviation, the principle describes the phases:
- Attention
- Interest (interest in the product)
- Desire (wish or desire)
- Action (action, for example, purchase)
Specific content is therefore suitable for the various phases of the customer journey.
Attention phase
In the Attention phase, users become aware of an offer or product. Likewise, a user may initially be drawn to a Need for which he will subsequently receive a Solution searches. In online marketing, this phase results in search engine queries or calls to Internet sites and online stores.
It is still a comparatively unspecific phase in the process of making a purchase decision. Therefore, general and informative content is recommended at this point. The content should have the widest possible reach and increase traffic to your website. Suitable content for this phase is, for example:
- Answers to common search queries
- Posts on social media
- Video content
- Audio content and podcasts
Interest phase
If a potential customer is interested in your company or your offer, consequently his or her Need for information to. In this phase, customers research intensively for content that is relevant to them.
At this stage, the need for high-quality content is perhaps greatest. Therefore, you should be ready for comprehensive and detailed information material provide. This you offer in the form of:
- Product information online and offline (brochures)
- FAQs
- E-books and webinars
- Information postings in the social media
- Product-related content on the website
- Whitepapers or studies (especially for B2B customers)
Desire and Decision phase
Ideally, the research phase merges into the decision phase: Visitors then conduct more targeted research and search for individual providers. At this point, a targeted supply of further information must be provided. Potential customers are often willing to forward personal data at this stage. This is a contribution to the Lead generation.
The most important contents in this phase include personal emails as well as personalized landing pages. Multimedia content such as introductory videos focusing on the benefits of the product are also valuable at this point. Also personal Customer advisory meetings (online via video chat or offline) can tip the scales in the decision-making phase.
No matter what content type they use at this stage, the content should build trust with your prospect and convey expert status.
Action phase (Conversions)
The final goal of the marketing measures is conversion: the visitor becomes the customer. In this phase, users perceive your call-to-action and conclude purchase contracts. For the concrete preparation of the purchase, content such as detailed guides, customer references and also special offers are now useful.
The basic principle is that a new customer journey begins at the end of the customer journey. At this point After-sales management and finally the Customer loyalty an. Therefore, at this point you should focus on content like:
- Details of after-sales services
- Reinforcing offers and discounts
- Customer references on the website or in the social media
Since the Acquisition of new customers is usually more time-consuming and cost-intensive than retaining existing customers, play suitable content even after purchase a prominent role.
