Content exists in a vast array of day-to-day processes across different platforms. Ensuring you’re using effective content for each and sending engaging messages is vital to succeed in your business.

Let’s consider…

Where does your current content feature?
Is it on your website, blogs, through social media, perhaps through sales funnels?
Maybe it’s in printed or digital marketing materials or even in a magazine?
No matter where it lies, for it to land well with your customers, you need to understand the journey it should take.

Ask yourself:

Is your content customer-centric? Is it informative, engaging to your ideal customer, is it written in your tone of voice, is it authentic? It should reflect who you are and what you stand for as a business and always promote your values.

Is it engaging?

Does the content grab your audience? Use a critical eye to ask yourself why is it interesting, why would your customer want to see more? Do you answer the questions they need answering? If so, how and in what way?
It is vital that you present the information that your customer wants to know and not what you want to tell them. If your customers have a question that isn’t easily and quickly answered by your content, they may leave your site to find the answer – possibly never to return!

How does content relate to customer experience?

Customer experience is the sum of all our interactions with a particular brand. Our needs as customers vary and change all the time. That’s why we need to get to know our customers and communicate with them in a way that is appealing and engaging.
How do you do this?

Profile your Customer

Get to understand their needs, values, try adopting an empathic approach, put yourself in their shoes and ask yourself what do they want and why? What purpose or problem does that solve?

Pain Points

Does your customer journey contain pain points or hurdles for your customer?
Is your website content clear, concise and easy to navigate? Look at your content as if you were looking at it from a customer’s perspective, would you be happy with what you find?
Does your content support your customer throughout the journey, including helping them identify ‘what to do next’ or ‘how we’ll work with you’?
It is only by looking at content under critical scrutiny that you can firstly recognise, and more importantly, eliminate these pain points.

Bonding with your customer

Your aim is to create an easy and convenient two-way communication channel between you and your customers. Commit to what you’re offering and engage through high-quality content.
Supermarkets very rarely advertise or market their individual items. Instead, they sell the whole meal, simultaneously making you salivate and reaching for the online basket or nearest store.
And that is what you should be looking for: An engaging and creative way to show your customer what it is you do, will do and continue to do for them.
Based on what you know about your customer, think about what they may search for in terms of words, phrases, products and services. Remember they may not even know who you are at the beginning of the customer journey so adapting your content to match these services is key.

Is it ok to use sales-focused content?

There’s certainly a place for content with an emphasis on sales. In fact, sales funnels can create massive engagement. However, the trick is to ensure that the content is not too pushy. If you have a great brand and are customer-centric, then your products and services should sell themselves.

How often do you change your content or how often should you?

It needs changing if you find yourself recognising that your content isn’t converting

Ask yourself, why aren’t your customers engaging with your content:

• Are you overloading?
• Is it tired and outdated?
• Is it confusing?
• Have you thought about your SEO strategy?
• How are you engaging your customers? Are they aware of you and your content?
• Does it solve a problem?
• Is it interesting and informative?
• Is it consistent and frequent? Are you keeping your customers in the loop so they purchase from you again?