CONTENT EXPERIENCE by Brandung

Content answers the only important question we ask ourselves as a customer, employee or user: “Why?” – Why should I buy this product? Why should I choose this service provider and not another one? Why should I work for this company? The answer to “why-questions” addresses our limbic brain structures, in which emotions (such as loyalty and trust) are processed. These emotions play a major role in (purchase) decision-making processes. After all, these decisions are largely made on an emotional level rather than a rational level. This is where content (experience) comes into play as it fulfills two important functions for us:

1. Brand positioning: you as a company/brand have the chance to show off your expertise as well as attitude and values through relevant content
2. Customer Centricity: you as a company/brand can meet the needs of your target and retain their loyalty successfully by providing relevant content

Therefore, good content kills two of your overarching (business) goals with one stone. And “content first” as a strategic approach in digital projects allows modules and functions for websites, stores, etc. to be designed in a more targeted way right from the start – for a consistent and efficient project process.

But there is plenty of content out there, so it is extremely important to stand out from the crowd. Each one of us has an exciting story to tell. We all have a high level of expertise, the best service or great products to sell. Whether it’s for the online store, the corporate blog on the website or any other digital platform: our goal must be to create the “perfect match” between individual (user) need and relevant content that has not yet developed or fulfilled by anyone else. In other words, the identification of personal customer needs and the precise delivery of relevant content to different touchpoints has never been as important as it is today.

By the way when we say “relevant content” we also mean search engine optimized content. At brandung for example, we don’t distinguish between “texts” and “SEO texts” according to Google guidelines. Why is that? Because the main goal of our content is to always satisfy the user. And if the user is happy, so are Google & Co. The ranking factor E-A-T (expertise - authority – trust), for example, checks nothing other than the fact that a website is the most competent and trustworthy source for the respective user’s intent.

To look at the different stages in the decision/purchase process of your customers from the company’s point of view, the model of the “marketing hourglass”, the extended sales/marketing funnel including the post-purchase phase, helps. The good news is that content can help you achieve any of your goals, from attracting more attention to building customer loyalty. You can use your expertise to create content fireworks, but you should always have the users’ needs at the various touchpoints of the customer journey in mind: 

• Awareness: content that attracts attention – clear, intuitive, activating and easily sharable
• Consideration: advisory content that demonstrates expertise, solutions and builds trust
• Purchase: conversion-driven content
• Loyalty: content that keeps your customers engaged at a high level
• Advocacy: interactive content that turns your customers into brand ambassadors

To ensure that you are successful with your content experience in the long run, keep an eye on your users and your goals or KPIs at every stage of your “marketing hourglass” – or hand over this area of responsibility to a partner at your side. Because that’s the good thing: the success of content is measurable!