1. Why quality content is relevant?
You may remember, we have gone through several fashions when it comes to web content (not counting the many more that influence its design). We’ve had times when design was visual and content was sparse (a picture was worth 1000 words). But, how did we help users to move forward in their purchase cycle? Practically, we didn’t do it. And as consumer trends and digitally-influenced consumer behaviour changed, so did we.
More recently, many websites started to follow the trend of creating specific content to improve their page rankings in the SERPs. These pages contained information-poor but keyword-heavy text. And again, did this bring anything to users, and were these texts of sufficient quality to help them in their buying cycle? Not really. And for this reason, among others, Google ended up penalising this over-optimisation, a practice known as keyword stuffing.
We explain this to you because, although we know that the use of keywords is important when creating content, the quality of the content must take precedence, regardless of the volume. For this reason, it is essential to work on a content strategy focused on objectives and, especially, taking into account the needs of our buyer persona, that is, our potential customers during their buying cycle. Let us explain it to you by means of an example:
1.1. Case study: What is the usual scenario in which content is needed?
Let’s imagine we are talking about a SaaS called Kiwi Software. As a B2B company, its technology solution is relatively complex. It offers a specialised product that solves one of its customers’ main problems, making them highly satisfied and its lifetime value high. However, this solution involves a considerable investment for its prospects, so the buying cycle (the buyer’s journey) is considerably long. Ultimately, it takes them quite a long time to get a customer, but when they close the deal, the customer will use the software for a long time if the customer service (not just technical) is adequate.
1.2. Problem: What is the problem of not having the right content strategy?
Now let’s imagine that Kiwi Software has a blog (a common practice) that includes articles related to its business activity and current news about the sector that could be of interest to its potential customers. But what is the purpose of this blog? We could say that, in this case, only to attract traffic.
Kiwi Software has grown in visibility thanks to its blog and it gets a large volume of visits. However, what does the company do with these visits? Although some users continue their research process and consult the service pages of its website, conversions are low. Users lose interest halfway through the process. And the truth is that there is a wide variety of actions that can be taken with the right content. What kind of actions?
1.3. Solution: How should a technology company use content?
Let’s assume that Kiwi Software works well with its blog content. That they have carried out research into the problems and needs of their potential customers, i.e. they are aware of their pain points in the buying cycle (buyer’s journey). They know which keywords these users enter in search engines. And that, therefore, they have a good content programme, with regular publications focused on the Knowledge and Consideration phases of the buyer’s journey of their prospects, proposing possible useful solutions for them.
However, when your prospects want to progress through the buying cycle to the Decision stage, the content they consult on the website is poor. Kiwi Software’s website has an attractive visual design that catches the eye, but it lacks explanatory content about its products and services. And it lacks conversion systems with which to obtain the contact information of interested users, potential customers.
To avoid disappointing users in one of the most important phases of their purchase cycle, it is necessary to adapt the content strategy. And what could Kiwi Software do?
- Adapt the web structure to the needs of your users. Create a simplified sitemap that allows logical and simple navigation, which does not lead to confusion. Create sufficient categories taking into account search terms and SEO On Page, but avoid abusing multiple levels of navigation.
- Create web content that allows potential consumers to learn about the products and/or services, solving all possible doubts and explaining what they gain from the purchase process. To do this, it will be necessary to adapt the product or service pages, taking into account the Cluster strategy and converting these pages into the pillars of the website.
- Use different content formats. Don’t stop at text and images, use videos to simplify the most complex information, to make it easier to consume. Include animation, success stories and useful resources on your website.
- Create conversion paths that lead to downloadable content offers. In this way you will not only be providing specific information of value to your potential customers, but you will also be getting their contact information. Remember, however, that these offers must be mainly instructive. Avoid making them purely commercial.
- Do Lead Nurturing. Content is also useful when you know your contacts well. If you know what kind of information they have consumed on your blog and what kind of content offers they have downloaded, you can help them move forward in their buying cycle if you offer them related content that is of value via email marketing.
2. What content strategy could you use as a benchmark?
In short, all the best content practices are included in an Inbound Marketing methodology, which includes the content strategy itself and which we could consider as a necessary evolution according to the consumption needs of current users.
2.1. Blogging practices that can help you attract more traffic
You already know the importance of a blog for your business. As we have said, it can help you in the early stages of the buyer’s journey of your potential customers. To do this, you should take into account the best practices that you can see in the best technology blogs, which put into practice the creation of quality content.
2.2. Web content that is both visually appealing and useful to the user
Have you noticed the amount of information on the Apple website? Camouflaged in an attractive design, spectacular images and the occasional parallax effect, this large technology company does not skimp on explanatory content.
While their products are not as complex as yours may be, the content on their pages is far from poor and speaks directly the same language as their consumers, albeit taking into account the main dialogue in each of their markets. As you can see, there are many considerations that a business must take into account when creating quality content in each of the formats and for each channel in use.
2.3. The website that serves as a reference to explain complex products
HubSpot is a technology company that offers an all-in-one software that allows its clients to carry out Inbound marketing actions on a single platform. They are marketing professionals and their website is a success story in many aspects, including content.
Explaining their product, the first thing they offer is a video, the most easily consumable content format. Then they explain their solution to the wide range of tools we need to use for online marketing (how their software will help us) and finally, they show us the feedback from their customers.
HubSpot’s maxim is education. They want their prospects to know all the techniques and possibilities that digital marketing and content creation has to offer so they have a whole host of resources available for their prospects. Not only does the blog include hundreds of articles relevant to marketers and sales people, but they also include a range of practical downloadables and courses available.
As you can see content, is critical to your business. It is what will allow you to not only attract quality traffic, but also convert this traffic into loyal end customers.
