Creating content that resonates with your audience isn't just about what you say – it's about when you say it. B2B customer buying journeys are complex, often involving multiple channels and stages. Decision-making can span months and involve different people, so understanding your audience's buying journey is crucial to creating content that converts.
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Take an FM manager looking for new CAFM software or an architect evaluating sustainable building materials. Their journey typically has three distinct stages, each requiring different types of content.
Understanding your potential customers – buying personas
Before looking at your potential customer's journey, you must understand who your prospects are. What defines your ideal customer? Having a clear target audience/people will help you to personalise your messages and marketing efforts.
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Ask yourself, what are their job titles? Are they the decision-makers? What are their challenges, pain points or goals? Carry out research, speak to your sales team, and monitor social media to see what content they respond to. You can even use AI. Â
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Once you clearly understand your target audience, you can consider the different stages they go through before making a decision and what content will appeal to them during their journey.Â
Understanding the buyer's journey
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The buying journey typically comprises three key stages:
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Awareness stage – The prospect identifies a problem or need
Consideration stage – They research a potential solution
Decision stage – They choose a specific solution or supplier
Each stage is driven by different user intent and requires tailored content to address those needs. Understanding this journey allows you to create a roadmap for your content strategy, ensuring you engage your prospects with relevant information at every step.
Content for the awareness stage
User intent: The prospect identifies a problem or need.
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During this stage, your potential customer recognises a problem, challenge or opportunity for improvement. They could look for ways to improve a building's environmental performance or materials that meet new regulations.
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They're not ready to buy and don't necessarily want product specifications – they're gathering information, so education is key to drawing them in.
What works and why
Informational blogs: These are an excellent way to introduce your audience to industry trends, challenges or opportunities. Blogs work because they provide easy-to-digest information that builds awareness without pushing a specific product or service. For example, a blog on "Top 5 challenges in sustainable building design" might appeal to architects and developers exploring green initiatives.
Infographics: Visual content simplifies complex information, making it engaging and memorable. Infographics are also easily shareable, increasing your brand's visibility.
Educational videos: Video content delivers information in an engaging, easy-to-understand format. Short, informative videos are particularly effective for introducing key concepts or industry insights.
How-to guides: Guides can help the prospect better understand their problem and position your brand as an authority by clarifying the problem and how to solve it. A guide could be as simple as how to apply a product or more in-depth like "How to carry out a LOLER inspection."
Webinars: Webinars help to build confidence in your expertise and solutions. Live interactive streams and on-demand recordings allow prospects to engage directly with your brand or learn in their own time, watch again for clarification and share with colleagues.
At this stage, the aim is to establish your brand as a knowledgeable resource and create content that sparks curiosity and encourages further exploration.
Content for the consideration stage
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User intent:Â They research potential solutions.
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Now that your prospect understands their problem, they will start researching and evaluating options. They're looking for in-depth information to help them compare solutions and make an informed decision. You want to nurture potential customers and build relationships and trust during this stage.
Effective types of content for the consideration stage:
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White papers and reports: Position your brand as an authority on a subject through detailed, data-driven insights into a specific topic, issue, or industry trend.Â
Product guides and e-books: These help prospects understand how your solutions can meet their specific needs. For example, a downloadable guide on "How to choose the right CRM for your business" or "Selecting the right cladding for your next project" can help decision-makers compare their options.
Comparisons: People like clear, side-by-side comparisons of your solutions vs. competitors. These can be presented as tables or through interactive tools and include information like product specifications, installation and maintenance details, and warranties.
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If you want to engage effectively with prospects at this stage, your content must demonstrate value and how your solutions can help them.
Content for the decision stage
User intent:Â Ready to choose a specific solution or supplier.
Your prospects are now ready to make a purchase but might need reassurance that your product or service is the right choice. So create content that addresses any niggling concerns they might have.
What works and why
Case studies and testimonials: Social proof is powerful. Positive feedback from existing customers builds trust. Social proof works because it provides third-party evidence of success, adding credibility to your claims. Case studies are good for all stages of the buyer's journey but work well in the final stage as confirmation that the prospect is making the right decision.
Free trials or demonstrations: Offering a hands-on experience allows potential customers to 'try before they buy' or see your solutions 'in the flesh.'.
FAQs: Ideal for answering questions on pricing, delivery or set-up or addressing concerns before making a purchase.
Content at this stage should address any lingering doubts, provide transparency, and make the purchasing process straightforward.
Keyword optimisation: How to make your content discoverable
Even the best content won't deliver results if your prospects don't see it. Keyword optimisation will ensure your target audience finds your content when searching for a solution. t's vital for connecting with prospects at all stages of their journey.
Keyword optimisation is about increasing the relevance of your content to a specific search query and should be an integral part of your SEO strategy. t's not just about sprinkling keywords throughout your content, it's about:
Targeting user intent: Ensure your keywords align with the intent of each buying stage. or example, question-based keywords such as "what is" and "how to" work for the awareness stage, solution-orientated keywords based on "best" or "cost-effective" work for the consideration stage, while "buy," "book now," "sign up," and "free trial" help the decision stage.
Using long-tail keywords: For instance, instead of "construction materials," use "cost-effective, eco-friendly construction materials UK" or "affordable CRM tools for small businesses" instead of "B2B software."
Incorporating keywords naturally: Avoid keyword stuffing; your content should flow naturally while addressing search queries.
Creating content that engages at each stage
If you take the one-size-fits-all approach, your marketing efforts will fail miserably. nderstanding user intent and aligning your content with the buying journey is key to engaging your audience and driving conversions. hen you provide the right content at the right time, from educational blogs in the awareness stage to testimonials in the decision stage, you position your B2B business as a trusted partner.Â
Do you need help crafting content that connects? et's talk. ith over 20 years of experience in B2B copywriting and content creation, I'll help you create high-quality, user-focused content that drives results.
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