Want to reach prospective customers at just the right moment, in just the right way? In marketing, timing is everything when it comes to leaving a powerful impression on your prospects.
The “discovery” phase is one of the best times to reach your target audience. This is the period of time along the customer journey in which prospects conduct basic research. (You know, when all the Googling happens.)
In the discovery phase, prospects aim to gain clarity as to what they should invest in to solve the problem at hand most effectively.
Blogging is a key way of showcasing that your brand has the answers to your prospect’s pressing questions. According to Demand Gen Report, 71 percent of B2B audiences read blogs when they are on their buying journey. Likewise, Optimonster shares that companies who blog get 97 percent more website clicks.
Today, we’ll discuss three things to keep in mind when using blog content as a guidepost along your prospective customer’s discovery journey.
Blog content should be helpful, not salesy
Show, don’t tell. Rather than pushing your brand on your prospective customer, get them excited. Demonstrate that you can solve their problem with ease, and give a sneak peek of the value you have to offer.
With that said, it’s important not to give too much away—remember that your aim is to highlight why someone should invest in your brand’s expertise. In other words, don’t try to teach your readers how to do your job! Your content should focus on finding the sweet spot between outlining concepts and emphasizing the value of signing on with you.
This blog post from visual designer Laura Sorenson, on the benefits of an email marketing template, is a great example of a post that both educates her clients and frames her as a friendly, relatable design partner—with no heavy sales pitch.
One additional benefit of blogging is that it opens a treasure trove for your customers. How? Well, in addition to offering valuable insight, your content directs prospects directly to your brand’s website, creating easy access for them to learn more about who you are and what you offer. This is a key reason why you should think strategically and not only craft compelling content, but strive for a comprehensive, user-friendly website overall.
Blog content should guide prospects past roadblocks.
Blog content allows you to immediately quiet your prospects’ “what ifs” by approaching them with clarity and confidence. On your blog, you have the opportunity to directly move customers through any blocks and hesitations they might have about your brand.
You can create posts that address customers’ most common questions, thus assuaging the fears of potential buyers, and strengthening your sales team without being overly promotional.
Moreover, blog content asserts your brand as a leader in your space, both in the eyes of potential customers and on the larger scale. Our long-term client, the Rhode Island Small Business Development Center (RISBDC), found that regular, refined blog content not only improved their reputation and boosted prospect engagement, but even landed them a mention in USA Today.
Utilizing your blog as an informative resource is a vital piece of the puzzle, as it demonstrates not only your expertise but also your brand’s honesty and transparency. When you successfully help potential customers move through their journey on an emotional level, you nurture a lasting foundation of trust.
Don’t forget SEO!
When your prospects are seeking answers to their most pressing challenges, chances are they are starting their process via a search engine. While writing great blog posts is a positive step towards securing customers, that content is only useful if it is being seen.
As you craft your articles, don’t forget to keep SEO in mind, and do your keyword research. When you optimize your content for SEO, your content is more likely to meet the eyes of your intended audience, allowing you to rank higher on search engines and target the words and terms your prospects are searching.
Ranking in search is extremely vital to reaching your future customers, inserting your brand into their discovery process at a critical juncture.
[Want to know more about blogging for search? Check out our 10 Tips for SEO Blogging to boost web traffic.]Crafting compelling blog content is often framed as a strategy for elevating your thought leadership, but it is that and SO much more. By strategically integrating long-form pieces of writing into your overall marketing strategy, you have the power to create a powerful funnel towards happy, loyal clients, and demonstrated business excellence.
Need help creating strategic content to support sales? We have helped many brands solve this same problem, and can help you, too. Reach out to set up a quick chat with us.
Key Takeaways:
- The “discovery” phase, at the beginning of a customer’s buying journey, is a critical time to reach your target audience.
- Posting regular blog content helps your brand insert itself into the conversation by answering customer questions and smoothing speed bumps on their path to taking action.
- Great blog content is helpful, but not pushy. It educates your target audience and sells them on the benefits of working with your brand without being a heavy sales pitch.
- Regular blogging is also a great way to increase your website’s SEO, bringing it up higher in search results.
Photo by Noble Mitchell on Unsplash
