There are more and more stimuli that consumers receive when deciding to buy online. We are continuously bombarded by offers, gifts, discounts and other advertising actions. The digital world has opened up the possibility for small and medium-sized companies to create effective and segmented advertising at a low cost, and we, the consumers, receive it with almost no time to assimilate so much information.
But, Have you ever received advertising that does not interest you?, Have you ever done a Google search and been strafed with "stories"? I'm sure the answer to both questions is yes. So, if advertising is so "magical" in a digital context, why aren't you interested in most of the advertising you receive? The answer is clear, most companies are doing it wrong. Today, the buying cycle that the consumer follows from the moment he discovers a need until he completes the purchase is complex, so complex that it does not even follow a downward trajectory in the famous conversion funnel. He jumps, comes back, goes down, goes up through the different stages until he finally decides.
Content marketing
Well, the key to fit all these pieces together is content marketing. But let's start at the beginning, what is content marketing? It is an MK technique based on the creation and distribution of relevant content to attract, acquire and attract the attention of our target audience, with the intention of converting them into future customers. It is included in an Inbound strategy as one of the main methods to accompany the customer during the purchase process.
Imagine now that your mobile has broken and you have started to look for information about it by searching on Google. You still don't know what phone you want, with what features, or at what price. However, you keep receiving discount coupons if you buy the new Iphone 11 Pro. Why doesn't the advertising of most companies work? Because they do not adapt their actions to the needs of consumers. Continuing with our previous example, before deciding on a specific model, you need someone to guide you about the new models, compare prices, features...
Next, here is a small guide with the most appropriate content depending on the customer's stage of the buying cycle. Before creating content adapted to each of the phases, it is important to define our Buyer Persona.
TOFU (Top of the funnel)
It is the highest part of the customer's buying cycle, at this stage we need to attract to our web site those users who have a need and they still don't know that we can help them 
We target users who have identified a need but do not know how to satisfy it or even users who are not even considering the purchase of a product or service.
What kind of content do we create at TOFU?
- SEO-SEM: we will try to position generic terms related to common queries that we answer in a post on our website, for example.
- BlogContent that is useful to our potential customers, such as posts, ebooks, webinars, explanatory videos.
- RRSSAt the organic level we will create content with answers to their questions and solutions to their needs or problems, at this point we will not try to sell our product. At the PPC level we will create campaigns targeted to audiences with related interests or similar audiences.
- YouTube and DisplayYouTube is one of the most common platforms to which users turn to as a source of information. We can create explanatory videos about trends, news, product performance, etc. that can be key to attract potential buyers to our website. We can also use these videos as advertisements and directly impact our target audience. Similarly, we can create similar Display ads that give the user an idea of what they will find on our website.
MOFU (Middle of the funnel)
This phase opens a stage of research and evaluation of alternatives. The user will try to carry out searches to satisfy the needs or solve the problems that he has known and admitted in the previous phase. Thus, the consumer begins to weigh the pros and cons of all the alternatives he has found. In this phase we target users who already have a clearer idea of what they need and are evaluating different options. To help you in this task we will have to offer more specialized content than in the previous phase. Our user is no longer looking for general information but for something more specific that will help him to get to know the product or service in depth and help him to choose one option or another.
What kind of content do we create at MOFU?
- YouTube and Display: rproduct review, questions and answers, detailed product images.
- Infographics and illustrations:product features, product images in detail.
- Blog: this time we will not create such generic or informative articles, but will address more specific topics.
- SEM: Google Shopping product catalog campaigns can help us to show users a wide range of related products that will allow them to compare between each of them.
- Podcast: reviews and testimonials from experts or people with a certain degree of credibility.
BOFU (Bottom of the funnel)
This is the last phase of the customer's buying cycle and corresponds to the lowest part of the conversion funnel. At this stage the user has already researched, compared and is determined to make the purchase in a very short period of time. We have to show them that we are the best option. The content that we must show the user in this phase must be very oriented to the closing of the sale. Remarketing actions, personalized content tailored to each userlimited time offers.
What kind of content do we create at BOFU?
- Social Ads: We use remarketing strategies to impact those users who have already been in contact with our products and have not completed the purchase. We use user audiences, abandoned carts...
- Marketing Automation: it is about using tools that interact with the users of our website according to a series of established criteria. Email MK (RMK) strategies, push notifications, pop ups with discounts, SMS offers...
- SEM: The Google Ads platform gives us several options to impact the user in closing the sale. We can create dynamic remarketing Display campaigns, in which we will show users the products they have been browsing previously. Shopping + RMK strategies, Shopping on YouTube...
- Comparators: Another strategy we can implement is to appear in different comparison sites, showing our prices and offers always in the corresponding category.
Post-purchase behavior
This is the moment when the user, after having successfully passed through all the stages of the funnel, generates an opinion about our company.The objective should be to turn the user into a prescriber, a loyal follower of our brand that, in addition to taking us into account as a first option for another future purchase, can act as an ambassador with other users. "A satisfied customer would buy our products again; a loyal customer buys from us on a recurring basis, recommends us among their friends and family and posts positive comments about our brand."
The 3 keys to convertr a satisfied customer into a loyal customer
- Exceeds expectations: is the most subjective part of the loyalty process. Discovering your user, habits, customs, preferences, tastes and emotions will make you take care of every detail.
- Take care of every communication: the relationship with the customer is built with each interaction, it is vital to take care of the way in which we communicate with our users, it can be key to gain their trust.
- Rewards loyal customerscustomer loyalty deserves to be rewarded, choose the right time and the most effective way..
What kind of content do we create in post-purchase behavior?
- User community: make your customers feel special, create an exclusive community of users and generate value through personalized content. Discounts, free shipping, exclusive access...
- There is life beyond shopping: reward your users for actions that go beyond the purchase, for example, establish a points system with which they can access exclusive content if they recommend your products, if they participate in a sweepstakes in RRSS... In short, interact with your users to create a sense of belonging to the brand.
- Personalized e-mail marketing: Now that we have the contact details of our users, you can create highly personalized emails with offers tailored to each customer, cross-selling, discount coupons, exclusive access...
- Video: As you have been able to see throughout the post, video is the king of content. It has accompanied us in all phases of the buying process and here it could not be less. Prepare exclusive videos for your community with tutorials, tips, games... In this way you will give them extra value without asking for anything in return and increase the degree of loyalty.
- A good alliancePartner with other complementary brands and offer your "prime" users a very advantageous subscription to this product for being part of your community. Undoubtedly, an unbeatable offer. Ex: sign up with us and get Netflix for free for the first two months.
In conclusion, if you want to boost your digital marketing strategy you have to take into account the phases of the buying cycle your Buyer Persona follows. Set up an Inbound Marketing strategy to accompany the user throughout the entire process and attract, persuade and convince them with tailored content to each of the phases. Sounds easy, doesn't it? Now it's your turn! ]]>
EN 
MX 
