Content Marketing Strategies for Lead Generation

Table of Contents

Is your content working for you and generating leads, or do you feel that your efforts aren't bringing the desired results? The importance of content cannot be overstated these days, but there are numerous challenges. Perhaps you lack an effective content marketing strategy.

Why is a content marketing strategy important?

For many companies, content creation takes up a significant portion of online marketing resources and costs. Social media posts, newsletter content, blog posts, content for other advertising media, and channels are all part of this. Not only the writing itself, but also publishing and promoting take a lot of time.

To leverage synergies and create content as targeted and effective as possible, a good content marketing strategy is essential. The foundation of the strategy: what goal are you pursuing with your content? Every channel and each piece of content can pursue different objectives, but an overarching company strategy should provide direction. Producing content aimlessly is, in the worst case, nothing but a waste of resources.

So ask yourself: What is your primary goal? Why are you allocating budget and resources for content creation? Why are you investing in content marketing?

The key objectives include

• Increase in sales/conversions

• Increase in traffic/reach

• Brand building/increasing brand awareness

• Link building

In reality, campaigns often aim to fulfill multiple goals, so it's crucial to define the primary objective. Why? Because content types, content details, target groups, and how they are addressed can vary greatly depending on your main goal.

The content marketing strategy provides the framework for content campaigns and measures, preventing aimless and pointless content creation.

The importance of user intent and target group (buyer persona)

Every search query reflects a need. Thus, user intent is essential in search engine optimization, but also in SEA channels. However, the need is just as important on other channels because users will only click a link if they expect something from it, such as:

• The answer to a question

• A purchase opportunity

• A decision aid before purchase

• Entertainment

When creating content based on keywords, the crucial question is: what is the primary user intent behind the keyword? The more specific the keyword, the easier it is to answer this question. Very generic keywords, however, often allow for multiple interpretations. The intent behind “buy Samsung Galaxy S20” or “weather tomorrow”, for example, is much clearer than behind the searches “living room” or “Berlin”.

So consider this when planning: what need should and can be fulfilled with the content? Not every type of content is equally suitable for every need. A purchase intent, for instance, is better captured with a product page or category page of an online shop than with a lengthy blog post. The intent of “product comparison”, on the other hand, is well covered by a comparison article or a test, or alternatively through a comparison function in the online shop.

Equally important as the intent: for whom are you writing your content? Which target group do you want to reach? What does your buyer persona look like, where and how can you address them? A B2B audience, for example, differs from a B2C target group.

Demographic characteristics can also significantly influence address and content. How much detail and what type of preparation does the target group need? How important are media?
The better you know your audience, their needs, and preferences, the more successful your lead generation will be.

Content strategies along the customer journey

Have you ever considered the customer journey of your target group? What phases do users go through before completing a purchase?

The seven phases include:

1. Pre-Awareness

2. Awareness

3. Consideration

4. Preference

5. Purchase

6. After-Sale

7. Loyalty

With content marketing, you have the opportunity to provide relevant content in each of these phases and motivate users on their way to conversion.

A common mistake we observe with companies is the exclusive focus on the purchase phase of the customer journey. This is understandable, as this is where the transaction takes place and revenue is generated. However, you miss out on significant potential if you are not visible in the phases before (and after).

In content planning, it is not only important to consider for whom you create content and what the need behind it is, but also which phase the user is currently in and what the next phase is.

Examples of user journey phases and the associated intentions along with suitable content types:

1. Pre-Awareness: unspecific intention → for instance, engaging content, corporate news, infographics on the topic, etc.

2. Awareness: finding solutions to a problem → tutorials, guides, workshops, webinars, tools, etc.

3. Consideration: decision aid for an offer/product → customer reviews, test reports, white papers, etc.

4. Preference: finding the suitable product/offer → product comparisons, case studies, etc.

5. Purchase: purchase intent → detailed product information, fact sheets, etc.

6. After-Sale: optimal use of product/offer → instructions/videos for the product/offer, overview of related products/offers, etc.

7. Loyalty: finding additional helpful products/offers from the company and/or finding offers → presentations of new products, insights from the company (trust-building), etc.

Various content types (for example, workshops or case studies) can be relevant and helpful in multiple phases, hence the listing only serves as an example to illustrate how diverse content types can be and how they can be strategically used along the customer journey.

B2B and B2C content strategies

Who is your target audience? Are you addressing end customers or business clients? The lead generation and appropriate channels, as well as the content creation itself, differ depending on whether you want to acquire B2B or B2C leads.

The main differences between B2B and B2C customers that play a role in the content strategy:

B2B target group

• Typically smaller target groups → targeting and differentiation from irrelevant users (for example, B2B vs. B2C) can be a greater challenge

• Decisions are made for the benefit of the company → generally more rational (even though emotion should never be neglected for any target group), trust, facts, and figures are more important than the entertainment factor

• Often, several people are involved in decisions → content that not only convinces the users but also provides arguments for superiors and decision-makers

• Frequently, expertise is present, influencing the purchase decision → expert content is even more important than in the B2C segment

• Wide range of price segments, up to very high revenue per closure → especially with high-priced products, more time and budget can be allocated to the individual lead

• Purchase decisions may take more time → more touchpoints, longer "nurturing" phase, relationship management is particularly important

B2C target group

• Typically larger target group

• Individual decisions based on personal needs or those of another person → emotional appeal more important, identification with a brand, a company

• Usually, only one person makes the decision, sometimes in consultation with a partner; rarely are more people involved → only one person needs to be convinced

• Usually lower-priced products and services → largely automated lead generation, personalized approach generally only based on automation

• Purchasing decisions are generally made quicker → still usually several touchpoints, but over a shorter period

Content marketing in the marketing mix

As a full-service online marketing agency, we naturally recommend a combination of different channels and measures to our clients. There are good reasons for this: If you do not rely on a single source of traffic, you significantly minimize your risk. Google updates and algorithm changes on major social media platforms have cost some companies significant revenue. Loss of traffic and revenue is always frustrating and should be taken seriously, but if you are not dependent on one channel, you can mitigate the losses at least partially.

In content marketing, this means considering all available channels and incorporating them into the strategy. Which channels are important for which phase of the customer journey? Remember that, on average, it takes 3 to 10 touchpoints until a purchase is completed, depending on the industry.

A purchase can involve touchpoints such as:

• Viewing an interesting entertaining post on a social network (Channel: Social, Content Format: Social Media Post)

• Google search and click on an unpaid result answering a general question and offering a solution (Channel: SEO, Content Format: Blog post)

• Google search for the best product and clicking on an unpaid result leading to a test report or product comparison (Channel: SEO, Content Format: Blog post or PDF download)

• Google search for purchase options and clicking on an ad for the product (Channel: SEA, Content Format: Product page or landing page)

• After purchase: opening a newsletter and clicking on a link to a tutorial (Channel: Email, Content Format: PDF tutorial or video tutorial)

10 Tips for a good content marketing strategy for lead generation

Our SEO and content warriors have compiled 10 tips that will advance your content planning and creation. A good content marketing strategy is a complex task, so our tips do not claim to be exhaustive but are intended to provide practical advice that you can implement immediately.

1. Topic and keyword selection

Even if you are ideally present in all phases of the user journey, your resources and budget are limited, so prioritization is always useful. If lead generation is the focus, keywords and topics closer to a deal are more important. A clue to the intention behind a search query are so-called "keyword modifiers", for example:

• Guide, tutorial, advisor, how can I..., why, examples, etc.

• Test, comparison, reviews, etc.

• Best, price, cheapest, etc.

• Buy, online shop, order, etc.

Focus on topics and keywords that best match your goal. Analyze your existing content for which phase of the customer journey and intention it addresses: are you neglecting important phases? Where are the greatest potentials that you are not yet exploiting?

2. Content planning

There are always current topics you want to address in your content, but the rough plan should be created in advance. For us and our clients, creating an editorial plan 1 to 3 months ahead has proven effective. It's important to keep an eye on trends but also to create "evergreen content" that addresses fundamental questions and topics and can bring you lasting traffic and leads. Mix current topics with evergreen topics in your content plan, decide what primary goal each content piece pursues, and also plan over which channels you will promote your content.

3. SEO

Content marketing is part of search engine optimization, so the reference to SEO might seem redundant. However, from our experience, all relevant SEO criteria are often forgotten: have you optimized all elements?

This includes, for example, optimizing

• Metadata (title tag and meta description)

• Headlines (main headline and subheadings)

• Images

• Internal linking

And, of course, the text itself: did you create a keyword set in advance and use it in the content? Is there already a content piece optimized for the keyword? Ensure that different pages do not compete: the content on your website or online shop should always be optimized for a unique keyword set for which there are no other content and matching pages. Naturally, you can recycle content on social media and in the newsletter; however, all content readable by Google should be unique and not compete for the same keywords.

Learn more about the basics of on-page SEO in this article.

4. Landing page optimization

What does the page look like on which users land when they click on a search result, an ad, or a link in a social media post? Remember that the first impression is important, especially for new visitors who are on your site for the first time. Is the page user-friendly on the most important devices? How is the user navigation?

If it's a landing page focused on a signup, for instance, to download a "lead magnet", the design should reflect that. In this context, conversion optimization plays a crucial role in success or failure.

5. Conversion optimization

With every content piece, bear in mind: what should the reader do next? What is the next step? What is the conversion? This could be downloading a PDF document, signing up for the newsletter, or making contact. Perhaps you want to motivate users to learn more about your company and its services and then contact you.

If the call to action is missing at the end of a blog post, for example, users are more likely to drop off and leave the page. Take the opportunity to move your users to the next phase of the customer journey.

Consider all instruments of conversion optimization: perhaps you can embed call to actions or sign-up forms in the content. Also, make sure to limit yourself to one conversion and make it particularly clear. Users who are unsure about what the next step is (newsletter signup, contact request, click on the next blog post) may bounce off and take no action.

6. Building authority

Every content piece you create is an opportunity to build trust and present yourself as an authority in your field - both to your target audience and to Google. Show that you bring experience and know-how, but also consider for whom you are writing. Especially in the B2C area, technical language is rarely appropriate. If you are creating content for B2B leads aimed at experts, the corresponding language is both fitting and crucial.

When Google recognizes you as an authority, it gives you an advantage in visibility and rankings in search results. Search engines recognize authority by the volume of content you provide around your topics and also by how often your brand or company name is searched. Thus, all measures that increase your company's visibility and place you in the consciousness of your target audience also contribute to better search engine optimization.

7. Benchmarking competition

The benchmark in content creation is the competition - especially if you want to optimize your content for search engines. What is already available on the topic? Which pages and content are found for your most important keywords? How long are the texts, how deeply do they delve into the topic? What can you do better than the competition? Can you add new aspects ("content gaps")?

The unambitious task is to create content that is better than anything you see in the Top 10 for the keyword. How can you cover all relevant aspects, answer all the questions - and add something new?

It might be a considerable effort, but at least when it comes to search engine optimization, quality prevails over quantity. It's better to create few, thorough, and very good content pieces than many superficial short ones. This way, you become an authority on your topic.

8. Utilizing media

Competitor analysis gives you an initial indication of whether Google ranks content with media well for your topic. If all competitors in the Top 10 use many images or even videos, you should consider that. How can you use relevant images or videos and enhance the content with them? From a user's perspective, media is a smart idea.

Also, remember to optimize these media. Images and videos are displayed in search results and draw a lot of attention. If image search plays an important role for your topic, image SEO is another opportunity for lead generation. The same applies to YouTube: is your topic heavily searched on YouTube? Take advantage of the opportunity to be visible on the second largest search engine.

9. Content distribution

Creating content is just part of the effort. "Create and they will come" is now only somewhat applicable in the age of content saturation on the internet. Well-optimized content will indeed attract users, but chances increase significantly if you actively promote that content.

Which channels and measures lend themselves to content distribution depends on what types of content you create on which channels. For example, blog posts have proven successful with:

• Social Media: Do you promote your blog posts across all your social media platforms (Facebook, Instagram, Xing, LinkedIn, etc.)?

• Newsletter: Do you send out a newsletter? Use the chance to highlight your latest blog posts!

• Email Signature: Countless emails are sent every day. Use your signature as a free "ad space" and link to important blog posts or new lead magnets.

• Outreach: Looking to build backlinks, outreach is effective, if time-consuming. Network, make contact with relevant individuals and businesses for whom your content is relevant.

10. Monitoring and continuous optimization

Creating optimized content is the first part of the task; however, it's not over with the publication. Monitor how the created content is performing to learn from it and optimize further if necessary.

• How often was the page accessed?

• How much traffic was generated over which channels?

• How much referral traffic came from guest posts?

• How are the rankings developing?

• How many signups or purchases came through the content?

Like most online marketing measures, content marketing is not static but requires continuous monitoring and adjustment.

Warrior Support for Your Content Marketing

Do you want to develop an effective content strategy for your company? Our SEO Warriors have extensive experience in content marketing for various companies and industries and are happy to support you. From topic and keyword analysis to identifying untapped potentials and creating an editorial plan, to content creation and distribution - we support you in all phases of lead generation with the help of content! Contact us without obligation!

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