Every marketer or business owner puts their best effort into making a buyer journey as smooth as possible to bring more sales to the table. A buyer journey consists of three different stages – awareness stage, consideration stage and buying decision stage. Having a strong customer journey strategy is important to turn your potential leads into paying customers.
It is hard to believe that a majority of marketers only focus on the early and final stage of the customer journey and overlook the middle of the marketing funnel. However, it is one the most important stages of the buyer journey that can give potential leads to move toward a decision-making stage.
For many marketers, it is difficult to figure out how to optimize their marketing strategy and improve areas to speed up the lead generation process. They need to create persuasive and educational content that give real value to users to make a well-informed decision. Marketers need to figure out the specific needs of the customers at the consideration stage and try hard to meet those demands to get the desired results.
If you are wondering how to strengthen your lead generation funnel, here are some of the best content optimization strategies for the consideration stage that will surely lead to more conversions.
Let’s get started.
What is the Consideration Stage?
The consideration stage, also known as the second stage, evaluation stage or the middle of the buyer’s journey. It is a stage where potential customers are actively researching and comparing different solutions to their problem. They have a good understanding of their problem and are now looking for the best way to solve it.
In this stage, buyers are likely to be doing a lot of online research, reading reviews, and comparing features. They may also be talking to friends, colleagues, or other experts in the field. During this stage, they are also considering other relevant factors to assess which products or services best meet their requirements. All this information will help customers to make an informed decision.
Key activities buyers do during the consideration stage include:
Researching: Buyers explore various sources such as websites, blogs, social media, product reviews, and industry publications to gather information about different products or services. Buyers will be looking for information about different products and services that can solve their problem. They will be reading reviews, comparing features, and learning about the pros and cons of each option.
Comparing alternatives: Buyers create a shortlist of potential options and evaluate their features, benefits, drawbacks, and pricing. They may also look for case studies or success stories to see how others have benefited from the solutions they are considering.
Seeking recommendations: Buyers may seek advice or recommendations from peers, industry experts, or online communities to gain insights and perspectives on the available options. Buyers may also be talking to friends, colleagues, or other experts in the field to get their recommendations. They may also be attending industry events or webinars to learn more about their options.
Evaluating options: Buyers analyze the pros and cons of each solution based on their specific needs, preferences, and budget. They consider factors such as functionality, compatibility, scalability, support, and overall value proposition. Buyers will be evaluating different factors when making their decision, such as price, features, customer service, and reputation. They will also be considering their own needs and preferences.
Engaging with vendors: Potential buyers may reach out to vendors directly, attend product demonstrations, request trials, or engage in discussions with sales representatives to get more detailed information and clarify any doubts they may have.
Your Goals during the Consideration Stage as a Marketer
If you are a marketer, your goal in the consideration stage is to position your product or service as the best solution for their needs. You can do this by providing helpful content, answering their questions, and demonstrating the value of your offering.
Creating relevant and valuable content will help educate and guide potential buyers. By demonstrating expertise, addressing concerns, and showcasing the unique value of their offerings, businesses can increase their chances of being selected as the preferred solution in the buyer’s decision-making process.
Keep in mind that the consideration stage is a critical stage in the buyer’s journey. If you can successfully position your product or service as the best solution for their needs, you will be well on your way to closing the deal.
Content Optimization Strategies for Middle of the Buyer’s Journey
Create Helpful Content
Buyers are looking for information that will help them make a decision. It is strongly advised to create educational content to address users’ pain points and provide valuable insights. It is important to focus on providing helpful information that addresses the buyer’s pain points. You should also avoid being too salesy. Your goal is to educate the buyer and position your product or service as a solution to their problem.
Here is a list of different content types you can create for buyers during the evaluation stage:
Blog posts: Blog posts are a great way to share helpful information with buyers. You can write blog posts that address common pain points, provide tips and advice, or share case studies.
Infographics: They are an amazing way to present information visually. You can create infographics that illustrate complex concepts, compare different products or services, or highlight the benefits of your offering.
Whitepapers: Whitepapers are in-depth reports that provide comprehensive information on a particular topic. Whitepapers are a great way to demonstrate your expertise and position yourself as an authority in your field.
eBooks: eBooks are longer, more comprehensive versions of blog posts. They are a great way to share a lot of information on a particular topic.
Webinars: Webinars are live or recorded presentations that allow you to share your expertise with buyers. Webinars are a great way to answer questions, build relationships, and generate leads.
Case studies: Case studies are stories that illustrate how your product or service has helped other businesses. Case studies are a great way to demonstrate the value of your offering and build trust with buyers.
Testimonials: Testimonials are statements from satisfied customers that can help you build trust with buyers. Testimonials can be used in blog posts, on your website, or in other marketing materials.
Make Your Content Easily Accessible
What’s the purpose of creating educational, persuasive content when your prospective buyers can’t access it? Therefore, it is important to improve core web vitals to offer a positive user experience. Core web vitals are a set of metrics that analyzes how users will find information and make a purchase. For instance, if your website speed is too slow, chances are they won’t move from consideration to buying stage of the marketing funnel.
Here are some ways to improve your core web vitals to engage more potential buyers.
Faster loading times: Buyers are more likely to make a purchase if your website loads quickly. This is because they don’t have time to wait around for a slow website.
Smoother interactions: Buyers are also more likely to make a purchase if your website has smooth interactions. This means that the pages should load without any lag, and the elements on the page should be responsive.
Visually stable pages: Buyers are also more likely to make a purchase if your website is visually stable. This means that the pages should not jump around or become distorted as they load.
Taking help from a professional web design company Dubai will help you ensure that all technical aspects are working properly and fully optimized.
Final Words:
Optimizing your lead generation strategy is important for turning leads into paying customers. When you have a better understanding of your buyers’ needs at the consideration stage, you will be better able to create a strategy that will eventually generate the desired results.