What is the difference between a blog that succeeds at its goals and one that fails? The difference is that great blogs consider not only the customer right now, but their entire journey. If you take some time to consider where the reader is coming from and where they’re going next, you can create the right content design to make your blog successful.

What is the Customer Journey?

The customer journey is the entire lifecycle of the customer in relation to your brand. It starts with awareness and ends with loyalty. 

At each stage, the customer has different needs and expectations. Content design involves writing so that you meet the customer’s needs and expectations the moment they come across that content. 

Mapping the Customer Journey

Content design for this purpose starts with mapping the customer journey and identifying touchpoints. These touchpoints, where you have contact with your audience, are milestones along the way. These are the steps the person takes to go from basic initial awareness to becoming a buyer and fan of your brand.

Touchpoints might be things like hearing about your business from a friend or seeing an advertisement. Another example would be checking your blog to look for specific information on your topic. The content you offer to someone who has just heard about you from a friend versus a reader looking for specific help should be different. 

The Stages of the Customer Journey

Each journey is different, but typical stages include: awareness, where they’re just learning about the existence of your brand; consideration, where the person is checking out other content providers other than you; and conversion, where they take action, whether it’s signing up for an email list or buying a product. 

But the journey doesn’t end there. After purchase, you still need to keep the person coming back for more. The stages here might include retention and brand advocacy.

Another thing to consider is the length of the journey. It differs from one customer base to another. Members of one market might hear about a brand, check out its blog, and then they’re ready to buy and become loyal followers. In some niches, people might spend a great deal of time before they take action. For most audiences, it takes several touchpoints with a brand before they buy.

How to Create the Right Content Design for Your Audience

Mapping the customer journey allows you to understand your target audience even more keenly. In order to map it accurately, you need to understand not just who your audience members are but also how they go about finding information and buying products. You should seek data on your target market everywhere you can. 

The best way to get started is to map your current customer journey. Take data from your customers and their behaviour and identify the beginning, end, and touchpoints along the way. Compare this ideal map with your current brand strategy, and you’ll see areas where you need to make changes. It starts with identifying the objective. What do you want the person to do at the end of their journey?

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