From the data-based persona to the content strategy

1. market analysis

The first step of a people-based content strategy is market analysis from the user's point of view. The user funnel plays a decisive role here. This model visualises the customer journey using a funnel and is divided into four phases:

• Awareness: In this phase, consumers become aware that they have a need. This is triggered either by a company pointing out a certain problem to consumers through advertising or by the consumer himself - for example, because the hoover no longer works. This top layer represents the opening of the funnel in the model - the basis for customers to buy products, read articles, watch videos...
• Consideration: In this phase, consumers actively seek a solution to their problem and consciously search for a product that meets their needs. This is where the process of active purchase decision-making begins. This is why this phase is also called Top of Funnel (TOFU for short) - the top stage of the sales funnel. With regard to analysis tools, the Top of Funnel is characterised by the highest search volume and the lowest conversion rate. The latter increases as the buying process progresses, while the search volume continues to decrease as the final decision approaches.
• Conversion: Once consumers have decided on a product, the purchase follows - the user interacts with the company. This phase begins in the online shop, for example, when the user clicks on a link in the newsletter or remembers a product. During the purchase process, the user places the product in the shopping basket, fills in his or her data and confirms the payment. This step marks the middle of the sales funnel. The product purchase takes place in the Middle of Funnel (MOFU).
• Loyalty: The last phase is intended to bind customers to the company in the long term. In the bottom of the funnel (BOFU for short), it is important to communicate in a targeted manner: Through newsletters, corporate blogs, whitepapers, etc. The goal: to encourage customers to interact with the company again - be it by buying products again or ordering accessories. Online, the last phase of the sales funnel is characterised by low search volume and a particularly high conversion rate.

For the market analysis from the user's point of view, companies proceed like the users. In short: they search for products. For example, if it is a question of buying a hoover, an initial search might yield the following results:

• Cord hoover
• Battery-operated hoover
• Robot vacuum cleaner
• Hoover without filter
• Hoover with filter
• etc...

2. identify action steps

Keyword tools provide information on whichproduct groups consumers are searching for. Depending on the provider, the latter not only show search queries, but also cluster them according to actions that users perform in the course of their research, such as a price comparison, the search for product reviews or special offers. This analysis can be used to visualise the entire sales funnel and all of the user's steps up to the purchase decision: Customer journey maps, graphically represent possible points of contact between the company and the consumer on a timeline. As far as the content strategy is concerned, customer journey maps provide information about when, which format and which content motivate customers to make a purchase. For search engine optimisation, the first lists of relevant keywords can already be determined in this step.

3. cluster product features according to personas

The next step is to list the advantages and disadvantages of each product group. This makes it easier to assign specific product features to a customer group, such as time savings, favourable price, high suction power, smart features or ergonomics. Depending on how many data-driven personas a company develops for brands and products, the more complex the elaboration of the content strategy. The rule is to look at each persona individually and develop content that fits precisely. For this, it is necessary in the third step to assign to each data-based persona the product characteristics that individually contribute to the purchase decision. This assignment is the heart of a persona-based content strategy, as it specifically builds on the needs of future customers: A working and single mother with two children, who has hardly any time for the household and little money available, then places value on good suction performance, time savings and price performance when choosing a hoover, for example. Another customer, on the other hand, who works as a consultant, travels a lot and has a high monthly income, thinks primarily about time savings, design and remote control .

4. pick up customers with theme worlds

Based on this mapping, companies develop persona-specific theme worlds that respond to consumers' problems, needs and expectations. The goal: to pick up customers in such a way that they trust the product and brand. Depending on the type of customer approach, the product and the industry, theme worlds are composed of several sensory stimuli that are emotionally charged. A user-centred landing page, for example, works with a video, images and texts that visually, auditorily and mentally transport the user into a theme world. If companies want their landing page to appeal to a target group that values high quality and sustainability, natural colours such as green, beige and white often dominate. The theme world also determines content and the tonality of images, video and text. Sensory impressions such as smell and taste also contribute to an emotional customer experience in sectors such as gastronomy and the hotel industry.

5. develop and implement content with maximum utility value

Instead of the "one-for-all approach", content must always be thought of individually from the human point of view, offering consumers the greatest possible utility. The data-driven persona-profile (also: "sedcard"), the customer journey map and extensive keyword research support this. While the persona profile provides information about interests, pain points and the media usage behaviour of customer groups, the customer journey map reveals when and on which channels content makes sense. Relevant keywords and keyword phrases also provide topics for possible video productions, white papers and blog posts.