When it comes to content writing within the developer space, it's important to understand that not all readers are at the same stage in the buying process.
To effectively reach and convert your audience, it's crucial to cater your content to different funnel types.
In this blog post, we will discuss the four types of content the Circuit team cater to, and how creating for these types can produce different outcomes.
1. Unaware
This type of content is aimed at readers who may be interested in popular or trending dev topics, but have no direct connection to your company yet.
Content of this type is designed to build/maintain SEO power and drive brand awareness by serving ads to the reader.
To achieve this, articles on various popular/trending dev topics can be created, with ads and calls-to-action (CTAs) at the bottom of the post.
This method is great for creating a buzz around your company, and drive traffic to your platform. However, this type of content is not designed to drive signups.
Instead, is can be used as a gateway to learning more about your product, either by bringing viewers to your site in the first place (if that's where the content they originally found lives), or by linking to your site in the post.
2. Problem Aware
This type of content is aimed at readers who have specific 'symptoms of pain' that your product can help them with.
Articles that sit here are designed to drive signups by highlighting the problems your company can solve.
You can achieve this by highlighting the problems, mentioning how your company can contribute towards the solution. This is your opportunity to suggest further reading that highlights the bigger problems your company solves.
Articles that touch on specific pain points can be created, with links to your company in the post, and 'Recommended articles' in the post or at the bottom. 'Recommended articles' featured should lead the reader onto the next stage of the funnel.
3. Solution Aware
This type of content is aimed at readers who are aware of organizational problems that your company can help with.
Here, you can suggest your company as a solution to various organizational initiatives, share a differentiated problem statement, and drive signups.
To achieve this, articles about solving various organizational problems that your company can help with can be created.
Specific references to your company in the post, specific CTAs (such as "Start now"), shared content (such as YouTube videos, webinars, podcast episodes, etc), links to your company in the post, and 'Recommended articles' in the post or at the bottom can be included.
'Recommended articles' and shared content that you feature in this type of post should lead the reader onto the next stage of the funnel.
4. Product Aware
This type of content is aimed at readers who are already aware of your company and how it can solve specific organizational problems.
The purpose of this content is to support their evaluation of your company as a solution to their problem, by showing how your company solved it for others.
Articles about how your company solved a specific organizational problem can be created.
These articles can - and should - be highlighted in places beyond your blog, third-party platform, Reddit, Hackernews, etc. While you definitely should place it in those places, you can also consider promoting this type of content on your company homepage, in documentation, in other articles, etc.
Posts of this nature should include specific references to your company, specific CTAs, shared content, links to your company, 'Recommended articles', and so on.
Conclusion
Understanding the different types of content that can be used to cater to different funnel stages in the developer space can help you effectively reach and convert your audience.
At Circuit, we often observe that internal teams do not always have the same alignment on what content should be created, and for what purpose. And while creating content is easy, creating content for later stages in the buying process grows more difficult.
While all four funnel types should be catered to, it's important to understand that not all types of content will produce the desired result - the result here being discovery calls, signups, and conversions.
By creating content that is tailored to different funnel types, you can ensure that your audience is engaged and moved through the buying process.