(4) Hubspot Inbound Marketing Certification 4: Creating Content for the Buyer’s Journey

Full Set from Section 4 derived from official transcripts.

Role of content in inbound marketing

It's at the core: it provides the education buyers need to make informed purchasing decisions and the value organizations aim to give potential customers.

How many blog posts are published daily (per Letter.ly)?

7.5 million.

Content shock (Mark Schaefer)

The massive influx of content published online. Content now outnumbers people's ability to consume it, so marketers reach fewer audience members and high-quality, standout content matters more than ever.

How do you win your target audience's attention amid content shock?

Create relevant, valuable content throughout their path to purchase, i.e., the buyer's journey.

Buyer's journey (definition)

The active research process someone goes through leading up to a purchase.

Why define your organization's buyer's journey?

To understand how visitors and leads purchase, empathize with buyers, position content and brand along their path, and brainstorm strategically instead of guessing.

Kuno Creative results from buyer's-journey content strategy

Medical device maker: SQLs up 200%+ and customers up tenfold. Software company: traffic up 44% and SQLs up 83% via email workflows with comparison and validation content.

Three stages of the buyer's journey

Awareness, consideration, decision.

Awareness stage

The buyer experiences a problem and seeks to better understand it.

Consideration stage

The buyer has identified their problem and is committed to understanding the different solutions.

Decision stage

The buyer identifies the correct solution and decides on the best vendor to provide it.

Buyer's journey vs. customer journey

The buyer's journey covers the stages leading up to a purchase. The customer journey extends beyond the purchase.

SnoozeCity / Side-sleeper Solange: awareness stage

Has morning back pain, Googles "Why does my back hurt in the morning?", reads blogs and watches YouTube, and learns the mattress may be the problem.

SnoozeCity / Side-sleeper Solange: consideration stage

Knows the mattress is the problem, takes a bed-products quiz, and learns a foam mattress is recommended.

SnoozeCity / Side-sleeper Solange: decision stage

Finds several foam mattress brands and chooses one based on its many 5-star reviews.

How many personas should you map a buyer's journey for at a time?

One. Different personas take different paths, and focusing on one defines their main path.

Buyer persona (definition in this lesson)

A semi-fictional representation of your ideal customer based on real data and market research.

Questions to define the awareness stage

How do buyers describe their challenges or goals? What symptoms are they experiencing? How do they consume content or conduct research?

Questions to define the consideration stage

What solutions address their challenge or goal? How do buyers perceive each solution's pros and cons? How do they decide on the right solution?

Questions to define the decision stage

What criteria do buyers use to evaluate offers? What do they like or dislike about your solution vs. alternatives? Who needs to be involved in the purchasing decision?

Biggest caution when crafting a buyer's journey from persona knowledge

Be mindful of assumptions. An accurate narrative is one of the most important aspects.

Three ways to gather accurate buyer's journey info

Interview customers; interview industry experts; conduct keyword research.

Why interview customers for the buyer's journey?

They've already been through it, so their insights are trustworthy. It also shows which content already helps buyers, reveals improvement opportunities, and teaches you to speak their language.

Who to interview if you're a newer company with few customers

Industry experts: your leadership team, long-time sales reps, or outside experts found via LinkedIn.

What to ask your sales team about buyer's journey

Common questions they receive and what convinces buyers to choose one product over another.

Keyword research for the buyer's journey

Used if interviews aren't an option. Research popular industry blogs and competitors' content; use tools like Ahrefs or SEMrush to find buyer keywords, then create similar content in a new, unique way.

Does your buyer's journey narrative need to be perfect?

No, but it must be well researched and informed by credible sources.

Two main steps to brainstorming content for each stage

1) Identify the topic. 2) Identify the format.

Content topic vs. format

Topic = the information, education, or value the content provides. Format = how you arrange and present it (written or visual).

Why identify topic before format?

Marketers often focus on format first, producing content that doesn't speak to buyers' needs. E.g., a blog works well for awareness but fails if the topic misses buyers' challenges.

Awareness content topics should...

Speak to buyers' symptoms and problems and help them understand their experiences.

Campaign Creators awareness example

An on-demand webinar on the top mistakes hurting eCommerce conversions and revenue. It addressed buyers' conversion struggles and positioned the agency as a thought leader.

Consideration content topics should...

Inform buyers about possible solutions and help them evaluate each one's pros and cons.

Campaign Creators consideration example

A guide comparing ways to fill a digital marketing gap (freelancer, partner company, agency), for buyers who may not be ready to hire an agency yet.

Decision content topics should...

Highlight your company's value and convince prospects to choose you as the vendor.

Campaign Creators decision example

A free marketing consultation giving honest feedback on the best solution. It helped the agency understand the lead's goals and tailor the experience.

Four most common content formats

Written, visual, audio, interactive.

Written content examples

Blog posts, guides, e-Books, pillar pages, case studies, newsletters.

When to choose written content

To attract new audiences via SEO/keyword optimization, or when you want a low-lift option. It's usually easier and quicker to launch than video or audio.

Written content example from the course

The Sill: "How To Keep Your Plants Alive While On Vacation."

Visual content examples

Videos, infographics, images, webinars.

Video tradeoff

Requires more time and effort than written content but tends to drive better engagement.

Visual content example from the course

Mint's "Comparing Credit Cards" video: person on-screen, then a product tutorial.

Audio content examples

Podcasts, audiobooks, audio advertisements.

When to choose audio content

For conversational, entertaining education. Podcasts are less scripted, feel raw, and can be consumed on the go.

Audio content example from the course

Netflix UK's podcast "10/10 (Would Recommend)."

Interactive content examples

Quizzes, assessments, and tools like calculators or website graders.

Interactive content benefits

Helps buyers decide in a personalized way and turns dull or complicated info into an engaging experience.

Interactive content example from the course

Warby Parker's quiz recommending frames based on shopper preferences.

Best formats for the awareness stage

Blog posts, infographics, how-to videos.

Best formats for the consideration stage

Comparison guides, live webinars, assessments.

Best formats for the decision stage

Free trial, demo, or consultation.

Scenario: A buyer is comparing vendors and nearly ready to buy. Which format fits best?

Decision stage: a free trial, demo, or consultation.

HubSpot's Blog Ideas Generator

Enter up to five nouns and get blog titles and content ideas.

Answer the Public

Enter a term and get common phrases and questions people ask about that keyword.

What should buyer's journey content do besides educate?

Encourage leads to take actions that bring them a step closer to becoming customers (not necessarily an immediate purchase).

Call-to-action (CTA)

An element in your content that prompts visitors to do something.

Why CTAs matter to marketers

They convert visitors into contacts, let you nurture them through the buyer's journey, and help measure which content drives the most customers and sales.

What determines how you build a compelling CTA?

The content type: written, visual, audio, or interactive.

HubSpot "Social Media Trends to Watch in 2021" results

71,000 views and 160+ net-new form submissions. The CTA was the trends report the post drew data from.

CTA best practices for written content

Sprinkle in sneak peeks of the offer; focus on 1-2 relevant offers (2-3 CTA placements max); use actionable, specific language; make it visually stand out with contrasting color and size.

HubSpot blog CTA placement

Non-obtrusive text CTA in the intro, banner CTA at the bottom, and a slide-in CTA while scrolling.

Why limit the number of CTAs?

Too many different CTAs confuse viewers about what to do next. One or two relevant ones guide next steps.

Good vs. bad CTA language

Good: specific and actionable, e.g., "Download free template," "Request a demo." Bad: vague, e.g., "Submit."

HubSpot YouTube video CTA result

"Why You Need Effective Inbound Content Marketing to Grow Your Brand" had a 2.4% conversion rate, high vs. benchmarks.

CTA best practices for video/visual content

Keep it engaging and entertaining; keep the CTA congruent with the content; link back to your website if hosted elsewhere; test visual vs. verbal CTAs; make overlays stand out with contrast, animation, or sound.

Why must a video CTA be congruent with the video's topic?

The CTA should maintain the viewer's expectations and experience. A meal-prep pitch at the end of a TikTok-memes video won't land.

Why link visual content on YouTube or social back to your website?

It supports viewers through their buyer's journey and converts them into contacts.

"Estate of Mind" podcast results (Tobe Agency)

Lead magnet linked in show notes and tracked via UTM: about 60% opt-in rate from landing page traffic, and about 10% of listeners visited the page.

CTA best practices for audio content

Use mid-roll CTAs; include live links in show notes; verbally explain simple steps; keep CTAs short; shorten URLs (e.g., hubspot.com/offer).

Why use mid-roll CTAs in podcasts?

Listeners often skip the beginning or don't listen to the end.

Make My Persona launch results

#1 product of the day on Product Hunt, 17% conversion rate, over 200% of its 30-day lead goal.

Make My Persona's CTA strategy

Two CTA paths (learn what a persona is vs. start creating one) based on audience needs, plus a "Book a meeting" CTA as an intentional next step.

CTA best practices for interactive content

Ask for email (users see interactive content as high-value); gather info to personalize the ending CTA; use the tool or assessment results as the CTA.

Example: using assessment results as the CTA

A plant assessment reveals the wrong fertilizer, so the CTA offers a fertilizer comparison guide or a fertilizer purchase.

Content creation framework

A structure of processes for publishing content. It defines needed steps and resources and fosters creativity in an organized, scalable way.

HubSpot Academy User Blog framework columns

Publish Date/Time, Due Date, Responsible, writer detail columns, Status, and Editor (tracked in a Google Sheet).

Status stages in the HubSpot User Blog framework

Pending, confirmed, submitted, scheduled, published.

Three steps to build a content creation framework

1) Identify your workflow. 2) Determine who is responsible. 3) Gather your content creation tools.

Workflow (content creation context)

An intuitive breakdown of the work to complete a project: the sequence of steps from initial creation to publication.

Detailed blog workflow example

First draft complete, blog edited, design applied, final draft complete, post published.

Detailed video workflow example

Script submitted, script editing complete, video filmed, video edits complete, final video approved, video published.

Step you should never leave out of a content workflow

Review/editing, to ensure content is accurate, well written, and on brand.

How to refine workflow steps over time

Reflect on past content: what went well, which roadblocks you hit, and what to add for a streamlined process.

Five primary content roles

Content strategy, writing/producing, editing, designing, distributing.

Content strategy role

Creates the content plan, maps it to business needs, ensures responsibilities are met. Often the team lead who maintains alignment.

Writing/producing role

Composes the content (blog, video, podcast). Doesn't need to be a topic expert; can work with internal and external SMEs.

Editing role

Reviews and gives feedback to ensure alignment with brand messaging, target market needs, and content goals.

Designing role

Packages content in a visually compelling way (graphic designer for e-Books, video editor for video). Supports information hierarchy.

Distributing role

Publishes and promotes content (social posts, press releases), maps to channels, schedules, and analyzes distribution results.

Can one person fill multiple content roles?

Yes, depending on bandwidth, but don't overload them. Freelancers are an easy, cost-effective option for new teams.

Three main content creation tools

A content planning tool, a CMS, and an analytics tool.

Content planning tool

Evaluates the production schedule, manages multiple projects, and aligns creators and stakeholders. Examples: Google Sheets, then Trello or Airtable; HubSpot Campaigns (Calendar and Tasks).

CMS (content management system)

A tool for creating, storing, and publishing content online, e.g., HubSpot or WordPress. Choose one with ample storage and SEO editing capabilities.

What an analytics tool should do

Pull relevant metrics, measure content ROI, and include reporting templates and actionable insights.

HubSpot Reports vs. Google Analytics for content

HubSpot attribution reports show which content drives the most new contacts or influences the most new customers. GA's user flow shows how visitors move through pages.

Value of a content creation framework

Balances autonomous creativity with long-term content sustainability and becomes the building blocks for scaling content.