Relevance is key when finding topics in inbound marketing: What interests the target group? Where does added value arise? The ‘right’ topic for a blog post, a landing page, a newsletter, a podcast or other channels is first and foremost a question of the user’s interests.
Putting data in the driver’s seat
‘What are the next topics for our content marketing and what are the right inbound tactics?’ The search for the answer to this question often initially leads many marketing managers into a brainstorming session. Here, new variations of the product benefits are constantly being found and exciting headlines created. Again and again, evaluations emerge that reflect the tastes or experiences of individual team members. At this point, the inbound experts have already fallen into the first trap: they have followed the reflex of thinking about which topics THEY THEMSELVES find worth consuming and exciting. But that’s not what inbound marketing is about, because the target group must always be at the centre of contemporary, customer-centric marketing. To do this, it is important to collect as much detailed information as possible about the target group to get a precise picture. Data from various sources sharpens the picture, sets new priorities and identifies added value. Procedures borrowed from design thinking and UX strategy are then used to consolidate the generalised picture of the target group, resulting in tangible buyer personas.
Science instead of just guesswork
What is a persona? Personas are defined in order to better categorise the abstract term ‘target group’. In the rarest of cases, there is just ONE target group; rather, it is about multi-layered users or buyers who can be divided into different sub-categories based on similar micro-interests. In many companies, these personas are still defined by rough assumptions, sometimes even wishful thinking. However, in order to get to the bottom of the nature of the target group on the basis of facts, it is necessary to keep the investigation objective. Data provides a neutral, observational insight into which customer groups a company really appeals to. The easiest way to collect this data is through tracking; less digital companies resort to surveys and polls. This information cannot match the precision of a digital analysis, but any attempt at an objective and unbiased analysis is more effective than pure guesswork. Data replaces heuristics and paves the way for clear, useful statements about target groups. Personas can be defined in more detail, turning a simple ‘Spiegel reader’ into a ‘male reader of the politics section of Der Spiegel with a passion for gardening’, for example. Such statements are much more useful for marketing, as this information can be used to optimise all content and inbound marketing activities in the future.
Using data means radical user-centricity
When finding topics, instead of ‘Which headline sounds particularly good?’, the following questions take centre stage: What information needs does the user have when they come to the site? What knowledge do they already have? What problem or task does the user approach the brand with? What information can I give them on their customer journey? If these questions can be answered, a rough inbound marketing strategy is already in place that makes it possible to fulfil the user’s precise need for knowledge. If this mission is successful, users will convert much faster and more reliably. The following applies here: the more detailed and meaningful the personas are described, the easier it is to develop customised content! With suitable content for a TV brand, for example, a persona with an affinity for technology is more likely to be impressed by the technical facts. Information on display technology, contrast values and response times, on the other hand, are unlikely to attract a design-focussed user. In this case, ‘material and feel’ is most likely to be expected, i.e. a look at the visual and design benefits of the product.
Different personas (sometimes) mean different channels
Sometimes the data on the respective personas shows that they use completely different communication channels. For this reason, it would tend to dilute the brand message if all target groups were addressed via the same channels. The solution: ‘feed’ different communication channels with different information in order to optimally reach the respective personas. Overlaps in the preferred channels do not have to be a problem: Either these can be subdivided (in the case of a social media profile, for example, split the target group into two different presences or divide a blog into different categories) or content can even be found that applies equally to both user groups. In our television example, these could be product stories, for example, in which the technical background and design details play a role. The possibilities are endless. This shows that finding topics with recourse to data does not mean the end of creativity. Instead of dwelling on details such as a perfect headline, ingenuity is required when interpreting and optimising the use of data sets.
From concept to topic – the perfect workflow
- Collection of user data: Sources include the website (website analytics), social media insights, existing customer data (CRM) or market research (user surveys)
- Analysing and enriching the information: Precise persona descriptions are created from the information.
- Definition of channels: Based on the user data, it becomes obvious which channels the personas prefer.
- Content production: Now content has to be created, tailored to the individual interests and needs of the personas. The first results can only be expected after a certain amount of content has been produced on the relevant channels.
- Generate traffic: Gradually, more and more potential customers enter the middle section of the funnel. A skilful orchestration of search engine marketing (SEA/SEO), paid social media marketing and programmatic advertising generates high-quality traffic.
- Sorting traffic: Which contacts have a high potential to convert later? These users can be addressed repeatedly with further measures, such as retargeting, and their attention drawn to the brand and the company’s (content) offers. Ad spend should never be wasted on users who are less likely to convert.
- Track conversions: Which users have actually converted? Is the exact picture of the personas confirmed or is optimisation necessary?
- Don’t lose users: Many marketers forget this step. The question here is: Do customers have other needs that need to be met with content? Is there cross-selling potential? In addition to classic retargeting advertising measures, it is important not to lose the customer. Inbound marketing can significantly increase customer lifetime value with classic content formats such as care tips for products, additional application options and also discount and loyalty campaigns.
Conclusion: Data is what makes inbound marketing efficient
The need for information and therefore the need for good, target group-oriented inbound marketing is particularly high for high-priced products or longer-term services. The buying cycles here are significantly longer than for goods in the FMCG category, for example, and the phase of informing, weighing up and comparing is particularly pronounced. The middle and lower section of the marketing funnel is therefore the most important phase for inbound marketing. Quality is always more important than quantity: it is better for companies to set up five landing pages that are perfectly tailored to the target group and therefore work well than 50 subpages that perform rather mediocrely. The use of data for topic identification in inbound marketing is the key to greater efficiency, target group accuracy and therefore higher sales thanks to relevance.
