what is content mapping?

A content map, in short, is a tool that allows you to know what personalised content you should deliver to each user. Today we tell you the steps to create a good content mapping, what exactly it is for and the formats that are usually included in it. Don't miss it!

what is content mapping for?

If you are carrying out a content marketing strategy, creating a content map is an essential step. Its main functions are:

• Knowing how to respond to what, who and when, as themap tells you what content to offer to your ideal client and when to offer it.

• Auditing your current content and identifying possible flaws in your strategy.

• Offer interesting content to your users, no matter where they are in the buying process.

• Create automated content chains, known as "marketing automation", to accompany users in their buying process.

what 2 fundamental steps do you have to follow to create a good content map?

1. Know and design your buyer personas: It is essential that you know in depth the profile of your ideal customer, i.e. their needs, their concerns, their interests, their preferences when it comes to consuming content... All this information will help you a lot when creating a content map, as you will be able to better identify what topics to write about, in what formats to present the content, in what channels to distribute it, etc.
2. Knowing your customer's buyer journey: It is as important to know your buyer persona as it is to know their buyer journey, or in other words, the journey your buyer persona takes from the moment a need arises and they begin to investigate how to solve it until they make a purchase of a product or a contract. This "buying journey" is usually divided into three stages:

-Discovery: The user discovers that they have a certain problem or need and want to solve it. They begin to conduct introductory searches related to the problem, not the product. Their intention is to educate themselves to understand their situation.

-Consideration: In this phase, the user researches and evaluates the different alternatives to solve their problem and thus be able to choose the one that best fits their situation. It is important that they end up choosing us and not the competition, so we must personalise our content well.

-Decision: This is when the user finally chooses one of the alternatives and looks for the best provider to carry it out.

what content formats are normally included in content mapping?

Depending on your buyer persona and their preferences in information consumption, you can choose to include some formats or others in your content map. Some of the most common formats are:

1. Posts: these are articles for the blog. They rank very well and get more visitors to enter your website. In addition, most users value and consume them.
2. Ebooks or guides: these are downloadable contents that provide added value, such as an extended version of a post, and are usually delivered in exchange for providing certain information in a form.
3. Quizzes or surveys: these are tests for the user to participate and interact more with your page.
4. Videos: for those who prefer to consume information in audiovisual format, this type of content is perfect for creating tutorials and other types of training or explanatory material.
5. Infographics: this is another of the most visual ways of sharing data and information, as its compact format makes it easy to share and viralise.
6. Checklists: these are lists in which you can check off tasks, ideal for simplifying processes.
7. Webinars: these are online sessions, live or recorded, in which an expert gives a kind of class on a specific topic.
8. Success stories and testimonials: these are formats in which a customer shares what their purchase process and subsequent decision was like and expresses how happy they are to have made this decision.
9. Comparisons: this is a very useful formula for comparing products, services, tools, etc. and saves the user a great deal of research work. It is usually offered in a downloadable guide or on an open page, where it is essential to be objective and use easily verifiable criteria so that the user can assess which is the best solution for him/her.
10. Demos, trials and consultancies: these formats allow the user to get to know the product better through demonstrations, free trials or specific consultancies.

Now that you know what content mapping is, what it is used for, what steps to follow to create it and in what formats it is usually found, it is time to apply it to your business. Also, remember that every effort has its reward and the content you have created will adapt to everything your audience needs. Thanks for reading us!