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Did you know that you can create content for every stage of your buyer’s journey? With a little planning, your content can reach your ideal customer, whether they are just discovering your brand on your blog or stuck on your product page deciding whether to make a purchase. Every piece of content you publish, be it a blog, article, ebook, case study, landing page, infographic, or video, can be a powerful motivator and educator when it reaches your audience at the right time.

The secret to making this work? Content mapping.

What Is a Content Map?

A content map is simply a plan that details how your business will deliver content to your ideal customers, no matter where they are on their journey. In other words, it lays out exactly how and when your content will connect with your audience.

By using a content map, you can figure out where your audience is in their buying process and plan personalized content to help guide them forward. It shows you how to tailor each piece of content to meet the needs of different customer groups (or personas) as they learn about, consider, and eventually decide on your services.

What Is Content Mapping?

Content mapping is the process of building your content map. It involves creating a plan that matches your ideal audience with the right content at the right stage of their journey. Essentially, content mapping answers questions like:

• Who is your target customer?
• What are their needs at each stage of the journey?
• How can your content help to guide them towards making a decision?

The ultimate goal of content mapping is to create a personalized content experience that supports, nurtures, engages, and draws your potential customers closer to a decision. When you have a clear content mapping strategy, you’re not just blogging or posting for the sake of it, you’re creating a step-by-step guide that helps your audience move through their buyer’s journey.

Why Should You Do Content Mapping?

Let’s be real: creating content just to “have content” isn’t a strategy, it’s busywork. You can spend hours writing blogs, making videos, or designing graphics, but if none of it actually helps your audience or brings them closer to choosing you, what’s the point?

That’s where content mapping comes in. It’s the difference between guessing and knowing. It’s how you stop posting blindly and start publishing with purpose.

Here’s why content mapping is such a game-changer for your marketing strategy:

1. You Create the Right Content for Every Stage

You’ve probably heard of the buyer’s journey, the steps people take before they decide to buy something. But if your content only speaks to people at one step (like the beginning), you’re leaving a lot on the table.

So what does content mapping help with here? It helps you make sure you’ve got helpful, relevant content for every stage of the journey:

• Awareness Stage: This is when people realize they have a problem but aren’t totally sure what it is yet. They’re searching for answers. Your job here is to help them understand what’s going on. Blog posts, how-to guides, and explainer videos work great in this stage.
• Consideration Stage: Now that your audience understands the problem, they’re starting to look for ways to solve it. This is where you help them explore their options, comparison posts, solution-based articles, or webinars can be super effective here.
• Decision Stage: This is the final stretch. People know what they need, and now they’re just deciding who to go with. This is where your testimonials, product pages, and case studies should shine. You’re showing them, “Here’s why we’re the right choice.”

Without content mapping, you might end up writing a ton of content for the awareness stage and completely forget about helping people through consideration or decision. That creates a gap, and guess who steps in to fill it? Your competitors.

2. Each Piece of Content Has a Job (and Pulls Its Weight)

Ever hit “publish” on a blog post and then… crickets?

It’s frustrating, especially when you’ve put real time into something. Content mapping helps prevent that by making sure every piece of content you create has a job to do.

Instead of just writing a blog because “you’re supposed to,” you’re writing it because: It solves a problem your audience is currently facing, It’s part of a bigger journey you’re guiding them through, and/or It leads them naturally to the next step.
That means you’re not just creating content, you’re building a path. A path that helps your audience learn, grow, and eventually… buy.

With content mapping, your content becomes a strategic tool, not a shot in the dark.

It’s a shift in mindset. You go from: “Let’s hope this gets clicks.” to “This blog is here to educate first-time visitors and point them to our free guide, which helps them compare options, which leads to a discovery call.”

Suddenly, your content isn’t just existing, it’s working for you.

3. You Build Stronger, More Loyal Customer Relationships

People don’t just want products, they want solutions, guidance, and connection.

When you give them content that truly helps them at every step of their journey, something powerful happens: they trust you.

They feel like you “get it.” Like you’ve walked in their shoes and created something just for them.

That kind of trust turns casual readers into engaged leads. And when you deliver a great product or service on top of that? You don’t just gain a customer, you gain a fan.

Content mapping leads to:

• More engagement
• More repeat customers
• More people recommending you to others

Because when someone feels supported from the moment they find you to the moment they buy, and beyond, they remember that. And they come back.

So… Is Content Mapping Worth It?

Absolutely.

It takes a little extra time and planning up front, sure. But in return, you get:

• A content strategy that actually works
• Less wasted effort on content that doesn’t perform
• Better connections with the people you’re trying to serve

It’s one of the most powerful ways to turn your marketing from reactive to intentional. From scattered to strategic. From "content for content’s sake" to "content that leads somewhere."

If you’re serious about helping your audience and growing your business, content mapping isn’t just a nice-to-have, it’s a must.

How to Do Content Mapping (Step-by-Step)

So you're ready to build a content map, but where do you even start?

Good news: you don’t need to be a marketing expert to get this right. Content mapping is really just about putting yourself in your customer’s shoes and making sure the content you create helps them every step of the way.

Below is a simple, step-by-step guide to walk you through it.

Step 1: Who Are You Talking To?

Before you can plan out your content, you have to know who you’re creating it for. This step is all about audience research and building buyer personas, two things that will help you understand your ideal customer inside and out.

What Is Audience Research?

Audience research means learning everything you can about the people you want to reach. You want to understand their:

• Habits
• Pain points
• Goals
• Preferences

Here are a few ways to do that:

• Use data that already exists: There are tons of studies, industry reports, and surveys out there. These can give you a quick overview of trends, challenges, and what people care about in your space, especially if you're just getting started.
  
  
• Ask your audience directly: If you already have customers or followers, send out a quick survey. Ask questions like:
  • What’s your biggest challenge right now?
  • What do you wish you had more help with?
  • What kind of content do you enjoy (blogs, videos, tutorials)?
• Talk to people: Interviews don’t have to be formal. Have conversations with customers, leads, or even friends who fit your target audience. Their answers might surprise you, and give you real-world insights you won’t find in a spreadsheet.
• Look at what’s already working: Check your website analytics, social media stats, and email performance. What content is getting clicks, shares, or replies? This data helps you understand what your audience connects with.

Why Not Just Guess?

It’s tempting to assume you know your audience, especially if you’ve been in business for a while. But assumptions can lead you in the wrong direction.

Content mapping only works if it’s based on real people and real behavior. So even if you think you know your audience, test your assumptions. You might find new patterns, interests, or frustrations you hadn’t noticed before.

Step 2: Build Your Buyer Personas

Once you’ve gathered your audience research, it’s time to turn that information into something usable: buyer personas.

What’s a Buyer Persona?

A buyer persona is a made-up character that represents a real type of customer you serve. It’s like building a profile of your ideal buyer, but instead of just listing demographics, you’re also thinking about their behavior, needs, and goals.

Here’s what to include in each persona:

• Name and short description (to keep things clear, like “Marketing Director Maggie”)
• Job title or role
• Age range
• Location
• Pain points or challenges
• Goals or what they want to achieve
• How they prefer to learn (blog posts, videos, webinars, etc.)

Do I Need More Than One Persona?

Most businesses do. If your product or service helps more than one type of person, you’ll need a persona for each major group.

For example:

• A coffee brand might have a persona for busy parents who need a quick energy boost and one for college students looking for affordable caffeine options.
• A digital marketing agency (like THAT Agency) might have a persona for small business owners who need a full-service strategy and another for in-house marketers looking for campaign support.

Having multiple personas helps you tailor content more specifically, because different people need different things at different times.

Example Persona:

Let’s say you run a business that sells productivity tools. One of your personas might look like this: 

With a persona like this, you can now start creating content that speaks directly to Brenda, what she’s going through, what she’s searching for, and how you can help.

Why This Step Matters So Much

You might be thinking, “Can’t I just write content for everyone and hope for the best?”

The short answer: you could, but it probably won’t get you far.

Content that tries to speak to everyone often ends up connecting with no one. It’s too broad, too generic, and it doesn’t feel personal.

Content mapping helps you narrow your focus. It reminds you that your audience is made up of real people, people who want to feel like you understand them.

And when your content feels like it was made just for them? That’s when the magic happens.

Step 2: What Are They Thinking? Map Out the Buying Stages of Your Persona(s)

Now that you’ve figured out who you’re talking to (thanks to your personas), it’s time to understand what they’re thinking along the way.

Every customer, no matter what they’re buying, goes through a process before they make a decision. This process is called the buyer’s journey, and content mapping only works when you understand what’s going on in their head at each stage.

So, what does this journey look like? It’s typically made up of three key stages:

1. Awareness Stage

This is the beginning of the journey. Your potential customer knows something isn’t quite right, but they can’t put their finger on it yet. They’re feeling a challenge or a frustration, but they haven’t clearly defined the problem.

Let’s say someone is searching for “why am I always tired at work?”
They’re not ready to buy anything yet, they’re just trying to understand what’s going on.

At this stage, people are looking for helpful, educational content. They want to:

• Learn more about the symptoms they’re experiencing
• Understand what the possible causes are
• Start defining their problem more clearly

What kind of content works here?

• Blog posts
• How-to guides
• Infographics
• Educational videos
• Social media posts

Your goal here is not to sell, it’s to help. You’re building trust by being a helpful resource that answers their questions, no strings attached.

Common questions your personas might ask in this stage:

• “What’s causing this?”
• “Is this normal?”
• “Should I be worried about this?”
• “How do I even start solving this?”

2. Consideration Stage

Now the buyer has figured out what the issue is. They’ve put a name to the problem, and they’re actively looking for ways to fix it.

Going back to our example: Now they’re searching for “natural ways to boost energy during the workday” or “best vitamins for fatigue.”

They’re researching their options. Comparing. Evaluating. They’re not ready to buy yet, but they’re getting closer.

This is where your content needs to shift. You’re no longer just helping them define the problem, you’re helping them explore solutions.

Best content types for this stage:

• Product or service comparison guides
• Tutorials or demos
• Case studies
• In-depth blog articles
• Webinars or expert interviews

Your job is to show up as a trustworthy source. You want to give them helpful info, while gently positioning your solution as one of the best options out there.

Common questions your personas might ask in this stage:

• “What are my options?”
• “Which solution works best for someone like me?”
• “What do other people recommend?”
• “How do I know if this is the right direction?”

3. Decision Stage

Now we’re getting to the home stretch.

The buyer knows what the problem is. They’ve explored their options. Now they’re narrowing down who or what they want to go with.

They’re ready to take action, but they need a final push.

In our example, maybe they’ve narrowed it down to two products. Now they’re searching for “Brand A vs Brand B energy supplement” or reading customer reviews.

At this stage, your content should help build confidence and answer final questions. It’s okay to be more product-focused now, because that’s what they’re looking for.

Content that works well in the decision stage:

• Testimonials
• Reviews
• Free trials or samples
• Case studies showing results
• Product pages with clear features and benefits
• Comparison charts or checklists

Your goal here is simple: remove any lingering doubts. Make it easy to say “yes.”

Common questions your personas might ask in this stage:

• “Why should I choose you over someone else?”
• “What do other customers think?”
• “How much does this cost, and is it worth it?”
• “What happens after I buy?”

How to Use This in Your Content Map

When you sit down to map out content, it helps to ask:

• Do I have content that supports every stage?
• Are there gaps where my persona might get stuck?
• Does each piece naturally lead them to the next?

If you’re heavy on awareness content but don’t have much for consideration or decision-making, some leads may drop off halfway through. They got excited about your blog post, but then they had nowhere to go next.

Content mapping solves that. It makes sure you’re building a path, not just isolated pieces of content.

Quick Example

Let’s say you run a business that sells project management software. You have a persona named Startup Steve, he owns a small business and struggles with staying organized.

Here’s what his journey might look like:

• Awareness: “Why can’t I keep up with all my projects?” → Reads your blog on “5 Signs Your Business Needs Better Workflow Tools”
• Consideration: “Maybe I need a project management tool. What are my options?” → Finds your comparison guide: “Trello vs Asana vs OurSoftware: Which One’s Right for You?”
• Decision: “I like what I’ve seen so far, what do real users think?” → Watches a video testimonial from another startup owner and signs up for a free trial

That’s the power of content mapping. It’s not about creating random content. It’s about walking your audience through the process, one helpful piece at a time.

Step 3: Where/When – Map Out Content Types and Topics for Each Stage

By now, you’ve figured out who your audience is and what they’re going through at each stage of their buyer journey. The next step? Decide where to reach them and when to give them the right kind of content.

It’s not just about making a blog or recording a video. It’s about picking the right type of content, and placing it in the right spot, so your message lands when your audience needs it most.

Let’s break it down stage by stage.

Awareness Stage Content

Goal: Help your audience understand and define their problem.

At this stage, your audience isn’t looking for a product yet, they’re just trying to figure out what’s going on. They might not even realize they have a specific problem, they just know something feels off.

They’re asking early questions like:

• “Why is this happening?”
• “Should I be worried about this?”
• “What does this mean?”
• “How do other people handle this?”

Your job here is to meet them where they are and help them make sense of it all, without trying to sell them anything yet.

Best Types of Content for Awareness:

• Blog posts – Short, easy-to-read, and full of helpful info.
• How-to guides – Give step-by-step advice for common issues.
• Infographics – Visuals that break down complex ideas.
• Social media posts – Bite-sized tips that are easy to share.
• Ebooks or downloadable checklists – For people who want to dig a little deeper.

Topic Ideas:

• “What Is a Content Map (And Do You Actually Need One)?”
• “5 Signs You’ve Outgrown Your Marketing Strategy”
• “Why Your Website Isn’t Bringing in Traffic, and What to Do About It”

At this stage, keep things helpful and light. You’re not pitching a product, you’re building trust.

Consideration Stage Content

Goal: Help your audience explore their options and weigh the pros and cons.

Now your audience understands what the issue is, and they’re actively looking for solutions. This is your chance to step in and show them what’s possible.

They’re thinking:

• “What tools or services can help with this?”
• “What’s the best way to solve this?”
• “Has anyone like me done this before?”
• “How do these solutions compare?”

You’re not trying to “close the deal” yet. Instead, you want to position yourself as a smart, reliable resource. Show them that you’ve done this before, and that you get what they’re going through.

Best Types of Content for Consideration:

• Webinars or live Q&As – Answer questions in real time and showcase your expertise.
• Product comparison guides – Break down the differences between you and your competitors (in a helpful, honest way).
• Customer case studies – Share real-world success stories from past clients.
• White papers or deep-dive articles – Provide valuable insight or industry research.
• Tutorials and how-to videos – Show how your product or service solves a specific problem.

Topic Ideas:

• “Content Mapping vs. Traditional Content Planning: Which Works Better?”
• “How One Small Business Doubled Their Leads With a Simple Content Map”
• “What to Look for in a Content Strategy Partner”

This is your opportunity to guide, not push. Be the brand that helps them feel smarter and more confident about their next step.

Decision Stage Content

Goal: Give your audience the confidence to choose you.

This is the moment they’re ready to act, but they might still have a few hesitations. Maybe they’re comparing prices. Maybe they’re double-checking reviews. Maybe they just need a final nudge.

They’re asking:

• “Can I trust this company?”
• “Is this the best value?”
• “What results can I expect?”
• “What happens after I sign up?”

This is your time to shine. Make it easy for them to say yes by showing them exactly what they’re getting, and why you’re the best choice.

Best Types of Content for Decision:

• Landing pages – Focused, benefit-driven pages that highlight one product, service, or offer.
• Testimonials and reviews – Real feedback from real people.
• Demos or free trials – Let them experience your product or service for themselves.
• Consultation offers – A low-pressure way to talk to your team and ask questions.
• Special discounts or promotions – Give them a little extra incentive to choose you.

Topic Ideas:

• “See How We Helped [Client Name] Boost Sales by 60%, And How You Can Too”
• “Book a Free Content Strategy Session Today”
• “What It’s Like to Work With THAT Agency: From First Call to Final Result”

This is where you shift into sales mode, but in a way that still feels helpful and human. You’re not pressuring anyone. You’re just removing the roadblocks that might be holding them back.

Where Should This Content Live?

Great question, and the answer depends on your audience.

Here are a few content placement ideas by stage:

Use your buyer persona research to figure out where your audience spends their time online. If your persona is super active on LinkedIn but barely opens emails, prioritize LinkedIn.

What About SEO?

If you’re wondering how SEO fits into all of this, here’s the deal:

Every stage has its own keywords.

People in the awareness stage are searching things like:

• “What is a content map?”
• “Why isn’t my content getting results?”
• “Marketing strategy for small businesses”

People in the decision stage might be searching:

• “Best content marketing agency”
• “THAT Agency reviews”
• “Get help with content strategy”

Use tools like Google Keyword Planner, Ahrefs, or Ubersuggest to find the search terms your audience is using at each stage. Then bake those keywords into your content naturally.

(And yep, this is exactly where keywords like “what is a content map” should go.)

Step 4: How – Use Your Content Map to Evaluate Existing Content and Plan New Content

Let’s say you’ve done the hard part, you know who your audience is, what they need at each stage, and what type of content fits best. Awesome! Now it’s time to put that content map to work.

A content map isn’t just something you create and forget about. It’s a tool. A helpful one. And one of the best things it can do is help you make the most of the content you already have before you start creating anything new.

So how do you do that?

Start With a Content Audit (What Do You Already Have?)

Before you dive into new ideas, take a look at what’s already sitting on your website, blog, YouTube channel, or anywhere else you’ve published content.

Why? Because chances are, you already have some great content, it just might not be aligned with your customer journey yet.

Here’s how to do a basic content audit:

1. Make a list of your content
   This includes blog posts, videos, landing pages, guides, emails, anything you’ve created to help educate, engage, or convert your audience.
   
   
2. Sort each piece by buying stage
   Ask yourself: Does this content help someone understand a problem (Awareness)?
   Does it help them explore solutions (Consideration)?
   Or does it help them make a decision (Decision)?
   
   
3. Tag each piece by persona
   If you’ve built buyer personas (which you should have by this step!), try to match each piece of content to the persona it best speaks to.
   
   
4. Spot the gaps
   
   
   • Do you have tons of blogs that explain problems but nothing that shows how to solve them?
   • Are your product pages detailed, but you’re missing real-life testimonials?
   • Do you have content for one persona but not the others?

This simple audit will give you a clearer view of where you’re solid, and where your content is falling short.

Pro Tip: You don’t need to use fancy tools. A simple spreadsheet with columns for content title, URL, persona, buying stage, and performance (like views or conversions) works just fine.

Brainstorm New Content Ideas (What Are You Missing?)

Once you’ve done your audit, it’s time to fill in the blanks.

This is where your content map becomes your creative partner. Think of it like a checklist:

• Which stages need more love?
• Which personas need more personalized content?
• Are there key questions or search terms that haven’t been covered yet?

Ask yourself:

• Do we have enough content that helps people realize they have a problem?
• Do we explain why our solution is better than others?
• Do we provide enough proof (like testimonials or demos) to help people feel confident choosing us?

Examples of content gaps:

• No awareness content for Persona B? Create a blog post that answers one of their top early-stage questions.
• Not enough decision-stage material? Add a case study or a video walkthrough.
• Lots of content on “what we do,” but nothing that answers “why it matters”? Create a benefits-focused comparison guide.

You don’t need to fix everything all at once. Just prioritize the areas where you're losing potential customers, or where your competitors are doing a better job.

Keep It All Organized (Your Plan Should Be Easy to Use)

Now that you’ve looked at what you have and what you need, it’s time to organize it in a way you and your team can actually use.

Why does documenting your content map matter?

Because if it’s not written down, it’s just an idea. And ideas are easy to forget. But when you document your plan, you give your content strategy structure and clarity. You also make it easier to share with your team, track progress, and update over time.

How to document your content map:

Use a spreadsheet, whiteboard, or digital project tool, whatever works for you.

Here’s what to include:

• Your buyer personas
  Include key info like name, challenges, goals, and preferred content formats.
• Stages of the buyer’s journey
  Awareness, Consideration, and Decision, create sections for each.
• Content topics
  List the topics you’ve already covered and the ones you still need to create.
• Content types
  Assign the format (blog, video, landing page, etc.) to each topic.
• Status
  Use tags like “Published,” “Needs Update,” “In Progress,” or “Planned.”

Bonus tip: Add a column for keywords you want to target. This helps you stay SEO-focused and ensures you’re using the language your audience is actually searching for.

Wait, Do I Have to Do This All the Time?

Not at all. A full content audit and mapping session is something you only need to do every few months or once per quarter.

But your content map? That’s a living document. It grows with your business. Every time you create something new, check it against the map:

• Which persona is it for?
• What stage does it support?
• Does it fill a gap or improve an existing path?

This habit turns content marketing from a guessing game into a strategy you can actually measure, and scale.

The Real Benefits of Content Mapping

At its core, content mapping is about building a stronger connection with your audience. When you map out how your content supports your buyers every step of the way, you achieve several key benefits:

• Maximized Impact: Each piece of content is designed with a clear purpose. This means you’re not just creating noise; you’re building a pathway that leads directly to conversions.
• Improved Customer Journey: When a buyer sees relevant, helpful content at every stage, they feel understood. This nurtures trust and keeps them engaged, turning casual visitors into loyal customers.
• Higher Returns on Content Investment: Instead of publishing content without a clear direction, a content map lets you measure success at each stage. You’ll know exactly how your content is performing and where to adjust your strategy for better results.

Time to Start Mapping Your Content

Content mapping might seem a bit overwhelming at first, but it’s one of the smartest moves you can make for your marketing strategy in 2025. It ensures that your content is not only published but is also effective at moving prospects through the buyer’s journey.

Remember: Every blog, article, video, and social media post can become a powerful tool in your marketing arsenal when you have a clear, thoughtful content map. The planning you put in today creates a smoother, more personalized experience for your customers tomorrow.

Ready to create a content map that works? If you need help setting up a strategy that meets your business goals and reaches the right audience at the right time, contact THAT Agency. We’re here to help you build content that inspires, connects, and drives real results.