Content Strategy vs Content Strategy

Content strategy is a vital part of any business, and it involves planning for the creation, delivery, and governance of useful, usable, and effective content about a particular topic or set of topics. There are two main areas that businesses focus on when it comes to content strategy, namely marketing content strategy and support content strategy. Although both strategies aim to provide informative and helpful content, they differ in their intended audience, purpose, goals, and messaging.

The Key Differences

The main difference between these two content strategies is the stage of the customer journey they are focused on and the goals they aim to achieve. While both strategies may involve creating informative and helpful content, the target audience, messaging, and tone of the content will differ significantly depending on whether the focus is on pre-sales marketing or post-sales support. Marketing content strategy aims to generate interest and excitement, while support content strategy aims to extend value and partner with existing customers.

The other major difference I’ve found in my decades of experience in the knowledge management and content strategy world: very few companies realize the necessity of a support content strategy while simultaneously and myopically focused on their marketing content strategy. Run a quick LinkedIn job search for “content strategist” and you’ll quickly see the disparity. (Likewise, the jobs often posted a ‘content strategist’ are really just fluffing up advertising copywriter jobs. But that’s a whole other issue…)

Marketing Content Strategy

Marketing content strategy focuses on attracting and engaging potential customers by building brand awareness, generating leads, and ultimately driving sales. The content is often designed to be persuasive and educational, highlighting the benefits and features of a product or service and addressing potential objections or concerns that a prospect may have. The target audience is typically prospective customers who are in the consideration or evaluation phase of the buying process. Marketing content strategy is all about generating interest and excitement in a brand or product, and it requires a different approach to content creation and distribution than support content strategy.

Support Content Strategy

On the other hand, support content strategy is focused on providing assistance, guidance, and solutions to customers who have already made a purchase. The content is intended to help customers get the most out of their product or service, troubleshoot any issues or problems they may encounter, and build loyalty and advocacy. The target audience is primarily existing customers who are looking for answers to their questions or seeking help with their product or service but can also be pre-sales audiences evaluating the service. Support content strategy is all about providing extended value and building long-term relationships with customers, and it requires a different approach to content creation and distribution than marketing content strategy.

In Defense of the Support Content Strategy

Overall, developing a support content strategy is a complex and iterative process that requires ongoing attention and refinement. By focusing on the target audience, goals, messaging, and distribution channels, businesses can create effective and holistic content strategies that drive engagement, loyalty, and ultimately, business success.

A Support Content Strategy that works in conjunction with marketing and delivers quality content is one the most powerful assets for any business. It can help differentiate a company from its competitors and keep customers loyal. Good support content creates brand trust with its audience and builds relationships with them. It is a sales differentiator that helps to attract, engage, and retain customers.

It is also one of the most effective ways to build your brand’s reputation and share information about your business with potential customers while retaining the ones you have as champions for your product.