Gone are the days when potential customers would start their buying process by flipping through the Yellow Pages and walking into a physical store. 

Fast forward to 2025 and the buyer’s journey has undergone a total transformation. Today’s buyers are digital-first. They Google, scroll Instagram, Facebook, read reviews, compare products (and prices), then maybe, just maybe — step into a physical store. 

 

 

For businesses, this means that every step of the buyer’s decision-making process happens across multiple digital touchpoints. Whether that’s a TikTok product review or a LinkedIn article, buyers are in full control of how they research and engage with your brand. 

And the best (or toughest) part? This process can last weeks, months or even years, depending on how involved the purchase is.

High-value or complex the buying decision: think buying a home, investing in software or switching service providers — require extended research, multiple touchpoints and often input from several stakeholders. That’s a lot of effort in making sure every “i” is dotted and every “t” is crossed to build confidence in the final choice.

For businesses, understanding this timeline is crucial. Especially for those striving to remain ahead of the curve as market leaders.

Whether you’re already investing in social and content production or preparing to take the leap, aligning with your audience’s decision-making process is the key to unlocking sustained growth and staying competitive in an evolving market.

By consistently providing value, answering questions and nurturing leads at every step, you stay relevant and trusted throughout the decision-making process. Remember, it’s a marathon, not a sprint — but the payoff is worth every step of the journey.

This, my friend, is why aligning your content strategy with the buyer’s journey is critical for businesses today. Fail to meet buyers where they are and you’ll lose out to a competitor who does.

However, when done right, it’s an absolute game-changer — one that propels your business ahead of the competition. 

By the end of this article, you’ll not only understand the three key stages of the buyer’s journey, but you’ll also know exactly how to align your content strategy to close those crucial deals. 

 

 

So what is the buyer’s journey? 

The buyer’s journey is the process a potential customer goes through to discover, consider and ultimately decide whether or not to purchase your product or service. Think of it like a treasure hunt (but the “treasure” is trust in your brand). 

Now, to put it simply, there are 3 key stages of the Buyer’s Journey: 

      1. Awareness Stage 

This is when buyers have a problem—or a need—but might not know what solutions exist yet. They’re Googling things like “why does my back hurt” rather than “best ergonomic chairs.” They’re consuming high-level content such as blog posts, videos or social media posts that educate them about their issue. 

      2. Consideration Stage 

Here, the buyer knows their problem and is actively researching possible solutions. For example, someone struggling with back pain might now search for “top ergonomic office chairs” and review product lists, comparison videos or social proof like testimonials or case studies. 

      3. Decision Stage 

At this point, buyers are ready to make a purchase — but they’re weighing their options. For instance, “Should I buy that $500 ergonomic chair or go for the $200 one with decent reviews?” 

This stage is all about reinforcing trust with your audience through offers, guarantees or direct communication with your team. 

While these three stages provide a clear framework, it’s important to remember there are additional stages to the buyer’s journey, such as the purchase and retention stages. These encompass the moment of buying the product and the ongoing effort to keep your customers engaged and loyal beyond that one purchase. However, for the purpose of this explainer article, we’ve intentionally kept things concise to focus on the core stages.

Understanding your customer buyer journey is about recognising the questions your audience has at every stage of their decision-making process. From awareness to consideration and, finally, to decision, each stage requires tailored content that resonates and solves problems. Skipping this alignment is like leaving a map half-finished—your customers won’t know where to go next.

Picture this: a potential buyer lands on your business social media page. They’re intrigued but unsure. Do they feel understood? Guided? If your content isn’t aligned with their needs, chances are they’ll bounce — straight into the welcoming arms of your competitor.

 

 

Why aligning your content strategy with the buyer’s journey matters 

Don’t waste energy creating content that doesn’t resonate with where your buyers are. Instead, a clear content strategy tailored to each stage of the buyer’s journey ensures every piece of content works toward meeting your potential customers’ needs while guiding them closer to your product or service. For a more in depth buyer journey 

Not convinced? Here’s some data from Sprout Social to put things into perspective:

• 97% of buyers learn about brands via online channels. 
• 75% of shoppers use social media to gather information before making a purchase decision. 
• And according to HubSpot, 47% of buyers view 3-5 pieces of content before even engaging with a sales rep. 

If your content doesn’t show up at those key touchpoints, you’re essentially ghosting your customers when they need you most and no one wants to be ghosted. 

 

 

How to align your content strategy with the buyer’s journey 

Here’s the good news. You can meet your buyers at each stage with the right content, provided you know their needs. Here’s how you can do it like a pro. 

Step 1: Map out your buyer journey 

Every business is different. If your buyer’s decision-making process takes days rather than months, your content strategy should reflect that.

Start by breaking down your customer’s likely behaviour and preferred touchpoints (social media, Google search, direct referrals, etc.) at each stage. 

At SO WHAT SOCIAL, we offer content audits and premium social analytics tools to help businesses define these key gaps and opportunities. This is where strategy meets data-backed decisions. 

Step 2: Build awareness-stage content that educates 

When buyers don’t even know they need you yet, informative, engaging content is your ticket.

Write blogs, short-form video content pushed to the masses via social channels or visual carousels that tell a story by answering their questions can be extremely impactful and influence potential prospects into that brings awareness to their problem, challenge or desire. Think keyword-rich topics like “Top 5 tips for a pain-free work setup” or “Common causes of back pain at work.” 

Aligned keywords for awareness-stage content include “digital marketing New Zealand,” “social media agency Sydney” and “content marketing.” (If those sound familiar, it’s because they’re woven into this strategy right NOW 😉). 

Step 3: Create consideration-stage content that differentiates YOU

Now’s the time to position yourself as an industry expert as someone who understands their frustrations and has potential solutions. 

Examples:

• Publish comparison blogs or videos such as “The Best Ergonomic Chairs for Small Home Offices.” 
• Share case studies or client testimonials to demonstrate credibility. 
• Use tools like lead magnets (PDF downloads or eBooks) to collect email addresses for deeper engagement. 

Step 4: Create decision-stage offers and build trust 

Here’s where you win the race by reducing objections and sealing the deal. 

Content ideas at this stage include:

• Free trials, consultations or demo offers. For example, book a 30-minute discovery call with SO WHAT SOCIAL to spot the gaps in your buyer’s content strategy. 
• Discount incentives or guarantees like “Try risk-free for 90 days!” 
• Personalised follow-ups via well-trained sales teams to establish rapport and solidify trust. 

 

Your secret weapon to winning the content game 

Here’s the thing — it’s a race out there. A race to get in front of potential customers first, answer their questions before they even ask them and ensure you’re top of mind when they’re ready to buy. 

At SO WHAT SOCIAL, we work with brands like yours to uncover opportunities at every stage of the buyer’s journey. Through tailored audits, industry and market insights and competitor analysis, we build your roadmap to content that converts, inspires and stands out. 

Want to learn more about how we can help? Book your free 30-minute discovery call today and start turning buyer touchpoints into revenue-generating moments.