Ever feel like marketing is like playing a never-ending game of whack-a-mole? You’re constantly chasing trends on Instagram and trying to nail them on the head, but you’re just too little too late?
Or trying to revive that LinkedIn thought leadership spot by camping out in one position, but the LinkedInfluencers pop up around you left and right? Been there.
Enter: the marketing-driven buyer’s journey. A what now?
Content strategy has the reputation of being just arts and crafts, but that is not the case in the modern customer journey: it goes beyond the top of the funnel and is a crucial part of the sales funnel too. It’s part of a marketing-driven, customer-first strategy that’s designed to meet your audience wherever they are, with consistent messaging, seamless cross-platform experiences, and content they actually want to see.
Why do marketers need to care about the sales journey?
Why do marketers need to care about the sales journey?
Let’s break it down:
- Content Strategy = planned and purposeful outputs, where each of your content assets are unified and doesn’t feel like your channels are running on different planets. Typically handled by marketing teams.
- Sales Journey = the path your lead takes to becoming a buyer or customer, from first interaction with the sales team all the way to closing the deal. Also called the buyers’ journey, the customer journey, or the sales funnel. Typically handled by (you guessed it) sales teams.
BUT… it’s not that clear cut anymore.
Nowadays, only 5-6% of the entire B2B buyer’s journey is spent talking to one vendor. First of all, buyers just don’t want to talk to Sales reps (sorry to the BDRs whose emails I delete on sight), but also, the way we gather information as changed. There’s so much information out there, and buyers intuitively have learned to do their own research, and come to their own conclusions, long before ever reaching out to a sales person.
So content strategy can’t stay only on your top funnel channels. It has to extend beyond that, to every channel, every stage of the journey. It’s become the marketing-led buyer’s journey.
💡 It’s not about spamming every channel and hoping for the best. It’s about creating a unified experience that makes your B2B brand feel like a trusted friend—whether someone sees your content on TikTok, gets your email newsletter, or visits your website.
Why do Brands Need this?
Because your audience already expects it. 73% of B2B buyers prefer using multiple channels for their purchasing journey. Customers today move across platforms faster than you can say “algorithm change,” and if your messaging doesn’t follow them, they’ll move on to someone who can keep up like the Kardashians.
Some food for thought:
- 90% of customers expect consistent interactions across all channels (Porch)
- Companies with strong strategies across channels retain 89% of their customers, compared to 33% for those with weak strategies (Aberdeen Group)
- Consumers use an average of almost six touch-points, with nearly 50% regularly using more than four. (Marketing Week)
The Role of Video in Content Strategies Across the Sales Journey
Here’s where it gets good: video is the MVP of your content strategy, at any level of the funnel. Why? Because it’s versatile, engaging, and easy to repurpose or recreate across all platforms.
Picture this: You’re scrolling through LinkedIn and come across a short, snappy explainer video. Minutes later, you’re on Instagram and see the same brand, but this time they repurposed the video into bite-sized reels. You check our their blog, and there’s video there that you can share easily to inform your stakeholders. Then, you’re on YouTube, and boom—there’s a longer, in-depth version of the same content tailored for thought leadership.
By integrating video across platforms, you’re not just telling your story; you’re meeting your audience wherever they are, in the format they want.
For example:
- Social media? A snappy, 15-second clip grabs attention.
- Email campaigns? Embed a video for higher click-through rates.
- Your website? An explainer video keeps visitors engaged longer.
With a tool like Lumen5, you can create videos once and repurpose them for every channel, so you’re saving time while scaling your efforts. (You’re welcome.) A content strategy that stretches across the buyer journey isn’t just nice to have—it’s a necessity. It’s how you stay relevant, build loyalty, and meet your audience where they are. And when you add video to the mix? You’re unstoppable.
