Content needs to support every stage of your funnel. It helps educate your prospects, and help them make decisions. Here are the metrics and content types that I believe can support the various stages of the buyers journey (or customer journey, as the cycle really never ends).
Awareness
Goals: Thought Leadership and Engagement
Types: Blog Posts, Infographics, Educational Videos, Online Ads, Press Releases
Metrics: Referral Traffic, Social Shares, Channel Engagement, Downloads
Investigation
Goals: Lead Acquisition, Lead Qualification
Types: Whitepapers, eBooks, Webinar, Landing Pages, Events
Metrics: Registrations, Downloads, New Leads, Lead Attribution
Comparison
Goals: Lead Qualification, Lead Flow
Types: Emails, Case Studies, Video Testimonials
Metrics: Opens, Click-Throughs, Downloads, Conversion Attribution
Consideration
Goals: Equip Sales Team, Build Consensus
Types: Brochures, Fact Sheets, Demo Videos, Presentations
Metrics: Content Usage, Downloads, Open, Conversion Attribution
Purchase
Goals: Confirm Value, Define Next Steps
Types: Onboarding Materials, Presentations, Emails
Metrics: Content Usage, Downloads, Revenue Attribution
Ownership
Goals: Onboard, Ensure Success
Types: Blog Posts, Infographics, Educational Videos, Online Ads, Press Releases
Metrics: Downloads, Opens, Content Usage, Online Engagement