As a content manager, you want to help (potential) customers make well-informed purchasing decisions. But how do you make sure they get exactly the information they need, at the time they need it? An article or a video isn't always enough - sometimes you need a comprehensive resource: a content guide.

At Buzzlytics, we have helped several clients in our marketing and sales program to create content guides. Well thought-out guides prove to be a powerful tool to generate traffic, leads and sales. By offering the right information, at the right time, to the right target group, you help prospects and customers at every stage of their journey.

In this article you will learn what types of content guides there are and how to deploy them. You will discover which type of guide best fits which situation and you will get a clear roadmap to create your own guide. After reading this you will know exactly how to create valuable, complete content guides that really help your (potential) customers.

Content guides help buyers in their purchase decision.

A content guide is a comprehensive source of information that helps buyers in their purchase decision, but the exact interpretation depends on your goals. Below I discuss the four main types of content guides and their specific features.

Good to know: these are the internal names for the guides. Externally, of course, you use SEO-friendly titles that match the search terms your target audience uses and generate interest in your audience to read the guide. For example, at Buzzlytics, we have guides titled "Everything you need to know about [product name].

An info guide, also called an e-book, provides a complete overview of a specific topic. This type of guide targets prospects who are aware of their problem but not yet aware of the possible solutions. These prospects are at the top of the funnel (tofu).

The purpose of this guide is to reach a wide audience and build brand awareness. Take, for example, a landscaping company that publishes a guide on weeds in gardens. Not everyone who reads this guide will become a customer - some are do-it-yourselfers or not yet ready for your services. But by sharing valuable information, you do build brand awareness and authority in your field.

A buyer's guide addresses several possible solutions to a problem.

A buyer's guide helps potential customers make a buying decision. Whereas the reader of an info guide is primarily aware of their problem, a buyer's guide goes into more detail about possible solutions. These prospects are in the middle of the funnel (mofu).

In the example of the landscaping company, a buyer's guide could cover all ways to control weeds: preventive measures, pesticides, hand tools, soil conditioners, etc. It is important in a buyer's guide not only to highlight your own solution, but to give a complete overview.

Unlike a buyer's guide, a seller's guide focuses specifically on your products and services. A buyer's guide teaches prospects how to make an informed purchase, regardless of who they end up buying from. A seller's guide teaches prospects how to make an informed purchase from you. Prospects with whom you share the seller's guide are in the bottom of the funnel (bofu).

Use customer examples and case studies to demonstrate the effectiveness of your solution. There may be overlap with a buyer's guide - one document can serve both purposes if you start with general information and then move on to your specific offering. Just be sure not to rush into your sales pitch.

You can combine a buyer's guide and a seller's guide in one guide, but don't come too quickly with your sales pitch.

Finally, a customer guide is intended for people who are already customers. It is a combination of a user guide and a fan magazine that helps customers get the most out of your product or service. A customer guide also helps prevent your customers from regretting their purchase and becoming frustrated.

For a SaaS company, this could be a guide with tips, tricks and solutions to problems. And a boat builder, for example, might create a maintenance calendar with tips on how its customers can keep their boats in tip-top shape. By helping customers make the best use of your product or service, you increase the likelihood that they will become ambassadors for your brand.

You don't have to make all types of guides, and certainly not at the same time. The choice depends on your goals:

• Want more traffic to your website? An info guide helps you bundle the best content in a user-friendly way that ranks well in Google.
• Do you need solid, detailed content to close deals? Then a buyer's guide or seller's guide (or combination) is a better fit.

The good news is that you rarely have to start from scratch. You probably already have a lot of useful content. So start with an inventory of existing material to see where the gaps are and how you can bring it all together.

Writing a content guide is a project best spread out over a quarter. That way you can combine it with your other tasks.

Follow these seven steps:

As a content manager, you have other tasks on your plate, so give yourself plenty of time to create your content guide. Plan realistic deadlines for each part so that you keep up the progress. When doing so, keep other work in mind.

Determine the end goal of your guide. For a sales enablement piece, consult with sales about what to include. For a customer guide, speak with product designers.

Before you start writing, create an outline so you know how all the parts fit together.

An outline allows you to divide your writing into manageable pieces. As you're writing, keep jumping back and forth between sections for a smooth storyline.

A content guide is more than just text. Collaborate with designers or photographers, or use tools like Canva for design.

After a thorough review, you can publish guide: as a downloadable PDF, as a sales tool or as a resource for new customers.

Finally, it's smart to use the content from your guide in different ways: as a PDF that people can download in exchange for their email address, but you can also, for example, extract individual articles that you publish on your website.

Pro tip: Creating a content guide can be a lot of work, which is why we recommend you set aside a quarter for it above. In my own experience, it can be done a lot faster with AI. Do you want this too? Then sign up for our marketing and sales program where you will learn to work with AI tools, and much more.

Also read: Content repurposing: get the most out of every piece of content.

A content guide is a powerful way to help your target audience make purchasing decisions. By choosing the right type of guide and developing it step by step, you create a valuable resource that helps both your organization and your customers move forward.

A content guide fits well with the way today's buyer buys. Buyers are doing more and more research before making a purchase, and they are looking for complete, reliable information that will help them make the right choice. With a good content guide, you can be that reliable source of information they are looking for.

At Buzzlytics, we have experienced how effective this approach is. We have already helped many companies better serve their target audience with different types of content guides. These companies not only saw an increase in traffic and leads, but also noticed that their prospects were better informed and made decisions faster.

Ready to get started with your own content guide? Follow the steps in this article and start small. Choose a guide that fits your main objective and use existing content as a base. Could you use some guidance in creating your guide and other content? Then our marketing and sales program might be of interest to you!