Content Marketing Questions to Improve Your Content Strategy

Content marketing questions form the bedrock of a content marketing strategy that uses survey studies as a means of primary research. It is the questions themselves that make up the core of a survey, so they must be relevant to the content marketing studies you conduct. 

Survey data that is gathered using content marketing questions can provide vital information about your users’ needs and opinions so you can create content that drives traffic, and conversions along with fostering customer loyalty.

Content marketing questions can be used to ensure your company’s content is meeting the needs of your audience. Additionally, these questions can be used before planning your content marketing strategy and initiating content creation efforts to the likelihood that your materials will be well-received by your audience. 

The right content marketing questions can make a major difference in the success of your content strategy. This article provides several content marketing questions to get you acquainted with your first content marketing strategy survey. 

Questions on Your Audience’s Pain Points and Needs

It is important to provide content that addresses the needs of your prospective customers. Whether they are simply in the exploratory phases or actively looking to purchase your company’s product or services, the appropriate content can guide them in the right direction.

By understanding your audience’s pain points and needs, your team can create content that will address these needs and, ideally, mitigate pain points before they occur. Here are some content marketing questions to ask:

1. What types of content would be most helpful to you when considering a new [insert product or service category here] for your company?
   1. Multiple choice: Deeper explanations of product features, descriptions of technical requirements, high-level overview of the product, and explanations of how the product/service can improve internal processes. 
   2. Or, use a text entry field to allow for open responses. 
2. How important are each of the following content types to your business? 
   1. Matrix response: In the first column, list existing content publications that your business provides. Across the top, the options can be: Very important, important, somewhat important, or not important. 
3. Based on your current workload, do you have time to stay abreast of developments in your industry by consuming content (for example, articles, videos, or podcasts)?
   1. Binary: Yes, no
4. How much time per day do you currently spend learning about new products or technology?
   1. Multiple choice: (0-30 minutes/week, 30-60 minutes/week,1-2 hours/week, more than 2 hours/week)

Questions on How Content Influences Content Consumption  Behavior 

At the end of the day, we want our customers to read and enjoy our content in the hopes that they will eventually make a purchase or recommend our company to a friend. This can be harder to research since it may involve actions that occur offline and are thus difficult to track. 

By asking the right content marketing questions, however, you can learn how your content may or may not currently influence offline behavior. By understanding this, you can formulate relevant and compelling content in the future. Questions to ask include:

1. Have you ever purchased from a company after consuming a free publication that was offered to you?
   1. Binary response: Yes, no
2. Please indicate which of our content broadcasts you currently subscribe to:
   1. Multiple choice with multiple selections allowed: Podcasts, blog, newsletter, YouTube channel, Instagram channel, Facebook page
3. How likely are you to recommend business content to a friend or colleague?
   1. If you use Net Promoter Score, the response should be provided on a scale of 1- 10 (10 being the highest).
   2. Alternately, the response can be multiple choice: I often recommend your content, I may recommend your content if I see something interesting, I am unlikely to recommend your content

Questions to Understand the Impact of Content on User Decision-Making

The purpose of content marketing is to improve the visibility of the products and services your company offers, while enhancing the “know, like, and trust factors” that make it more likely for a prospect to convert. 

To provide content that is likely to have a positive impact on decision-making, you must know the kinds of content your target audience craves, along with the kinds that drive it away. 

Try asking the following content marketing questions to enhance your content creation process: 

1. Did the video series we delivered to you help support your decision to purchase our product? 
   1. Binary: Yes, I decided to purchase after watching the videos, No, I did not find the videos helpful.
2. Did this article help you understand the difference between our subscription tiers?
   1. Binary: Yes, no
3. Of the following content publications that we have available on our website, please select the most appropriate response for each one.
   1. Use a matrix. In the first column, list out the publications available to consumers (e.g.: white papers, help manuals, videos showing how the product is used). Across the top, write out options such as: I did not use this, I read/watched this and found it helpful, I read/watched this and found it lacking.
4. What content format are you most likely to use when researching a new product or services?
   1. Multiple choice: Blog posts, videos, podcasts, newsletters, infographics, webinars
   2. Matrix response: List out content types in the first column. Label the rows across the top: Very likely to consult, Likely to consult, Very unlikely to consult, Definitely would not consult

Questions about Published Content 

Content can be used to enhance the overall public perception of your business or industry. To create content that addresses existing concerns or highlights your company as an industry leader, you should ask content marketing questions about their existing opinion of content that has been published. Questions to ask include: 

1. Please select the appropriate response to indicate how you feel about the following content formats:
   1. Use a matrix to list existing or proposed content formats (e.g. blog posts, white papers, newsletters, videos, podcasts, etc.) in the first column. Then across the top, use responses such as: Love them / Like them / Neither like nor dislike / Dislike them / Hate them.
2. How do you feel about our interactive content?  
   1. Multiple choice: I find interactive content interesting and educational, I think interactive content is fun, but not very informative, I don’t enjoy interactive content.  
3. Which devices do you currently use to consume content? Select all that apply.
   1. Multiple-choice with multiple selections allowed: Smartphone, computer, tablet, eReader, MP3 player. 
4. What other types of content would you like to see our company publish?
   1. Text entry field.

Use Surveys to Enhance Content Marketing Efforts

Content marketing surveys are one of the most exciting ways to gauge the success and potential of your existing content marketing efforts, along with dictating how to successfully build new ones. As such, all businesses should consider making routine surveys part of their ongoing content marketing plan. 

This allows you to routinely check in with your audience to ensure your efforts are on track or course-correct as needed. The use of online survey platforms makes it easier than ever to connect with your audience and gain this valuable information. 

You can simplify your efforts by choosing a strong survey platform that allows you to auto-generate questions based on content that your audience has viewed. 

Whether you decide to conduct a comprehensive content marketing survey before you create a content plan or deploy surveys on a routine basis, the right content marketing questions will yield valuable information that can guide your efforts.