Trying to increase customer retention only becomes more difficult with each passing day. Customers are constantly bombarded with the next new shiny thing. Then, on top of that, customers can get burned out or bogged down by overload, not getting enough value from brands, etc.

Customer retention is simply the ability of a brand or business to keep customers subscribed to or coming back for products and/or services. Every brand and business wants repeat customers because they help ensure a steady flow of income. 

The struggle, however, is how exactly to keep customers coming back over and over again reliably. The answer, though, lies in your content marketing, believe it or not!

Content marketing principles to increase customer retention

 Content marketing, at its core, is the way you represent your brand and business through the written word. From landing pages to emails to social media to the words you use on your sign up buttons…

…everything is content marketing.

So what is there to learn from content marketing to increase your customer retention?

Here are eight ways content marketing principles can be used to ensure your customers come back over and over again.

1. Create incredible and frictionless customer experiences

How does content marketing come into play with frictionless and enjoyable user experiences? Think about it. The goal of great content is to help lead someone from point A to point B as seamlessly as possible. 

Using this mindset, you can truly focus on how a customer might interact with your brand, find all the places where it might be confusing, frustrating, or annoying, and create a better overall experience. 

If the process and experience is simple and effective, they will keep coming back!

2. Under-promise and over-deliver

A simple content strategy is to make sure you are bringing more value than expected to the customer at every turn. If you can do that consistently, then you will have repeat customers that continue to be thrilled with your product or service.

Never make a promise you can’t over-deliver on.

3. Reward loyalty

Another principle rooted in great content marketing strategy that can help increase customer retention is to create a way where they can be rewarded for returning. This typically looks like free value in some form or fashion–maybe it is added value, maybe it is an actual reward or loyalty program.

Either way, rewarding a customer for repeat business encourages them to continue to return time and again.

4.Engage with customers

The problem with increasing customer retention that a lot of brands run into is that they create content for their customers, but not with their customers. 

User Generated Content (UGC) is making huge waves in multiple industries. Those in content marketing are starting to use UGC in order to connect with and engage with customers more directly. It makes people feel like they are a part of something bigger than themselves while also feeling a human connection to others using or utilizing the brand’s services or products. 

5. Ask better questions

Instead of waiting around for customers to ask, comment, or complain…

…Ask for them upfront! In fact, showcasing complaints and how you have tackled them can build a lot of empathy with your clientele. It shows you actually care about customer feedback. 

A brief story to showcase the power of this point. I used to work at a church and we had made some changes. An older woman from the church came in to complain to one of the pastors. An hour later, she walked out and said, “I know I am more old-fashioned and that these changes are good, but I still appreciate you taking the time to just listen.”

The problems don’t even need to be solved sometimes…just heard.

6. Monitor the data

Content marketing is built on data.

If you want to increase customer retention, then you are going to need to pay attention to the data, too. 

Where in the process are you losing people? Where are you seeing friction that makes customers drop off? Has anything changed that has led to a drop off of your retention rates?

The data can speak some harsh truths, but those are often the most helpful truths.

P.S. A fairly average “good” retention rate is 20-40% of customers coming back for more. Shoot for that and move the needle forward if you can.

7. Be transparent

In a recent study of the content marketing industry in 2021 by SEMrush revealed that people want brands to be more human. Part of being more human means being transparent and clear on what your brand is, does, and wants.

Transparency can be scary, but it will only lead to an increase in customer retention (or, sometimes, it reveals a painful truth that something is wrong at the core of your brand that needs to be addressed…)

8. Automation is your friend

A strange one to wrap up this list on how to increase your customer retention: automation.

What does that have to do with keeping your customers coming back over and over again? Well, it ties into reducing friction, which was mentioned earlier…

A popular content strategy is to reduce drag time on creating or generating content, repurposing content where possible, and letting content pieces feed off one another. Apply these principles to those places where you or your customers run into friction, and you will be smoothing the processes out quicker than you expected.

People don’t mind automation…

…it just needs to serve a bigger and better purpose!

Ready to create some superfans?

If you apply these principles to the various customer-facing aspects of your business, then I think you are going to find yourself creating some superfans.

Superfans aren’t only repeat customers. They are the ones who come back over and over as well as refer more customers to your business, who then refer others, etc., etc.

If you need help creating some superfans, then I might have a great connection for you. Just reach out and email me the word “superfans” and we can get started chatting about it!

Like what you see and looking for someone to sling some content-making ink for you? Then use that nifty contact form to get the ball rolling! Otherwise, I would love for you to keep checking out some of the other posts here on the DSM blog.

As always, I appreciate you, friend!