The best content isn’t created for an algorithm, it’s created for people. And those people have problems they’re trying to solve. When you understand what keeps your audience up at night, your content becomes more relevant, helpful, and more valuable. Here’s how to shape a content strategy that speaks directly to your customer’s pain points.
Why Pain Points Are the Heart of Content Strategy
At the core of effective customer-centred marketing is empathy. It’s not about shouting the loudest or pumping out endless blog, it’s about meeting your audience where they are, and with what they need.
When you focus your content on real challenges your customers face, you stop selling and start serving. You shift from promotional to purposeful. Whether someone is frustrated with tech tools, overwhelmed by growth, or unsure how to choose a service provider, your role as a brand is to be the guide, not the hero.
By placing their needs at the centre of your content strategy, you build trust, demonstrate understanding, and position yourself as a valuable partner in their buying journey.
How to Identify Your Customer’s Pain Points
To speak directly to your audience’s challenges, you need to first understand them clearly. Fortunately, your business is already full of clues.
- Customer feedback: What do people say in surveys, emails, and support tickets? Are there recurring themes or complaints?
- Sales conversations: Your sales team hear the objections and worries that might stop people from buying. Those insights are gold.
- Social media: Look at comments, reviews, and even competitor threads. What questions are being asked? What frustrations are being voiced?
- Website search data and FAQs: What are people searching for on your site? What do they ask before finally converting?
Collect these insights regularly and look for patterns. Don’t just guess, listen to your customers.
Map Content to the Right Format
Once you’ve uncovered those core pain points, the next step is translating them into strategic content.
Different problems require different approaches. For example:
- Confusion or lack of knowledge? Use explainer videos, how-to guides, and beginner-friendly blogs to educate.
- Lack of trust? Feature case studies, testimonials, or behind-the-scenes content to build confidence.
- Overwhelm or indecision? Use comparison guides, checklists, and FAQs to make things easier.
- Urgency or fear of making the wrong choice? Offer decision-making frameworks or free trials to remove the pressure.
It’s not just about what you say, it’s how you say it, and where you say it.
Position Your Solution, Without Making It All About You
One of the biggest mistakes brands make is turning a customer’s pain into a pitch too quickly.
Yes, your product or service likely solves their problem. But if your content is all “we do this, we offer that”, it becomes self-serving. Instead, frame your brand as the helpful guide.
Use the classic narrative structure: Problem → Empathy → Solution → Success. Start by validating the pain, then show you understand it, and only then introduce how your offer helps.
Make the customer the hero. You’re simply providing the tools they need to succeed.
Measuring the Impact of Pain-Point-Driven Content
It’s one thing to create content that feels customer-focused, but how do you know if it’s working?
Here’s what to track:
- Engagement metrics: Are people spending time on your content? Are they sharing or commenting?
- Conversion actions: Do blog readers move through your funnel (e.g. downloads, enquiries, sign-ups)?
- Search performance: Are you ranking for problem-based search terms (e.g. “how to fix X”, “why does Y happen”)?
- Sales conversations: Are leads saying things like, “I read your article and it really resonated”?
Qualitative feedback matters too. When someone says, “It’s like you read my mind,” you know you’ve nailed it.
Content That Connects Starts With Empathy
Content that’s rooted in real human need is what cuts through the noise. When your audience feels seen, understood, and supported, they’re far more likely to trust you, and eventually buy from you.
So don’t start with what you want to say. Start with what your customers are struggling to understand, solve, or navigate. Build your content strategy from here.
At Oracle Tree, we specialise in human-centred content strategies that actually move the needle. If your current marketing isn’t resonating, let’s take a step back and uncover the customer insights that matter most. The result? Content that connects, converts, and continues to deliver long after it’s published.
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