{"id":141212,"date":"2022-04-26T03:47:27","date_gmt":"2022-04-26T08:47:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/?p=141212"},"modified":"2025-12-18T08:38:51","modified_gmt":"2025-12-18T13:38:51","slug":"content-map","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/content-map\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Create a Content Map: Traditional Way &amp; Ahrefs\u2019 Way"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"intro-txt\">Content maps help make sure your content serves a strategic role in nurturing your audience.&nbsp;It\u2019s one of the best ways to keep your content aligned with your business goals.<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>I\u2019ll cover two ways of creating content maps. The traditional way and the Ahrefs way. Both are tried and tested methods, but we like ours better\u2014and I\u2019ll explain why. Read on to learn both methods and choose the one that better suits your&nbsp;needs.<\/p>\n<div class=\"intro-tok\" id=\"intro_tok\" style=\"display:none;\"><div class=\"intro-title\">Contents<\/div><a href=\"#\" class=\"expand-dots\"><span><\/span><span><\/span><span><\/span><\/a><\/div>\n<p>\n\n<\/p>\n<div class=\"recommendation\"><div class=\"recommendation-title\"><strong>Get The Template<\/strong><\/div><div class=\"recommendation-content\">\n<p>\n\n<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/docs.google.com\/spreadsheets\/d\/1k0uAG58N2M6ITJsvcwMF5rz882_uGEG5bJxjbapx0KM\/copy\">Content mapping template<\/a>\u2014just click on the link to make your own editable copy in Google Sheets.<\/p>\n<p>\n\n<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<p>\n\n<\/p>\n<div class=\"post-nav-link clearfix\" id=\"section1\"><a class=\"subhead-anchor\" data-tip=\"tooltip__copielink\" rel=\"#section1\"><svg width=\"19\" height=\"19\" viewBox=\"0 0 14 14\" style><g fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><path d=\"M0 0h14v14H0z\" \/><path d=\"M7.45 9.887l-1.62 1.621c-.92.92-2.418.92-3.338 0a2.364 2.364 0 0 1 0-3.339l1.62-1.62-1.273-1.272-1.62 1.62a4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.885 5.884l1.62-1.62L7.45 9.886zM5.527 5.135L7.17 3.492c.92-.92 2.418-.92 3.339 0 .92.92.92 2.418 0 3.339L8.866 8.473l1.272 1.273 1.644-1.643A4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.897 2.22L4.254 3.863l1.272 1.272zm-.66 3.998a.749.749 0 0 1 0-1.06l2.208-2.206a.749.749 0 1 1 1.06 1.06L5.928 9.133a.75.75 0 0 1-1.061 0z\" style \/><\/g><\/svg><\/a><div class=\"link-text\" data-anchor=\"What is a content map?\" data-section=\"1-content-map\">\n<p>\n\n<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h.v305it9kcpei\">What is a content map?<\/h2>\n<p>\n\n<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<p>\n\n<\/p>\n<p>A content map is a document that lists stages of the buyer\u2019s journey for every buyer persona and maps them with relevant content.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_152967\" style=\"width: 2009px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-152967\" class=\"wp-image-152967 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/content-map-traditional.jpg\" alt=\"A traditional content map.\" width=\"1999\" height=\"469\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/content-map-traditional.jpg 1999w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/content-map-traditional-680x160.jpg 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/content-map-traditional-768x180.jpg 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/content-map-traditional-1536x360.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\"><p id=\"caption-attachment-152967\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Example content map (from our content template). Different pieces of content have been assigned to various buyer\u2019s journey stages for a particular buyer persona.<\/p><\/div>\n<p>\n\n<\/p>\n<div class=\"post-nav-link clearfix\" id=\"section1\"><a class=\"subhead-anchor\" data-tip=\"tooltip__copielink\" rel=\"#section1\"><svg width=\"19\" height=\"19\" viewBox=\"0 0 14 14\" style><g fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><path d=\"M0 0h14v14H0z\" \/><path d=\"M7.45 9.887l-1.62 1.621c-.92.92-2.418.92-3.338 0a2.364 2.364 0 0 1 0-3.339l1.62-1.62-1.273-1.272-1.62 1.62a4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.885 5.884l1.62-1.62L7.45 9.886zM5.527 5.135L7.17 3.492c.92-.92 2.418-.92 3.339 0 .92.92.92 2.418 0 3.339L8.866 8.473l1.272 1.273 1.644-1.643A4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.897 2.22L4.254 3.863l1.272 1.272zm-.66 3.998a.749.749 0 0 1 0-1.06l2.208-2.206a.749.749 0 1 1 1.06 1.06L5.928 9.133a.75.75 0 0 1-1.061 0z\" style \/><\/g><\/svg><\/a><div class=\"link-text\" data-anchor=\"Why create a content map\" data-section=\"2-why-create-content-map\">\n<p>\n\n<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h.xs9beefjxtf7\">Why create a content map<\/h2>\n<p>\n\n<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<p>\n\n<\/p>\n<p>The main reason for creating a content map is to make sure your brand\u2019s content is accompanying <em>each<\/em>&nbsp;buyer persona throughout <em>all<\/em>&nbsp;stages of the marketing funnel\u2014from attracting visitors to converting them and keeping them on&nbsp;board.<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Here\u2019s a simplified illustration of this concept. A few things to&nbsp;note:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Some content may be specific to personas, others can be shared.&nbsp;<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Only consumers sold on the idea get to the last stage, others can become brand fans (still open to your content) or become detractors (you still may win some of them&nbsp;later).&nbsp;<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Content marketing can help turn some customers into advocates.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-152968\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/content-and-buyers-journey.png\" alt=\"Content and the buyer's journey - a simplified view. \" width=\"1730\" height=\"2066\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/content-and-buyers-journey.png 1730w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/content-and-buyers-journey-356x425.png 356w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/content-and-buyers-journey-768x917.png 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/content-and-buyers-journey-1286x1536.png 1286w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/content-and-buyers-journey-1715x2048.png 1715w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1730px) 100vw, 1730px\"><\/p>\n<p>\n\n<\/p>\n<p>There\u2019s an additional reason for content mapping. A sort of byproduct of this process is getting an overview of your content inventory. This can help you spot gaps and find <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/repurposing-content\/\">repurposing<\/a> opportunities.<\/p>\n<p>\n\n<\/p>\n<div class=\"post-nav-link clearfix\" id=\"section1\"><a class=\"subhead-anchor\" data-tip=\"tooltip__copielink\" rel=\"#section1\"><svg width=\"19\" height=\"19\" viewBox=\"0 0 14 14\" style><g fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><path d=\"M0 0h14v14H0z\" \/><path d=\"M7.45 9.887l-1.62 1.621c-.92.92-2.418.92-3.338 0a2.364 2.364 0 0 1 0-3.339l1.62-1.62-1.273-1.272-1.62 1.62a4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.885 5.884l1.62-1.62L7.45 9.886zM5.527 5.135L7.17 3.492c.92-.92 2.418-.92 3.339 0 .92.92.92 2.418 0 3.339L8.866 8.473l1.272 1.273 1.644-1.643A4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.897 2.22L4.254 3.863l1.272 1.272zm-.66 3.998a.749.749 0 0 1 0-1.06l2.208-2.206a.749.749 0 1 1 1.06 1.06L5.928 9.133a.75.75 0 0 1-1.061 0z\" style \/><\/g><\/svg><\/a><div class=\"link-text\" data-anchor=\"How to create a traditional content map (template included)\" data-section=\"3-create-traditional-content-map\">\n<p>\n\n<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h.a3m4exdqgejk\">How to create a traditional content map (template&nbsp;included)<\/h2>\n<p>\n\n<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<p>\n\n<\/p>\n<p>Follow these three steps to create your content map and fill any gaps with new content ideas.<\/p>\n<p>\n\n<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h.riwopts8ndrn\">1. Create buyer personas<\/h3>\n<p>\n\n<\/p>\n<p>A <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/how-to-create-a-buyer-persona\/\">buyer persona<\/a>&nbsp;is a semi-fictional person who represents the common characteristics of your customers (an archetype). Here\u2019s an example buyer persona for our product:<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-141199\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/2-example-buyer-persona.png\" alt=\"Infographic of buyer persona &quot;Anna Agency&quot;\" width=\"450\" height=\"713\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/2-example-buyer-persona.png 900w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/2-example-buyer-persona-268x425.png 268w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/2-example-buyer-persona-768x1216.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 450px) 100vw, 450px\"><\/p>\n<p>\n\n<\/p>\n<p>\n\n\n\n<\/p>\n<p>A buyer persona helps you visualize your customers\u2019 buying journey, internalize who they are, and empathize with their challenges and&nbsp;goals.<\/p>\n<p>\n\n<\/p>\n<p>Depending on your resources, there are two ways you can identify your customers to create a buyer persona:<\/p>\n<p>\n\n<\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>The scientific way<\/strong>&nbsp;\u2013&nbsp;Talk to potential customers. This can be your leads, social media followers, or simply people you know who may be interested in your product. You may also consider using services like SurveyMonkey, UserTesting, or Remesh to reach these people.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>The educated-guess way<\/strong>&nbsp;\u2013&nbsp;If for some reason you can\u2019t talk to real people at this stage, you need to get creative. Use your competitors\u2019 data or the industry data and \u201cenrich\u201d it with other sources. You may find that, for example, organic search is the #1 spending priority, according to a CMO survey.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>\n\n<\/p>\n<p>To make your content mapping effective, you need to create a buyer persona for each type of customer. The more granular your typology is, the more customized your content.<\/p>\n<p>On the other hand, it will take you more time and resources to address all the personas\u2019 goals and challenges compared to more generalized content.<\/p>\n<p>\n\n<\/p>\n<p>Too many personas? Consider creating categories that connect personas with similar traits, e.g., business owners, in-house teams, freelancers, etc.<\/p>\n<p>\n\n<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h.9wc7nyqhf4hs\">2. Use our template to map existing content for each persona<\/h3>\n<p>\n\n<\/p>\n<p>To help you with the process, I\u2019ve prepared a simple template. (<a href=\"https:\/\/docs.google.com\/spreadsheets\/d\/1k0uAG58N2M6ITJsvcwMF5rz882_uGEG5bJxjbapx0KM\/copy\">Click here to make your own editable copy in Google Sheets<\/a>.)<\/p>\n<p>\n\n<\/p>\n<p>All you need to do is to fill in your existing content under the corresponding stage of the buyer\u2019s journey (you can find some examples in the template). If you don\u2019t have any content to map yet or want to start over, no worries\u2014I\u2019ll share some ideas to solve this in the next section.<\/p>\n<p>\n\n<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As for the stages of the buyer\u2019s journey, there are many different concepts. Mine may be slightly different than what you\u2019re used to, so feel free to modify it accordingly.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">However, if this stuff is totally new to you, don\u2019t bother customizing those stages for&nbsp;now.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p>\n\n<\/p>\n<p>The general idea is to create content that attracts visitors and gradually turns them into happy customers who are willing to come back to you. So here are short descriptions of the stages used in the template:<\/p>\n<p>\n\n<\/p>\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Increase brand awareness<\/strong> \u2013 At this stage, the prospect is just becoming aware of their problem. They don\u2019t know the solution yet and may not know your brand. This type of content doesn\u2019t necessarily need to feature your product, as you\u2019re basically trying to introduce your brand to potential customers.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Create interest and desire <\/strong>\u2013 <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You can show how your product or service can solve their challenges and help achieve goals.&nbsp;<\/span><\/li>\n<li><strong>Nurture interest and entice the purchase<\/strong>&nbsp;\u2013&nbsp;You can further educate potential customers about your product or service and why it\u2019s the best solution for&nbsp;them.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Retain customers and build brand loyalty <\/strong>\u2013&nbsp;To do this, educate customers on how to get the most out of your product or service and clearly demonstrate its value. Additionally, in this stage, you can tackle topics that you know your customers care for but do not necessarily give you the opportunity to feature your product\/service in any practical way.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>\n\n<\/p>\n<p>As you write down your content pieces, you can come across some dilemmas.<\/p>\n<p>\n\n<\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>The content fits multiple stages<\/strong>&nbsp;\u2013&nbsp;You still have to choose one. Choose the one with the most dominant use&nbsp;case.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>The content doesn\u2019t fit anywhere<\/strong>&nbsp;\u2013&nbsp;See if that piece of content can be updated so that you can classify it easier without losing its current value. Another scenario is that my template is too simplistic. If so, you may need to add the buyer\u2019s journey stages.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>\n\n<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h.r1l07nn8gjw9\">3. Fill in any gaps in the buyer\u2019s journey<\/h3>\n<p>\n\n<\/p>\n<p>Chances are that while making your content map, you will find gaps in your buyer\u2019s journey: places where there is no content or not enough content to serve a given journey stage.<\/p>\n<p>In that case, there are basically four methods for filling those gaps with relevant content ideas.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>\n\n<\/p>\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h.x588odroj4gi\">Do keyword research<\/h4>\n<p>\n\n<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/seo\/keyword-research\" data-ahr=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/keyword-research\/\">Keyword research<\/a> is the process of understanding the language your target customers use when searching for your products, services, and content. It then involves analyzing, comparing, and prioritizing the best keyword opportunities for your website.<\/p>\n<p>\n\n<\/p>\n<p>For example, we can assume that our persona, Anna Agency, needs to figure out SEO tactics for clients from different industries. Keyword research will help us discover those industries, see search demand for related topics, and quickly gauge potential traffic.<\/p>\n<p>\n\n<\/p>\n<p>To do this, we just need a seed keyword (e.g., \u201cseo\u201d) to view related topics and then we can fine-tune the search using various filters.<\/p>\n<p>\n\n<\/p>\n<p>In the example below, I\u2019m using the \u201cfor\u201d modifier word. I\u2019m also including queries that have more than 200 monthly searches and excluding words that are irrelevant\u2014all in Ahrefs\u2019<a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/keywords-explorer\">&nbsp;Keywords Explorer<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>\n\n<\/p>\n<p>\n\n<\/p><div class=\"wp-block-image is-style-default aligncenter\">\n<figure><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/3-matching-terms-report.jpg\" alt=\"Matching terms report results \"><\/figure>\n<p><\/p><\/div>\n\n\n<p>We can further narrow down that list by using other filters. For example, we can filter by Keyword Difficulty (KD) to see keywords that we can potentially rank for with less effort. Or we can use the Traffic Potential (TP) filter to hide keywords with low traffic.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-141202\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/4-filtering-matching-terms-report.jpg\" alt=\"Matching terms report results filtered by KD\" width=\"577.6\" height=\"640\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/4-filtering-matching-terms-report.jpg 1444w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/4-filtering-matching-terms-report-384x425.jpg 384w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/4-filtering-matching-terms-report-768x851.jpg 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/4-filtering-matching-terms-report-1386x1536.jpg 1386w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1444px) 100vw, 1444px\"><\/p>\n<p>\n\n<\/p>\n<p>\n\n\n\n<\/p>\n<p>Then, we can generate even more keyword ideas by using other modifier keywords that signal educational intent. Here are some of these words: how, guide, resource, ideas, tips,&nbsp;etc.<\/p>\n<p>\n\n<\/p>\n<p>\n\n<\/p><div class=\"wp-block-image is-style-default aligncenter\">\n<figure><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/5-filtering-matching-terms-report-2.jpg\" alt=\"Matching terms report results with Include filter applied\"><\/figure>\n<p><\/p><\/div>\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Last but not least, Ahrefs has a separate report for all of the questions related to a given topic that people type in Google:<\/span><\/p>\n<p>\n\n<\/p>\n<p>\n\n<\/p><div class=\"wp-block-image is-style-default aligncenter\">\n<figure><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/6-questions-matching-terms-report.jpg\" alt=\"Matching terms report results; notably, &quot;Questions&quot; tab selected  \"><\/figure>\n<p><\/p><\/div>\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h.nuby8zd2dgk\">Analyze competitors<\/h4>\n<p>\n\n<\/p>\n<p>One way to draw inspiration from your competitors is to manually check their websites for topic ideas. That\u2019s a lot of man-hours.<\/p>\n<p>\n\n<\/p>\n<p>Here\u2019s how you can streamline this process with Ahrefs.<\/p>\n<p>\n\n<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">First of all, start by listing your competitors To do this automatically, plug in your URL in Ahrefs\u2019 <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/site-explorer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Site Explorer<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and go to the <\/span><b>Competing Domains<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> report.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>\n\n<\/p>\n<p>\n\n<\/p><div class=\"wp-block-image is-style-default aligncenter\">\n<figure><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/7-competing-domains-report.jpg\" alt=\"Competing Domains report results \"><\/figure>\n<p><\/p><\/div>\n\n\n<p>Now you can take the list of competitors to the <strong>Content Gap<\/strong>&nbsp;report to reveal the keywords that your competitors rank for but you don\u2019t. These will be your new content opportunities. You can then filter that list to make it more manageable.<\/p>\n<p>\n\n<\/p>\n<div style=\"width: 1610px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/8-content-gap-report.jpg\" alt=\"Content Gap report results \" width=\"1600\" height=\"785\"><p class=\"wp-caption-text\">In the <strong>Content Gap<\/strong>&nbsp;report, you can filter out branded keywords for more clarity.<\/p><\/div>\n<p>\n\n<\/p>\n<p>Additionally, you can easily discover your competitors\u2019 best content. There are a few ways to do that, depending on your <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/marketing-objectives\/\">marketing objectives<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>\n\n<\/p>\n<p>If you want to create content that is designed to rank on search engines and bring you organic traffic, try the <strong>Top pages<\/strong>&nbsp;report.<\/p>\n<p>\n\n<\/p>\n<div style=\"width: 1610px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/9-top-pages-report.jpg\" alt=\"Top pages report results \" width=\"1600\" height=\"1386\"><p class=\"wp-caption-text\">This report not only shows you the content and its traffic but also changes in traffic over time. This allows you to spot declining and trending topics.<\/p><\/div>\n<p>\n\n<\/p>\n<p>But if it\u2019s links that you\u2019re after, you can use the <strong>Best by links<\/strong>&nbsp;or <strong>Best by links\u2019 growth<\/strong>&nbsp;reports.<\/p>\n<p>\n\n<\/p>\n<p>\n\n<\/p><div class=\"wp-block-image is-style-default aligncenter\">\n<figure><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/10-best-by-links-report.jpg\" alt=\"Best by links report results \"><\/figure>\n<p><\/p><\/div>\n\n\n<p>Finally, if you need social shares the most, go to our <strong>Top Content<\/strong>&nbsp;report to uncover content where your competitors got the most Twitter and Pinterest shares.<\/p>\n<p>\n\n<\/p>\n<p>This report can also be used as a proxy for understanding what types of content resonate with your competitors\u2019 target audiences because it also shows how many websites linked to that content and which parts were the most valuable (by viewing the anchors they linked with).<\/p>\n<p>\n\n<\/p>\n<div style=\"width: 1610px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/11-top-content-report.png\" alt=\"Top Content report results \" width=\"1600\" height=\"1236\"><p class=\"wp-caption-text\">Apart from social media stats, this report offers insights into the reason why people linked to the content. You can click the \u201cDetails\u201d button to uncover link anchors.<\/p><\/div>\n<p>\n\n<\/p>\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h.30hu9tc456id\">Study your&nbsp;niche<\/h4>\n<p>\n\n<\/p>\n<p>Another way of discovering relevant topics to enrich your content map is paying attention to what other people say in places where your industry and\/or your target audience hangs out; for example, groups on social media, magazines, personal blogs, and communities.<\/p>\n<p>\n\n<\/p>\n<p>A lot of the time, you will find information that overlaps with keyword research. But other times, you will come across hidden gems, such&nbsp;as:<\/p>\n<p>\n\n<\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The next big thing people are talking about but no one has written a comprehensive guide&nbsp;for.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Topics underserved by your competitors.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Things your target audience wants to learn more about (and how they want to learn about said things).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>What language your target audience uses to express their goals and challenges.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>\n\n<\/p>\n<p>For example, one of our best-performing articles, \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/submit-website-to-google\/\">How to Submit Your Website to Google<\/a>,\u201d was inspired by a printed magazine titled \u201cHow to set up an online business\u201d that was found in an airport bookstore.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>\n\n<\/p>\n<p>\n\n<\/p><div class=\"wp-block-image is-style-default aligncenter\">\n<figure><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/12-serp-overview.jpg\" alt=\"SERP overview for &quot;submit to search engines&quot; \"><\/figure>\n<p><\/p><\/div>\n\n\n<p>If you think that\u2019s too much manual work, you can try an audience research tool like <a href=\"https:\/\/sparktoro.com\/\">SparkToro<\/a>. Just plug in topics your target audience frequently talks about to discover related topics and hashtags (among many other things).<\/p>\n<p>\n\n<\/p>\n<div style=\"width: 1610px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/13-sparktoro.jpg\" alt=\"SparkToro results in &quot;bar graph&quot; form for this search term: seo, marketing\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1155\"><p class=\"wp-caption-text\">On top of topic ideas, SparkToro can also help you with identifying their demographics and discovering what media your target audience consumes.<\/p><\/div>\n<p>\n\n<\/p>\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h.a4q8p4tmsvvz\">Survey your audience<\/h4>\n<p>\n\n<\/p>\n<p>Try the obvious\u2014just ask your audience what type of content will make their life easier.<\/p>\n<p>\n\n<\/p>\n<p>If you already have some blog\/newsletter subscribers on board, this step is as easy as preparing a questionnaire and sending it. Alternatively, you can display a short questionnaire on your&nbsp;site.<\/p>\n<p>\n\n<\/p>\n<p>But if you\u2019re just starting out, you can use an agile market research software like SurveyMonkey to get your questionnaire in front of the right&nbsp;eyes.<\/p>\n<p>\n\n<\/p>\n<p>Here are a few questions you can&nbsp;ask:<\/p>\n<p>\n\n<\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>What would you like to learn about on this&nbsp;blog?<\/li>\n<li>What\u2019s the biggest priority in your&nbsp;job?<\/li>\n<li>In the last months, what was your biggest challenge?<\/li>\n<li>Do you plan on buying our product in the near future?<\/li>\n<li>How did you discover our&nbsp;blog?<\/li>\n<li>What\u2019s your favorite source of information about&nbsp;___?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>\n\n<\/p>\n<h3>Example of a content map (traditional)<\/h3>\n<p>Here\u2019s how a traditional content map could look like for a an SEO agency owner characterized by:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Challenges<\/strong>: Employee training, scaling SEO, reporting to clients.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Goals<\/strong>: Get more clients, improve efficiency, improve SEO expertise.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Click on the links inside the table to get a feel of the content and its role in the journey.<\/p>\n\n<table id=\"tablepress-172\" class=\"tablepress tablepress-id-172 tablepress-responsive tablepress-ahrefs-width-720px\">\n<thead>\n<tr class=\"row-1 odd\">\n\t<th class=\"column-1\">Increase awareness <\/th><th class=\"column-2\">Create interest and desire<br>\n<\/th><th class=\"column-3\">Nurture interest and entice the purchase<br>\n<\/th><th class=\"column-4\">Retain customers and build brand loyalty<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody class=\"row-hover\">\n<tr class=\"row-2 even\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/seo-team\/\">How to Build (And Structure) an SEO&nbsp;Team<\/a><\/td><td class=\"column-2\"><a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/how-to-use-ahrefs\/\">How to Use Ahrefs: 11 Actionable Use Cases for Beginners&nbsp;<\/a><\/td><td class=\"column-3\"><a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/vs\">Ahrefs vs. SEMrush vs. Moz: What the Industry Thinks&nbsp;<\/a><\/td><td class=\"column-4\"><a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/keyword-data-improvements\/\">Ahrefs\u2019 Keyword Data: More Coverage, Accuracy, and Utility Than Ever Before&nbsp;<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-3 odd\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/seo-report-template\/\">Steal Our SEO Report Template (Inspired by SEO Experts)<\/a><\/td><td class=\"column-2\"><a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/link-building-tools\/\">The Only 8 Link-Building Tools You Need (Free &amp;&nbsp;Paid)<\/a><\/td><td class=\"column-3\"><a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/unique-features-ahrefs\/\">12 Things That Only Ahrefs Can&nbsp;Do<\/a><\/td><td class=\"column-4\"><a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/academy\/certification-course\">Ahrefs Certification Course - Ahrefs Academy&nbsp;<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-4 even\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/seo-report-template\/\">How to Set the Right SEO Goals with 3 Examples&nbsp;<\/a><\/td><td class=\"column-2\"><a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/long-tail-keywords\/\">Long-tail Keywords: What They Are and How to Get Search Traffic From&nbsp;Them<\/a><\/td><td class=\"column-3\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=NKurQTHDcDc\">How to Find Guest Blogging Sites and Easy Keyword Targets with Content Explorer&nbsp;<\/a><\/td><td class=\"column-4\"><a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/category\/product-blog\/\">What\u2019s New at Ahrefs?&nbsp;<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<!-- #tablepress-172 from cache -->\n<p>And that\u2019s about it when it comes to the \u201ctraditional\u201d approach to content mapping. Here\u2019s what we, at Ahrefs, do differently and why we do it that&nbsp;way.<\/p>\n<p>\n\n<\/p>\n<div class=\"post-nav-link clearfix\" id=\"section1\"><a class=\"subhead-anchor\" data-tip=\"tooltip__copielink\" rel=\"#section1\"><svg width=\"19\" height=\"19\" viewBox=\"0 0 14 14\" style><g fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><path d=\"M0 0h14v14H0z\" \/><path d=\"M7.45 9.887l-1.62 1.621c-.92.92-2.418.92-3.338 0a2.364 2.364 0 0 1 0-3.339l1.62-1.62-1.273-1.272-1.62 1.62a4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.885 5.884l1.62-1.62L7.45 9.886zM5.527 5.135L7.17 3.492c.92-.92 2.418-.92 3.339 0 .92.92.92 2.418 0 3.339L8.866 8.473l1.272 1.273 1.644-1.643A4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.897 2.22L4.254 3.863l1.272 1.272zm-.66 3.998a.749.749 0 0 1 0-1.06l2.208-2.206a.749.749 0 1 1 1.06 1.06L5.928 9.133a.75.75 0 0 1-1.061 0z\" style \/><\/g><\/svg><\/a><div class=\"link-text\" data-anchor=\"The alternative approach \u2013 How we map content at Ahrefs\" data-section=\"4-alternative-approach-map-content-at-ahrefs\">\n<p>\n\n<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h.bhaiagasu4s2\">The alternative&nbsp;approach \u2013 How we map content at Ahrefs<\/h2>\n<p>\n\n<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<p>\n\n<\/p>\n<p>The traditional way of content mapping matches content to a single stage of the funnel. But that one-to-one match isn\u2019t always the case. So we use a different approach that helps us create product-led content that brings over 273K visits from search to our blog every&nbsp;month.<\/p>\n<p>\n\n\n\n<\/p><div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"is-style-default aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/14-organic-traffic-ahrefs-blog.png\" alt=\"Site Explorer overview for Ahrefs' blog \" width=\"1600\" height=\"363\"><\/figure>\n<p><\/p><\/div>\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h.aqzd5pjv5bi9\">A little bit of theory<\/h3>\n<p>\n\n<\/p>\n<p>The thing is that a single article can serve various purposes. It can attract a <em>potential<\/em>&nbsp;customer&nbsp;and help to retain an <em>existing<\/em>&nbsp;customer.<\/p>\n<p>\n\n\n\n<\/p><div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"is-style-default aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/15-content-serves-multiple-purposes.jpg\" alt=\"Table showing four questions with corresponding answers that are used to decide which stage(s) of the marketing funnel a blog article serves\"><\/figure>\n<p><\/p><\/div>\n\n\n<p>Moreover, in some cases, a single article can take the user down the entire funnel\u2014from learning about a solution to purchasing the solution.<\/p>\n<p>\n\n<\/p>\n<p>Let\u2019s take <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/how-to-rank-higher-on-google\/\">our guide on how to rank higher on Google<\/a>&nbsp;as an example. In six easy steps, it explains how to improve rankings of underperforming keywords and get more traffic as a result.<\/p>\n<p>\n\n<\/p>\n<p>So let\u2019s say someone Googles \u201chow to rank higher on google.\u201d That person is pretty much right at the top of the funnel because they\u2019re aware of their problem but don\u2019t know the solution yet. They may not have heard of Ahrefs and may have zero knowledge of&nbsp;SEO.<\/p>\n<p>\n\n<\/p>\n<p>Being at the first stage of the funnel, they come across our guide. As the guide walks them through the process, it may also walk them through the entire funnel. They learn the solution (SEO) and learn that they need a tool like Ahrefs to implement the solution.<\/p>\n<p>\n\n<\/p>\n<p>Besides, ask yourself this: Can you remember the last time branded content made you buy something? Was it one or more content pieces? Was your \u201cbuyer journey\u201d linear or more complex? You may find that the map is not the territory.<\/p>\n<p>\n\n<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h.qw28r3rhjidn\">The \u201cbusiness potential\u201d framework<\/h3>\n<p>\n\n<\/p>\n<p>Because it seems that the models of the buyer\u2019s journey aren\u2019t always useful, we map content based on a scale of how crucial our product is in solving a given problem.<\/p>\n<p>\n\n\n\n<\/p><div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"is-style-default aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/16-business-potential-score.png\" alt=\"Business potential: Table with scores 3 to 0. And explanation of criteria to meet each score\n\"><\/figure>\n<p><\/p><\/div>\n\n\n<p>Let\u2019s look at the business potential (BP) scale in detail and see some examples for each of the scores.<\/p>\n<h3>Example of a content map (Ahrefs\u2019 way)<\/h3>\n<p>If you want to dive deeper into this framework, you can skim through the articles below to see how our product is featured (or why it can\u2019t be featured).<\/p>\n<p>\n\n<\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Business score 0<\/strong>&nbsp;\u2013&nbsp;We don\u2019t have many of those articles, but here\u2019s one:&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/creative-marketing\/\">The Creative Marketing Strategies That Launched 3 Major Tech Startups<\/a>. There\u2019s&nbsp;no practical use case of Ahrefs there, and it is tough to think of one. Also, this article listing the <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/best-marketing-blogs\/\">best marketing blogs<\/a>&nbsp;shares this score. It is a natural way to feature our brand, but there\u2019s no direct link to the product.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<li><strong>Business score 1<\/strong>&nbsp;\u2013&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/marketing-objectives\/\">Marketing Objectives: How to Set Them Right (With Examples)<\/a>. Our product helps with tracking only some marketing objectives explained in this article.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Business score 2<\/strong>&nbsp;\u2013&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/not-provided\/\">\u2018Not Provided\u2019 in Google Analytics: How to Reclaim Your Keyword Data<\/a>. Our product is one of the two presented solutions; hence, it\u2019s not necessary.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Business score 3<\/strong>&nbsp;\u2013&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/seo\/seo-content\" data-ahr=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/seo-content\/\">What Is SEO Content? How to Write Content That Ranks<\/a>. Good luck creating SEO content without an SEO&nbsp;tool.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>\n\n<\/p>\n<p>So if you want to create a content map with the use of our framework, it\u2019s a really simple one\u2014just the topic and its BP&nbsp;score.<\/p>\n<p>\n\n<\/p>\n<p>Additionally, you can complement that with some SEO metrics (like traffic potential) if search engines are an essential marketing channel to you. So it can look something like&nbsp;this:<\/p>\n\n<table id=\"tablepress-128\" class=\"tablepress tablepress-id-128 tablepress-responsive tablepress-ahrefs-width-720px\">\n<thead>\n<tr class=\"row-1 odd\">\n\t<th class=\"column-1\">Topic<strong><\/strong><\/th><th class=\"column-2\">Business potential<strong><\/strong><\/th><th class=\"column-3\">Organic traffic potential<strong><\/strong><\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody class=\"row-hover\">\n<tr class=\"row-2 even\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">13 Best Marketing Blogs to Follow (For Marketers of All Levels)<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">0<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">300<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-3 odd\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">Marketing Objectives: How to Set Them Right (With Examples)<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">1<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">1200<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-4 even\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">\u2018Not Provided\u2019 in Google Analytics: How to Reclaim Your Keyword Data<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">2<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">800<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-5 odd\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">What Is SEO Content? How to Write Content That&nbsp;Ranks<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">3<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">900<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<!-- #tablepress-128 from cache -->\n<p>\n\n\n\n<\/p>\n<p>That said, there are still some similarities between our model and the traditional model. For example, we also use buyer personas. We don\u2019t use them to \u201ccustomize\u201d every topic, though. We use them to understand who we are talking to so we can align the style and depth of the content (like avoiding jargon).<\/p>\n<p>\n\n<\/p>\n<p>\n\n<\/p>\n<div class=\"post-nav-link clearfix\" id=\"section1\"><a class=\"subhead-anchor\" data-tip=\"tooltip__copielink\" rel=\"#section1\"><svg width=\"19\" height=\"19\" viewBox=\"0 0 14 14\" style><g fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><path d=\"M0 0h14v14H0z\" \/><path d=\"M7.45 9.887l-1.62 1.621c-.92.92-2.418.92-3.338 0a2.364 2.364 0 0 1 0-3.339l1.62-1.62-1.273-1.272-1.62 1.62a4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.885 5.884l1.62-1.62L7.45 9.886zM5.527 5.135L7.17 3.492c.92-.92 2.418-.92 3.339 0 .92.92.92 2.418 0 3.339L8.866 8.473l1.272 1.273 1.644-1.643A4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.897 2.22L4.254 3.863l1.272 1.272zm-.66 3.998a.749.749 0 0 1 0-1.06l2.208-2.206a.749.749 0 1 1 1.06 1.06L5.928 9.133a.75.75 0 0 1-1.061 0z\" style \/><\/g><\/svg><\/a><div class=\"link-text\" data-anchor=\"Content mapping tools\" data-section=\"5-content-mapping-tools\">\n<p>\n\n<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h.uvok7oufnhoz\">Content mapping tools<\/h2>\n<p>\n\n<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<p>\n\n<\/p>\n<p>You will find these tools helpful in creating and populating your content map:<\/p>\n<p>\n\n<\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/\">Ahrefs <\/a><\/strong>\u2013 SEO tools like ours are indispensable if you want to learn what people look for online, how often, and what words they use in their searches.<\/li>\n<li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/sheets\/about\/\">Google Sheets<\/a><\/strong>&nbsp;\u2013&nbsp;This is for using our content mapping template.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Diagramming tool <\/strong>\u2013 Some examples include <a href=\"http:\/\/lucidchart.com\/pages\/\">Lucidchart<\/a>&nbsp;or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mindmeister.com\/\">MindMeister<\/a>, which are great&nbsp;for creating buyer\u2019s journey diagrams\/maps. This is an additional (and harder) step you can take in content mapping. Do this if you want to better understand and\/or visualize the buyer\u2019s journey in your particular case.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Survey tool <\/strong>\u2013 Tools such as&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/forms\/about\/\">Google Forms<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.surveymonkey.com\/\">SurveyMonkey<\/a>,&nbsp;or <a href=\"https:\/\/survicate.com\/\">Survicate<\/a>&nbsp;can be used for&nbsp;getting feedback about your content.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Audience research tool <\/strong>\u2013&nbsp;Try <a href=\"https:\/\/sparktoro.com\/\">SparkToro<\/a>&nbsp;or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.brandwatch.com\/\">Brandwatch<\/a>&nbsp;for finding the topics that make your audience tick.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>\n\n<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h.yd9miarcdbvu\">Final thoughts<\/h2>\n<p>\n\n<\/p>\n<p>Let\u2019s complete this guide by discussing some advantages and disadvantages of these two content mapping methods:<\/p>\n\n<table id=\"tablepress-129\" class=\"tablepress tablepress-id-129 tablepress-responsive tablepress-ahrefs-width-720px\">\n<thead>\n<tr class=\"row-1 odd\">\n\t<th class=\"column-1\">Traditional content mapping<strong><\/strong><\/th><th class=\"column-2\"><\/th><th class=\"column-3\">Ahrefs\u2019 content mapping<strong><\/strong><\/th><th class=\"column-4\"><\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody class=\"row-hover\">\n<tr class=\"row-2 even\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\"><strong>Pros<\/strong><br>\n<br>\n<\/td><td class=\"column-2\"><strong>Cons<\/strong> <br>\n<br>\n<\/td><td class=\"column-3\"><strong>Pros<\/strong><\/td><td class=\"column-4\"><strong>Cons<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-3 odd\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">Customizes content for specific personas<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">Too \u201csquare\u201d buckets&nbsp;<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">Easy to implement&nbsp;<br>\n<br>\n<\/td><td class=\"column-4\">Can lead to missed opportunities where product-led content can\u2019t be applied<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-4 even\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">Easier to spot gaps in the buyer\u2019s journey<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">Can become too complicated (too time consuming)<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">Enhances&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/product-marketing\/\">product marketing<\/a><\/td><td class=\"column-4\">Frequent product placement can lead to readers\u2019 fatigue in owned&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/marketing-channels\/\">marketing channels<\/a>&nbsp;<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-5 odd\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">Can be used for all content formats and channels<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">Uses a simplified model of user behavior<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">Best for blogging, video blogging and, generally, longer content formats&nbsp;<\/td><td class=\"column-4\"><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<!-- #tablepress-129 from cache -->\n<p>\n\n\n\n<\/p>\n<p>So can we take the best of both worlds and create a hybrid? I think so. One way is to insert the business score into the stages of the buyer\u2019s journey.<\/p>\n<p>\n\n<\/p>\n<p>For example, you can require a score of 2 or 3 for content designed to entice people to make a purchase. Topics with scores 0 and 1 are OK as long as they are either in the interest, desire, or retain stages.<\/p>\n<p>\n\n<\/p>\n<p>Whether that hybrid model works well enough is a conclusion I\u2019ll leave you to&nbsp;make.<\/p>\n<p>\n\n<\/p>\n<p>What\u2019s next after mapping content? Try our resources on <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/category\/content-marketing\/\">content marketing<\/a>&nbsp;to learn things like content strategy, content creation, promotion, and repurposing.<\/p>\n<p>\n\n<\/p>\n<p>Got questions or comments? Ping me <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/m_makosiewicz\">on Twitter<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>I\u2019ll cover two ways of creating content maps. The traditional way and the Ahrefs way. Both are tried and tested methods, but we like ours better\u2014and I\u2019ll explain why. Read on to learn both methods and choose the one that<span class=\"ellipsis\">\u2026<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"read-more\">Read more \u203a<\/div>\n<p><!-- end of .read-more --><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":159,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"wp_typography_post_enhancements_disabled":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[73],"tags":[],"coauthors":[412],"class_list":["post-141212","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-content-marketing","odd"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.3 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>How to Create a Content Map: Traditional Way &amp; Ahrefs&#039; Way<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Create your own content map with the help of our template. 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