Connecting Content Strategy to the Audience Journey: What the Experts Agreed On

A lively panel featuring Rebecca Chauhan (Head of Content Marketing, Savills), Brian Sekerak (VP, Digital Experience, AZEK/TimberTech), Ryan Peterson (former Sr. Manager, Content Marketing & Comms, CDW), moderated by Knotch's Keith Wiegold, tackled a familiar but evolving challenge: how to align content and UX with a messy, multi-path audience journey.

Their consensus was clear – linear funnels are out, journey measurement and orchestration are in, and post-purchase moments matter as much as first clicks. Below is a synthesis of the conversation and the practical takeaways you can put to work now.

The Journey Isn’t Dead – It’s Multiplying

All the panelists rejected the notion that the customer journey is “dead.” Instead, journeys have fragmented across channels, contexts, and devices. The job of modern content strategy and UX is less about dictating a path and more about meeting customers wherever they drop in – then guiding the next best action.

Brian: “What’s dead is this idea of a single linear journey… be the guide and you’ll win.”

Rebecca: “We’re not talking about one journey… we’re talking about hundreds of journeys"

Map With Data, Not Hope

Each panelist stressed a disciplined connection between business outcomes, content objectives, and measurable KPIs. Assumptions without validation lead to misfires; frameworks rooted in data fuel iteration and alignment.

Brian: “If the customer’s at the center, then the data orbits around it… hope is not a strategy.”

Rebecca: “We built a content measurement framework [so] we’re able to compare… what to listen to and what not to.”

Orchestrate the Organization (Not Just the Pages)

Internal blockers – ownership battles, channel silos, and ad-hoc publishing – derail journey work. The remedy is governance, cross-functional planning, and a single orchestrator who convenes UX, analytics, brand, and content around shared outcomes.

Ryan: “Ownership of the journey is a big challenge… get buy-in across the org.”

Brian: “Everyone owns the customer journey… but you need someone driving the bus.”

Design CTAs Around Intent, Not Habit

Calls to action should reflect why a piece exists, who it serves, and the stage someone is actually in – recognizing that most people are out-of-market most of the time. That means flexing from heavy-handed “talk to sales” CTAs to lighter next-best actions like related articles, tools, or inspiration.

Rebecca: “All content needs a purpose… it doesn’t need to be a high-value action every time.”

Ryan: “Bring UX and design to the table… test and learn where CTAs live and how they work.”

Kill the “Golden Path”; Embrace Infinite Paths

Rather than chase a mythical, fixed sequence, teams should bucket content by intent (inspire, inform, compare, convert), then watch real behavior and adapt in near-real time. The “perfect” path is the one your customer actually takes.

Brian: “Map your golden journey – and burn it.”

Ryan: “No one size fits all… use data as your compass.”

Brand Shows Up – But Customer Need Leads

Brand doesn’t disappear; it layers into the journey differently by segment and stage. For some, always-on brand campaigns create familiarity; for others, brand enters after need is established through helpful, credible content.

Ryan: “We don’t start with the brand – it’s really about the customer and their needs first.”

Rebecca: “Brand is always on, but knitted together with content and paid in a single plan.”

Don’t Stop at Purchase: Retention and Advocacy Are the Flywheel

Post-purchase content is where confidence, loyalty, and advocacy compound. Highlight customer stories, and keep delivering value – because that’s how you re-enter the journey when they’re ready again.

Brian: “Post-purchase is just as important as the first click.”

Ryan: “We turned wins into content – customers spent more and opened doors for sales.”

Practical Watchouts: AI, SEO, and Structured Content

AI-assisted discovery is reshaping entry points. Journeys now include LLM-mediated hops where your content is summarized elsewhere before a user ever visits you. That elevates the importance of structured content, technical SEO, and consistent messages across owned and earned channels.

Brian: “You’re talking to the LLM, and the LLM is talking to the customer… multiple entry points, structured content.”

Ryan: “Trial-and-error phase – compare patterns to SEO, adjust to meet needs differently.”

Key Takeaways

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1. Build a measurable content framework. Tie every asset to a business objective, define success, and report consistently so you can compare and improve.

‍2. Replace the ‘golden journey’ with guided flexibility. Bucket content by job-to-be-done (inspire/inform/compare/convert), then adapt to real behavior.

‍3. Govern the process, not just the pages. Appoint a conductor, bring UX/Design/Analytics to the table, and set publishing rules that protect the experience.

‍4. Stage-fit your CTAs and be patient. Most visitors aren’t ready to buy; offer relevant next steps that compound engagement.

‍5. Make post-purchase a content priority. Turn customer outcomes into stories, proof, and platforms that fuel loyalty and net-new demand.

6. Prepare for AI-shaped journeys. Treat LLMs like another audience: use structured content, technical SEO, and cross-channel consistency to stay findable and quotable.

Bottom line:

‍The audience journey hasn’t vanished; it’s multiplied. Your content strategy wins when it’s measurable, governed, and flexible – built to guide many paths with clear next actions, consistent brand support, and a long game that shines after the sale.

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Published September 28, 2025