Most teams over-index on one persona or one stage—and leave revenue on the table.
AI search has changed how buyers find and trust content. But if your library doesn’t cover the right combinations of persona and funnel stage, you may never show up in those zero-click answers or LLM-powered recommendations.
Here’s how to fix that with a smarter mapping approach.
Step 1: Map Personas to Funnel Stages
Start with a simple matrix. List your primary buyer personas down the side and the funnel stages (Awareness, Consideration, Decision) across the top. For each intersection, ask: Do we have content that speaks directly to this persona at this stage?
Example:
Finance Leader – Consideration: Do you have a mid-funnel piece addressing ROI or cost control?
Ops Leader – Awareness: Is there top-funnel content on operational inefficiencies?
You’ll likely spot gaps immediately.
Example Persona-Stage Matrix
| Persona | Awareness Stage | Consideration Stage | Decision Stage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Finance Lead | Blog: “Why SaaS Budgets Are Bloated” | ✖️ Gap: No ROI explainer content | Case Study: “How We Reduced TCO by 30%” |
| Ops Leader | Guide: “Top Bottlenecks in B2B Workflows” | Blog: “Evaluating SaaS Tools for Ops Efficiency” | ✖️ Gap: No vendor comparison or checklist |
| IT Leader | ✖️ Gap: No awareness piece | Webinar: “Security in Multi-Tenant SaaS” | One-Pager: “Implementation & Support Overview” |
| Marketing Lead | Checklist: “Are You Ready for AI Search?” | Blog: “Choosing the Right Content Platform” | Demo Video: “How Our Platform Powers Content Ops” |
Legend:
✅ Solid match
✖️ Content gap
🔄 Needs refresh (optional column)
Step 2: Inventory Existing Content
Do a quick content audit against your matrix. For each cell, link or list what currently exists. Highlight:
Red: No content exists
Yellow: Content exists but is weak or indirect
Green: Strong, persona-stage fit
You can do this in a spreadsheet, or use a tool like Airtable or Notion for a more visual dashboard.
Step 3: Prioritize Strategic Gaps
Not all gaps are equal. Use a content priority matrix to weigh each gap based on two factors:
Sales friction: Where are you encountering the most objections or blockers by persona?
ICP urgency: Where is the buyer feeling the most pain or pressure to act?
Score each gap on a 2×2 axis of urgency and impact. Prioritize the quadrants where sales objections intersect with buyer urgency. For instance:
High urgency + High friction = Build now
Low urgency + Low friction = Park or deprioritize
This matrix helps focus resources on content that unblocks revenue and meets real-time buyer intent.
Step 4: Build Content with LLM Visibility in Mind
To surface in AI answers, each piece should:
Clearly target the persona and stage in subheadings and intro
Use structured formats (e.g. FAQs, lists, templates)
Include key terms the persona would search or ask in an LLM
Pairing your content audit with LLM prompt testing can reveal what gets pulled and what gets skipped.
Next Step: Operationalize Your Matrix
Once you’ve prioritized the gaps, plug them into your editorial roadmap. Use your matrix as a reference tool in planning meetings and content reviews. Update it quarterly to ensure it stays aligned with shifting sales needs and AI discovery patterns.
Stop guessing. Start mapping. The right content at the right stage for the right persona isn’t a nice-to-have—it’s how you win visibility in the AI-powered funnel.
If you need help with your website and digital strategy, let’s fix that. Send a quick note or book a call — no pressure, just a conversation about how to get started.