Jobs to Be Done for SEO: The Framework For Your Content Strategy

Understanding the importance of content in marketing can significantly impact your business’ success.

High-quality content serves as the connecting element for various marketing aspects, such as SEO, email, social media, and advertising.

Unfortunately, many companies create content for the sake of generating content, which fails to provide substantial value and contribute to increasing sales leads and revenue.

To create content that genuinely drives business growth, it is crucial to focus on solving customers’ problems rather than merely targeting keywords.

That’s where the Jobs To Be Done Framework comes in and is a powerful framework ensuring that you’re attracting right-fit website visitors.

In this article, we’ll cover how you can leverage The Jobs to Be Done Framework for keyword research and building a winning content strategy that converts more visitors to customers.

What Is The Jobs to Be Done Framework?

The Jobs to Be Done (JTBD) framework is an approach to developing products and content strategies based on understanding your customers’ specific goals, or “jobs”, and the thought processes that lead them to “hire” a product or service to complete that job.

By focusing on the why behind your customers’ actions, you can create better offerings that solve their problems or fulfill their desires. 

The Core Concept

The main idea behind JTBD is that customers don’t necessarily buy products, they “hire” them to do a particular job.

This could be anything from solving a problem to fulfilling a need or desire.

Think of a job as any action that a user wants to take.

By identifying the jobs your customers want to be done, you can tailor your content strategy to address those needs and provide solutions.

Elements of the Jobs to Be Done Framework

1. Job statements: These are clear, concise descriptions of the jobs your customers want to be done. These statements should be specific, actionable, and resonate with your target audience.
2. Customer segments: In the JTBD framework, you need to identify which customer segments or personas would benefit from your solutions. This can help you focus on their pain points and create targeted content that resonates with them.
3. Job steps: Break down the job into specific steps that customers go through while trying to achieve their goal. This can help you understand their thought processes and emotions at each step, allowing you to craft a more effective content strategy.
4. Barriers: Identify any obstacles or challenges your customers face when trying to complete their job. By understanding these barriers, you can work on providing solutions that help your customers overcome them.

Starting Rules for Leveraging the JTBD Framework

1. Keep Content Simple

When crafting a messaging strategy, it’s crucial to avoid overcomplicating your content.

Understandably, you may feel overwhelmed by time constraints or self-doubt; however, the market necessitates creating content to maintain a robust marketing and sales pipeline.

It’s not essential to generate a massive volume of content. Instead, focus on producing 1-2 pieces per month, concentrating on quality and relevance.

By keeping your content straightforward, you can effectively convey your message and avoid the obstacle of analysis paralysis.

Utilize tools such as tables, bullet points, and bold text to communicate your information efficiently and engagingly.

2. Focus on Outcomes

When addressing your customers’ needs, concentrate on the results they want, rather than just listing the features of your product. Understand the issues that cause stress and drive them to seek solutions.

By emphasizing the outcomes, you give prospects a reason to take action and become your customers.

Remember that customers are often driven by various factors such as functional, emotional, and social jobs.

The value you provide should focus on outcome-driven innovation, addressing the stable factors over time to meet their expectations.

To effectively communicate the outcomes, consider:

• Identifying the problems your customers face in their jobs
• Addressing the emotional and social aspects along with the functional aspect
• Prioritizing the desired outcomes over product features in your content.

Keep the focus on your customers and the outcomes they desire, and they will be more likely to convert when it comes to requesting a demo or signing up.

Rule #3: Solve Problems

Remember, your content’s main goal is to address and resolve the issues faced by potential customers.

Focusing on what troubles your clients will lead you down the path of providing valuable solutions:

• Address pain points: Identify the challenges and headaches your target customers face.
• Offer solutions: Show how your products or services can resolve their issues.
• Demonstrate value: Highlight the progress customers can achieve through your assistance.

It’s not about the features here, it’s about the core problem they have and how you can help to solve that problem – and providing the light at the end of the tunnel when it comes to their desired final state after using your product.

How to Implement The Jobs to Be Done Framework in Your Content Strategy: The 5 Essential Content Pieces to Create

To create content around The Jobs to Be Done Framework, we need to have the following five core content types in place:

1. Problem-solving content: Develop content that demonstrates how to address your prospects’ primary concerns.
2. Overcoming obstacles: Craft materials that offer solutions to any secondary challenges or roadblocks faced by your audience.
3. Helpful tools and templates: Provide resources that directly assist prospects in solving their problems and navigating the buying process.
4. Client success stories: Share case studies that showcase how you have assisted clients in achieving their goals by applying the Jobs-To-Be-Done (JTBD) framework.
5. Top-of-funnel roundups: Create high-level content that relates to your prospects’ problems and draws them into your sales funnel.

Let’s take a deeper dive into creating each:

1. Solving Your Prospect’s Main Problem

At the core of the JBTD framework is the solving your prospect’s core problem and job to be done.

How do you solve your client’s problem with your product/service?

A real-life example of a SaaS company using the Jobs To Be Done (JTBD) framework is Kroll Ontrack.

Kroll Ontrack, specializing in data recovery, e-discovery, and information management, applied the JTBD framework to enhance their understanding of customer needs and align their services accordingly:

1. Identifying Customer Needs: Kroll Ontrack recognized that their prospects, primarily businesses and individuals facing data loss, were not just looking for data recovery services but were seeking assurance, reliability, and quick resolution of their critical problem – data loss.
2. Applying JTBD Framework: By employing the JTBD framework, Kroll Ontrack shifted focus from just selling a service to understanding the core job their customers needed to get done – recovering lost data with a sense of security and urgency.
3. Tailoring Services and Communication: This insight led to a change in how Kroll Ontrack communicated with its customers. They highlighted their reliability, expertise in handling sensitive data, and rapid response times, aligning their messaging and services with the core needs of their prospects.
4. Outcome: As a result, Kroll Ontrack was able to position itself not merely as a data recovery service but as a comprehensive solution provider for data crises, addressing the deeper, functional, and emotional jobs their customers were hiring their services for.

2. Solving Your Prospects’ “Other Challenges” and Overcoming Obstacles

To successfully help your potential clients overcome their difficulties and roadblocks, it’s crucial to create content that addresses these ancillary issues.

By doing so, you’re not only showcasing your expertise but also demonstrating that you truly understand their needs.

If you don’t know what your prospects’ other challenges are, conducting customer and user interviews can provide valuable insights into these motivations. With this information, you can create engaging content that addresses each stage of overcoming those issues.

Here are a few real-life examples in the SaaS space:

LeanStack

• Challenge: LeanStack, a platform for lean startup methodologies, recognized that their users needed more than just business model canvassing tools. Entrepreneurs also sought guidance in validating business ideas and achieving market fit.
• JTBD Application: They expanded their product features to include tools for market validation and customer discovery, addressing these broader entrepreneurial challenges. Additionally, they provided educational content and workshops to guide users through these processes.

Intercom

• Challenge: Intercom, a customer messaging platform, identified that businesses struggle with engaging and retaining customers effectively.
• JTBD Application: Intercom utilized the JTBD framework to develop features that enable personalized communication and customer support automation. They focused on solving the underlying problem of maintaining customer engagement and loyalty, thus addressing a critical ancillary challenge for their clients.

Dropbox

• Challenge: Dropbox, a file hosting service, understood that users needed more than just file storage; they needed efficient collaboration and easy file sharing.
• JTBD Application: Dropbox expanded its capabilities to include features like Dropbox Paper and enhanced sharing options. This approach addressed the broader challenges of collaboration and data management, making the platform more holistic for users’ varied needs.

In each case, these SaaS companies applied the JTBD framework to understand and address not just the primary needs of their prospects but also their ancillary challenges and roadblocks.

By addressing these issues, you can effectively help your customers navigate their way to the ultimate goal.

3. Tools and Templates for Solving Your Prospects’ Problems

B2B organizations can benefit significantly from tools and templates designed to generate sales leads.

However, these resources must effectively address issues your prospects face.

A few noteworthy examples of leveraging tools and templates include:

Zendesk

Zendesk provides customer service templates and tools that help companies streamline their support processes. By offering customizable templates for FAQs, help articles and support tickets, Zendesk enables businesses to improve their customer service efficiency.

Canva

Canva provides an array of design templates for various needs like presentations, social media posts, and marketing materials. These templates enable users, especially those with limited graphic design skills, to create professional-quality designs, while becoming more acquainted with Canva and their overall offering.

Remember, your content should directly appeal to the people who fund your business – your customers.

With the right tools and templates in place, you can automate processes and demonstrate your ability to solve their pressing challenges.

4: Success Stories (Enabling X to Achieve Y)

Case studies hold immense value for B2B brands, as they showcase the solutions offered and client satisfaction.

Here are some examples of the impact achieved through strategic partnerships, presented in a results-driven, customer-centric manner:
Gong

• From X to Y: Gong uses case studies to show how companies can go from struggling with inefficient sales processes (X) to achieving streamlined, data-driven sales strategies (Y).
• Showcasing Expertise: Their case studies highlight how their platform provides actionable insights from customer interactions, leading to improved sales performance and decision-making.

Zenefits

• From X to Y: Zenefits’ case studies demonstrate how businesses can transition from manual, time-consuming HR processes (X) to automated, efficient HR management (Y).
• Showcasing Expertise: They focus on the ease of managing payroll, benefits, and compliance through their platform, showcasing their capability to simplify HR tasks for diverse businesses.

ServiceNow

• From X to Y: ServiceNow’s case studies show how organizations can move from fragmented IT services and workflows (X) to integrated, automated IT service management (Y).
• Showcasing Expertise: The case studies emphasize their success in consolidating IT processes, improving service delivery, and enhancing overall IT efficiency.

By showcasing the insights behind successful client collaborations, some readers may choose to apply these strategies independently, which is fine.

But those genuinely interested in your product and who don’t have the means or know-how to do it themselves will reach out for your solution to solve their pain and problem.

5: High-level, Top-of-Funnel Roundups Related to Your Prospect’s Problems

Dive into high-level roundups to attract traffic at the top of your marketing funnel.

Focus on addressing your customers’ issues and showcase how your solutions can help them.

Consider creating articles with titles like:

• “20 Examples of Email Marketing Automaton to Save Time”
• “10 Examples of Great Reputation Management Campaigns”
• “15 Examples of Time Tracking Best Practices at Play”

List-style articles (listicles) are an excellent format for presenting information in an easily digestible manner while answering SERP intent.

At the same time, you can showcase expertise with direct examples to inspire, as well as success stories by blending in real-life customer success stories into the mix.

Final Thoughts on Leveraging JBTD

Incorporating the Jobs-to-be-Done (JTBD) framework into your content strategy can significantly benefit your approach to creating valuable and user-focused content.

By understanding the specific jobs that your audience is trying to achieve, you are better equipped to offer tailored solutions through your content.

Remember, the JTBD framework emphasizes the why behind consumers’ actions, rather than merely focusing on demographics or product features.