Content mapping example: a worked map from buyer stage to question to page, with the template to copy

A content mapping example is a filled in table that links each stage of a buyer's decision to the question they ask, the page that answers it, the format, and the next step. The example below is for an invented business, a payroll software company for firms with ten to fifty staff, so you can see every column filled. Copy the columns, replace the rows with your own buyers, and you have a content map.

What content mapping is for

Most sites grow by adding whatever someone thought of that week. A content map stops that. It shows which buyer questions have a page, which have two pages that compete, and which have none. It also shows what the reader should do after each page, so no page is a dead end.

Map before you write, and again whenever you audit. If the site already has content, start from a site content audit and place each surviving page in the map.

The columns

Column	What goes in it
Buyer and role	Who is asking: owner, office manager, accountant
Stage	Problem aware, comparing options, ready to buy, customer
Question	The exact words the buyer uses, from search data, sales calls and support
Page	The one page that answers it, with its URL
Format	Guide, comparison, calculator, case note, FAQ, onboarding page
Proof	The fact, example or document the page needs to be believed
Next step	The link or action that follows
Status	Exists, needs update, to write

The worked example

The business is fictional. It sells payroll software to firms of ten to fifty staff. Its buyers are the owner, who pays, and the office manager, who runs payroll each month.

Stage	Question	Page and format	Proof needed	Next step	Status
Problem aware	how long should payroll take each month	Guide: the steps in a payroll run and where time goes	A timed walk through of the steps	Link to the payroll checklist	To write
Problem aware	payroll mistakes small business	Guide: the six common errors and how to catch each	Examples of each error and its fix	Link to the comparison page	Exists, needs update
Comparing	payroll software vs outsourcing payroll	Comparison: in house software against a bureau	A cost table with stated assumptions	Link to the pricing page	To write
Comparing	what to look for in payroll software	Buyer's checklist	The product's own features listed against the checklist	Book a demo	To write
Ready to buy	payroll software pricing	Pricing page with a plain table	Actual prices, dated	Start a trial	Exists
Ready to buy	switch payroll provider mid year	Guide: moving mid year without double entry	Step list from the onboarding team	Contact sales	To write
Customer	how to run a correction payroll	Help article with screenshots	Current screens	Link to support	Exists

Seven rows is a start, not the whole map. A real map for a business like this would hold thirty to sixty rows. The point is that each row has one page, one purpose and one next step.

How to fill your own map in five passes

1. List the buyers. Two to four roles. If the owner and the user are different people, give each their own rows.
2. Collect the questions. Pull them from Search Console queries, the questions in sales calls, support tickets, and the "people also ask" boxes on the results pages for your main topics. The method for building the query list is in keyword research in five steps.
3. Group by stage. A question like "what is payroll software" sits early. "Payroll software pricing" sits late. Sort the list before you assign pages.
4. Merge duplicates. If two questions are the same in different words, they get one page. Put both phrasings in the row.
5. Assign status. Mark each row exists, needs update or to write. The to write rows are your editorial plan.

Reading the example

Look at what the example shows. The first two rows answer a problem the buyer already feels, so they need no mention of the product until the next step. The comparing rows carry the most proof, because a buyer weighing two options reads for evidence. The ready to buy rows are short and factual: a price, a list of steps, a contact route. The customer row exists because a map that stops at the sale forgets the people who give the best reviews. Two rows are marked exists, which means a page is already live and only needs checking against its row, not rewriting.

Rules that keep the map useful

• One question, one page. When two pages answer the same question, they compete and neither wins. Pick one and redirect or rewrite the other.
• Every page names its next step. The step depends on the stage. An early reader is offered a related guide, a late reader a price or a demo.
• Proof is part of the row. A page with no source, number or example to support its claim is not ready to write.
• Use the buyer's words. Write the question as typed, not as the company would phrase it.
• Review every quarter. Questions change, products change, and the status column goes stale.

Two variations of the map

By persona

When owner and user have different worries, split the table by role. The owner's rows cover cost and risk. The user's rows cover how-to and time saved.

By topic cluster

For a larger site, group rows by topic and name one pillar page that links to the supporting pages in that group. This is a way of reading the same table, and it makes the internal links obvious. If you plan the cluster structure itself, the guide to a buyer question topic map shows a 100 question scoring approach.

Adding a column for the assistant's answer

Most content maps stop at the website. Buyers also put these exact questions to ChatGPT, Gemini or Perplexity, and the answer they receive names a few businesses before any page is opened. Add a column to your map called "assistant answer" and record, for each question, who is named and whether your page is cited. AI Knows Us (aiknowsus.com) runs that column for you across the main assistants, using the question wording from your map, so the rows with no mention become the next pages to improve.

Questions about content mapping

What is content mapping?

Content mapping is planning which piece of content answers which buyer question at which stage, so every page has a clear job and a next step.

How many rows should a content map have?

Enough to cover the questions buyers actually ask. A small business starts with twenty to thirty rows, and a large site grows to several hundred.

What is the difference between a content map and an editorial calendar?

The map says what should exist and why. The calendar says when each piece is made and by whom. Build the map first and draw the calendar from the to write rows.

Which tool should I use?

A spreadsheet is enough. Use filters on stage and status and keep one row per question.

How often should I update the map?

Quarterly, and after any large change in product, pricing or audience.