The content marketing matrix is a simple grid that sorts everything you publish into four jobs: entertain, inspire, educate and convince. It was published by Smart Insights in 2012, created by Dave Chaffey and credited to an idea from his colleague Dan Bosomworth, and it is still one of the most practical planning tools around because it stops you posting the same kind of thing over and over.

If your social feed is all offers, or your blog is all “how to” guides, the matrix shows you the gaps straight away. Below we explain how it works, give real examples for small businesses in each quarter, and show how it lines up with the buyer’s journey so you can plan top of funnel content that brings new people in, as well as the content that turns them into customers.

Two lines, four boxes

The matrix is built from two lines that cross in the middle.

• The horizontal line runs from awareness to purchase. On the left is content that gets you noticed by people who have never heard of you. On the right is content that helps someone who is already interested decide to buy.
• The vertical line runs from emotional to rational. At the top is content that makes people feel something, such as laughter, curiosity or pride. At the bottom is content that gives them facts, reasons and proof.

Where the lines cross you get four quarters:

Quarter	Position	The job it does
Entertain	Emotional, awareness	Grabs attention and gets shared
Inspire	Emotional, purchase	Makes people want what you offer
Educate	Rational, awareness	Helps people and builds trust
Convince	Rational, purchase	Gives the proof needed to buy

No single quarter is “best”. A healthy content plan uses all four, in a balance that suits your business and where your customers are in their decision.

Entertain: content that earns attention

Entertaining content is there to stop the scroll. It is light, emotional and shareable, and it rarely mentions a product. Its job is to put your name in front of people who were not looking for you.

Small business examples:

• A dog groomer posting a before and after Reel of a very fluffy cockapoo, set to a trending sound
• A coffee shop running a “guess the latte art” poll on Instagram Stories
• A builder sharing a time-lapse of a kitchen being stripped back and rebuilt
• A team taking part in a light-hearted challenge or office tradition

Entertaining content works best on social platforms, especially short video. The risk is that it brings attention without direction, so keep your branding visible and make sure your profile tells people what you do once they click through.

Educate: content that builds trust

Educational content answers the questions your customers are already asking. It is rational and useful, and it sits at the awareness end because people often meet it before they are ready to buy. Done well, it makes you the business people remember when they are ready.

Small business examples:

• An accountant writing “What expenses can a sole trader claim?”
• A garden centre posting a monthly “what to plant now” guide
• A web designer explaining the difference between a domain and hosting
• A physiotherapist sharing three stretches for desk workers

This quarter is where content marketing and search overlap most. Blog posts and guides that answer real questions are what people find on Google, which is why a lot of our SEO work starts with planning educational content around the searches customers make.

Inspire: content that creates desire

Inspiring content still speaks to the emotions, but it sits closer to the sale. It shows people what life looks like with your product or service, so they start to picture themselves as a customer.

Related reading: Effective Types of Social Media Content for Small Businesses

Small business examples:

• A wedding venue sharing a real couple’s day, with their permission
• A personal trainer sharing a client’s story of training for their first 10k
• An interior designer showing a finished living room with a short walk-through video
• A local charity showing what a donation actually paid for

Customer stories, transformations and “behind the scenes” content all live here. They work because they are real. Never invent a story or exaggerate a result; people can tell, and it damages trust quickly.

Convince: content that closes the deal

Convincing content is rational and close to the purchase. It is for the person who is comparing options and needs facts, proof and reassurance before they get in touch or check out.

Small business examples:

• A clear pricing page, or a guide to “what affects the cost”
• Case studies with the problem, what you did and the outcome
• Reviews and testimonials, shared on your website and social channels
• Product comparison tables, FAQs and specification sheets
• A demo video or a free consultation offer

Many small businesses only produce this kind of content, which is why their feeds feel like a stream of adverts. Convincing content is essential, but it works far better when entertaining, educational and inspiring posts have already brought people to you.

The matrix maps onto the buyer’s journey

The buyer’s journey is the path someone takes from first noticing a problem to choosing a supplier. It is usually split into three stages, which line up neatly with the matrix:

1. Awareness (top of the funnel). The person has a need but may not know you exist. Entertaining and educational content does the heavy lifting here.
2. Consideration (middle of the funnel). They are researching options. Educational content that goes deeper, plus inspiring stories, keeps you on their shortlist.
3. Decision (bottom of the funnel). They are ready to choose. Convincing content, such as reviews, case studies and clear prices, helps them pick you.

Plot your existing content on the grid and you will usually find one of two problems. Either everything sits in the bottom right, so you are only talking to people who already know you, or everything sits in the top left, so you get likes but few enquiries. The fix is to fill the empty quarters.

Top of funnel content ideas that work

Top of funnel content is the hardest to get right, because you are speaking to people who are not yet thinking about you. Here are ideas that work well for small businesses:

• Answer the questions you hear every week. Turn each common customer question into a short video, a social post and a blog article.
• Share local knowledge. Guides to your town, local events or seasonal tips connect you with people nearby.
• Show the process. People love watching things being made, fixed, cleaned or built.
• Myth busting. “Three things people get wrong about…” is educational and often entertaining too.
• Introduce your team and your animals. Faces and personalities are memorable in a way logos are not.
• Join in with what people are talking about, when it genuinely fits your brand.
• Quick checklists and templates people will save and come back to.

Pair top of funnel posts with a gentle next step: follow us, read the full guide, or sign up for tips. You are starting a relationship, not asking for a sale.

Putting the matrix to work in a monthly plan

You do not need complicated software. A simple process works:

1. List everything you published in the last two or three months and put each item in one of the four quarters.
2. Spot the empty or crowded quarters.
3. For the month ahead, plan a mix across all four. A sensible starting point for many small businesses is more awareness content than sales content, but there is no fixed ratio; test and adjust.
4. Reuse ideas across formats. One educational blog can become a carousel, a short video and an email.
5. Review results by quarter. Entertaining content should grow reach, educational content should bring visits and saves, and convincing content should drive enquiries.

Judge each quarter by the right measure. A convincing post with low likes but three enquiries is doing its job. An entertaining Reel with thousands of views and no enquiries may be doing its job too, if it is bringing new followers you can nurture. If you would rather have a team plan and produce this mix for you, our social media management service is built around exactly this kind of balanced calendar.

Frequently asked questions

Who created the content marketing matrix?

It was published by Smart Insights in March 2012. Dave Chaffey wrote it up and credits the original idea to Dan Bosomworth, who was then the company’s marketing director.

What are the four quarters of the content marketing matrix?

Entertain, inspire, educate and convince. Entertain and educate sit at the awareness end, while inspire and convince sit nearer the purchase. Entertain and inspire are emotional, while educate and convince are rational.

What counts as top of funnel content?

Anything designed to reach people who do not yet know your business. That usually means entertaining or educational content, such as short videos, how-to guides, local tips and answers to common questions.

How often should I review my content mix?

Monthly is a good rhythm for most small businesses. Look at what you posted, where it sits on the matrix and how each piece performed, then adjust the next month’s plan.

Get a content plan that covers all four

If your content feels stuck in one quarter, we can help you build a balanced plan that brings in new people and turns them into customers. Find out more about our social media management and SEO services, or get in touch and tell us what you would like your content to achieve.