Content Marketing Research Guide for 2025

Written By Guest User

Content marketing in 2025 is no longer based on guesswork.

The most successful brands now rely on research to understand their audience; what they want, how they behave, and what motivates them to act.

With the growing sophistication of search engines and AI tools, content must be relevant, timely, and built around real user intent to rank effectively.

A recent HubSpot report showed that 47% of marketers who invest in content research see stronger results compared to those who publish without a clear strategy.

Additionally, a study by the Content Marketing Institute revealed that 71% of top-performing brands perform audience and keyword research at least once a month.

Content research helps businesses uncover:

  • The topics that truly matter to their audience.

  • The questions people are asking on Google, Reddit, Quora, and social media.

  • Emerging trends in their industry.

  • Gaps that competitors are not addressing.

  • Search patterns, including how AI tools like ChatGPT interpret content.

At CBM Agency Miami, we use a research-first approach to build content that performs well in both traditional search engines and AI-based search systems, such as ChatGPT, Perplexity, Claude, and Bing AI. This guide will dive into the core research areas, the best tools to use, and real-world examples that will help you create content that attracts traffic and drives business growth.

Core Research Areas

Before creating content in 2025, brands need to focus on the following essential research areas. Each of these areas will help shape your content strategy and ensure that your output resonates with your audience.

1. Keyword Intent

Keyword intent refers to the underlying reason why a person is searching for a specific term or phrase. People no longer search for isolated keywords; instead, they ask full questions that express their needs or concerns. For instance:

  • “Best marketing ideas for small businesses in Miami”

  • “Why is my SEO not working?”

  • “How do I grow my TikTok page fast?”

Google and AI tools now analyze the intent behind these questions, and content needs to match that intent clearly. Here are the different types of keyword intent:

  • Informational Intent: Users want answers.
    Example: “How to start content marketing”

  • Commercial Intent: Users are comparing options.
    Example: “Best marketing agencies in Miami”

  • Transactional Intent: Users are ready to make a purchase.
    Example: “Hire a content marketing agency”

  • Navigational Intent: Users want to find a specific website.
    Example: “CBM Agency Miami website”

Understanding keyword intent is crucial for tailoring your content to meet the precise needs of users.

2. Audience Behavior

Audience behavior refers to how users think, react, and consume content. In 2025, behavior patterns have shifted significantly:

  • People tend to skim more and read less.

  • Over 70% of browsing in Miami happens on mobile devices.

  • Users prefer quick, concise answers with relatable examples.

  • AI-generated summaries are increasingly influencing buying decisions.

  • People respond better to content that includes relatable stories, backed by data.

According to a Nielsen study, users stay 40% longer on pages that have clear structures with scannable sections. To meet these preferences, content needs to be organized, easy to digest, and quick to deliver the answers users are looking for.

3. Competitor Signals

Competitor research isn't about copying others but the ability to identify gaps, strengths, and missed opportunities in the market. Here are key aspects to consider:

  • What topics do competitors often cover?

  • Which content generates the most engagement?

  • What topics are competitors missing?

  • Which low-ranking pages can you outrank?

  • Which outdated content can you update or replace?

  • What FAQs or semantic terms are missing?

  • Is there an opportunity to add a local angle?

A Semrush study revealed that many businesses recognize the importance of content optimisation and SEO inputs. By identifying these gaps, you can create content that attracts more traffic and engages your audience in a more meaningful way.

Tools for Content Research

These are some of the most effective tools to help you understand your audience, discover trending topics, and create high-performing content.

  1. Perplexity

Perplexity is an AI-powered search engine that offers in-depth research capabilities. It reveals:

  • User search behavior

  • Trending topics

  • Related questions

  • Sources that AI models trust

  • Follow-up questions for deeper exploration

  • Simplified summaries and deep context

Why is Perplexity so valuable? It is the only AI search engine that shows the exact sources used, the reasoning steps behind search results, and trending queries in real time. This transparency gives marketers an edge in content creation.

Real Example: A Miami tech entrepreneur used Perplexity to research “how to scale a SaaS business.” The results showed trending questions such as:

  • “How to reduce customer churn”

  • “Best pricing models for SaaS”

  • “How to improve onboarding experience”

Using these insights, the entrepreneur was able to create content that attracted more founders looking to scale their SaaS businesses.

2. Reddit and Quora Insights

Reddit and Quora are goldmines for real user data. These platforms provide valuable insights into user frustrations, questions, and interests that are less visible through traditional research methods.

What to analyze on Reddit:

  • Complaints

  • Myths

  • Mistakes

  • Personal stories

  • Comparisons

  • What users love or hate

  • What they wish existed

What to analyze on Quora:

  • Expert answers

  • Follow-up questions

  • Misconceptions

  • Trending debates

Using these insights, the spa created content around transparent pricing, expectations for first-time visitors, and how to select the right spa. The spa now ranks well for “beginner-friendly spas in Miami” across search engines and AI models.

3. Google Search Console (GSC)

Google Search Console is an underrated tool for content research. It reveals:

  • Queries with high impressions but low clicks

  • Questions your page partially answers

  • Pages with declining traffic

  • New queries related to emerging trends

  • Long-tail keywords that AI models might use

Content marketing in 2025 is powered by data, insights, and audience understanding. You ensure your content is not only relevant but also optimized to meet user intent, engage your audience, and rank well across search engines and AI tools by conducting in-depth content research.

Let research lead your content strategy, and watch your brand grow in both traffic and trust.

FAQs

How do I research content ideas?

Start by looking at search queries, user questions on Reddit and Quora, and trending topics on Perplexity. Search for common problems and questions your audience asks regularly.

Why is content research important?

Content research shows what people truly care about, prevents guesswork, and helps you create content that ranks, converts, and remains relevant over time.

What tools help in content research?

Use Perplexity for trending topics, Google Search Console for real search behavior, and Reddit for raw user insights.

How do I research what my audience wants?

Study their problems, complaints, questions, and frustrations across social platforms, forums, and search data. These will reveal real user intent and what they need from your content.

What is the first step in content research?

Define your main topic and analyze what users are asking about it most. This will give you a clear direction for your content.

Guest User
Next

AI First Content: How to Create Pages That Rank in Google and AI Results