Everyone out there will tell you a different reason why your content isn’t working. It’s the algorithm. It’s your hook. It’s your editing. It’s you because you’re just boring!
But here’s my way of seeing it. Your content could be great, and you could still be leaving money on the table if you’re only speaking to one type of buyer.
In this episode, I’m breaking down the four buyer types, the psychology behind why people buy (or don’t), and how to create content that actually connects with all of them.
🎧 Listen on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify
The Cake vs. The Sprinkles
Yes, it could be you. You could be boring as fuck and talking about things that your audience doesn’t care about.
Same thing with hooks. If you start every video with “Hey guys, just popping on,” people are not gonna pay attention to that as much as if you had a solid hook to grab their attention.
And if your editing skills mean you’re leaving in all the pauses and you’re not being quick to the answers, then yes, maybe your editing has something to do with that.
All of these things can enhance your content. But the content itself? That is what I want you to think about as the cake. Everything else is just sprinkles.
You could have chocolate sprinkles on the outside of that cake, or you could have rainbow sprinkles, or you could just have no sprinkles. It’s still cake. And if you like the cake, the sprinkles don’t make that much of an impact. Sure, they add a little something, but the cake itself has to be good.
You’re not gonna eat garbage cake and be like, “But these sprinkles are so good.”
A Psychology Moment
While yes, we are all individual little snowflakes, our brains are pretty much the same. We follow the same processes.
It’s the reason why when you start a video with a hook and there’s movement, it gets people to pay attention. Our brains have been wired evolutionarily to notice movement because movement could mean danger. So danger means pay attention!
Our brains are pretty similar in the way that certain things will grab our attention and certain things won’t. It’s also why when you walk into a crowded room and you know nobody there, you start scanning for similarities. You’re trying to see people who could be one of you or somebody you could relate to.
I’ve had this experience where I’ve walked into an event and I didn’t know anybody. It was mostly all guys in the room, and there were like two girls, and I was like, “I’m gonna go over there. They feel the safest.”
That’s why you want your content to reflect who you are. Because your people are scanning the room on social media, looking for you.
But What Happens After You Get People’s Attention?
I hear it all the time: “Okay, I’ve got an engaged audience, but nobody’s buying.”
That’s when it comes down to the way that different people buy things.
There are four buyer types. You can have a little bit of overlap of all four, but generally, people lean toward one or two.
And most of us, when we’re creating content, we’re only speaking to one type of buyer when we’re showing up online. We’re leaving 75% of our audience totally unengaged in the sense that they might be seeing our content, they might be like, “Cool, I like this person, I’m starting to trust this person,” but they’re not at the point of “This is what I need to make a confident purchasing decision.”
So let’s break down these four content types and how they relate back to buyer psychology. And more importantly, let’s talk about the psychology behind why they work. Because the things that bug me the most is when people are like, “This hook works.” Okay, why does it work? Tell us why so it’s easier to adapt.
I want you to be able to be confident in what you’re doing and making sure that the content you’re creating actually has a rhyme and a reason.
The Four Buyer Types
When it comes to buying, some people buy fast, some people need time, some people want all the details, and others just want to cry in the comment section with you to feel seen. People react differently to your content, and these are the different buyer types in action.
When your content isn’t converting or isn’t really getting the momentum on the sales end, it’s usually not because it’s bad content. Usually, if your content’s contenting but it’s not bringing you sales (and the backend of your website and everything else is all set up correctly), it could be because you’re not talking to the buyer in the moment that they’re in.
1. Authority Content for Driver Buyers
These folks are decisive, direct, and they want to know: Can you help me get results? They don’t want the fluff. They want facts, stats, the bottom line.
Psychology-wise, they thrive on cognitive fluency. If your content is easy to understand and leads them to a result, they’re in. They love it.
Hooks and headlines they’ll love:
- “Three fast ways to get more clients this month”
- “The one thing I’d focus on if I had to start my business over from scratch”
- “Steal my 15-minute strategy for booking higher-ticket clients”
Formats they gravitate towards:
- Talking head reels delivered confidently (no ums and ahs)
- Carousels with bold headlines and punchy CTAs
- Short, sweet, swipeable content with clear takeaways
You want to keep it fast, direct, and outcome-focused. Lead with what they will get out of it. Why should they pay attention in the first place?
2. Educational Content for Analytical Buyers
Hi, this is me. I am this person.
Analytical buyers need to understand the how, the why, the proof. We want the receipts. Psychologically, we’re operating from a place of risk reduction. I am somebody who is reading everything you give me. I want logic, structure, and details before I ever make a decision.
I am the one watching every one of your stories. I’m the one reading every word on your carousel. I’m the one listening to every word of your reels, rewatching them, looking at the comments to see if you’re engaging. I am looking at everything. I am all up in there.
Headlines and content pieces I would love:
- “A full breakdown of my offer suite and why I built it this way”
- “Here’s what happened when I tested X for 30 days”
- “The strategy behind our $50K launch and what we would change next time”
Formats I obsess over:
- Deep dive carousels (I don’t want three words on a page; give me all the meat and potatoes)
- Email newsletters with behind-the-scenes strategies
- Talking head reels where you show what you’re talking about, so I can screenshot and zoom in
Get into the details. Cite your stats. Show your work. Give them as much as you can.
3. Empathy-Driven Content for Emotional Buyers
These are your “I’ve been watching you for two years and I’m just finally reaching out” people. They are quietly consuming everything. They don’t really care so much about metrics. Obviously, they want results if they’re hiring you, but they care more about how you make them feel.
They want to feel seen, safe, and emotionally connected to you before they’re ever ready to buy. Psychologically, they want those neurons in their brain to fire because we relate to stories when we emotionally experience them. They want to be like, “I get that. I do that too. I see you. I’m like you. Okay, we are connected.”
They want to see you, feel you, and be able to feel connected to you before they’re going to make a purchasing decision.
Types of headlines they would love:
- “What I wish I knew when I felt behind in business”
- “The post I needed when I was struggling to show up online”
- “Client win: They went from doubting everything to finally feeling clear and confident about XYZ”
Formats they love:
- Raw, honest captions paired with a selfie
- Reels with storytelling (come on a journey with me)
- Casual, edgy stories where you’re Facetiming with a bestie
Drop the polish for these people. Get real and let them see you.
4. Connection Content for Expressive Buyers
These folks are your hype kings or hype queens. Once they buy, they’re all in, and they want other people to feel like they’re in it. They want to feel like they’re part of something special. They love personality, and they want to be seen with your brand.
These are the people who are your brand advocates. If they join a program or sign up for a service, they’re going to be tagging you, and they’re going to want you to share it to your stories because they love to feel like they’re part of this network.
This is where your social proof and that feeling of belonging come in. Because we are wired to want to belong. Back in the day, we had tribes, and if you were not part of a tribe and you were an outcast, that meant death. Death is not good. So we want to broadcast the good decisions we’ve made.
Types of content that will speak to them:
- “The energy inside this program is next level — come behind the scenes”
- “My client just signed three client,s and I’m losing it because I’m so proud of them”
- Community recaps and client transformation highlights
Formats that work:
- Stories that show the community vibes
- Behind the scenes of you helping your clients
- Resharing content you were tagged in to build that community feeling
You want your personality to lead with these. Keep it warm, informal, and inclusive. Make people feel what it’s like to be in your world.
Your Action Step
The next time you’re sitting down to create content, don’t just think about what you want to say or what you would want to hear. You really have to put your audience first.
Think about who you’re speaking to and ask:
- Am I giving the driver buyers the results they want?
- Am I giving analytical buyers the depth they need?
- Am I giving the emotional buyers the story they’ll connect with?
- Am I giving the expressive buyers a space to belong?
You don’t need to do it all at once, but rotating these content types across your feed ensures you’re meeting more people where they’re at.
And if you want help figuring out how to make this work for your offers, your audience, and your content schedule, this is exactly the kind of thing I tackle inside of my one-on-one consulting offer, The Framework.
If you’re interested in becoming a client in 2026, I’m accepting applications at this time!
🎧 Listen on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify
