They Ask, You Answer: The Big 5 Blog Topics Explained

To establish yourself as one of the most trusted resources in your industry, your website needs to answer the questions your customers are already asking.

That is where the Big 5 comes in. At the core of the They Ask, You Answer methodology, the Big 5 are five customer focused blog topics that help you create content around real buyer concerns, search intent, and sales questions.

When used well, these topics can help attract more qualified leads, build trust earlier in the buying journey, and give your sales team stronger resources to share with prospects.

What is important about the Big 5?

The Big 5 are five blog topic categories that answer the most common questions buyers ask before making a purchase.

These topics are relevant regardless of what you sell or how you sell it. They get to the heart of a customer’s needs when they are comparing options, checking pricing, understanding risks, and deciding who to trust.

Your sales team probably answers these questions every day. The Big 5 simply turns those conversations into useful website content that can support buyers before they speak to you directly.

Which Big 5 blog topic should you write first?

The best Big 5 topic to write first depends on the questions your buyers ask most often. If pricing is the biggest barrier, start with cost. If buyers are comparing you against alternatives, start with comparisons.

Why do the Big 5 topics work for content marketing?

The Big 5 works because it focuses on the questions buyers care about most. It helps you create content around their priorities, concerns, and decision-making process.

Instead of guessing what to write about, the Big 5 gives your content strategy a clear framework. Each topic is built around trust, transparency, and usefulness.

That is why it fits so naturally with inbound marketing. You are not just publishing blogs for traffic. You are creating resources that help people understand their options and move closer to a confident decision.

For more context on the wider framework, IMPACT also explains The Big 5 content topics in relation to the They Ask, You Answer approach.

Cost blogs answer pricing questions honestly

Cost blogs explain what buyers may need to spend and what factors influence the final price. They are useful because pricing is one of the first things people want to understand before taking the next step.

Many businesses avoid talking about cost because they are worried it will scare people away or reveal too much to competitors. This is especially common when products or services are custom-designed.

However, avoiding cost completely can create frustration. If a buyer cannot find even a rough idea of pricing, they may lose confidence and look elsewhere.

A cost blog does not always need to publish an exact price. It can still be helpful by answering questions like:

• What factors influence the price?
• What are the typical price ranges?
• What is the price based on?
• Are there any financing options available?
• Why might one option cost more than another?

For example, Vanguard 86 has a cost-focused article on how much it costs to build a website and another explaining HubSpot software pricing.

Problem blogs help buyers understand the risks

Problem blogs explain the drawbacks, limitations, or common issues linked to a product, service, or industry. They help buyers decide whether a solution is right for their situation.

This can feel uncomfortable because most businesses do not want to highlight negatives. But being upfront about potential problems can build trust and help filter out poor-fit customers.

A problem blog might answer:

• What situations is your product or service not suited to?
• What are the common drawbacks?
• What issues do buyers need to understand before purchasing?
• What problems does your product solve?
• When should someone consider a different option?

Your product or service is not right for everyone. If someone wants a cheap, low-quality product, a premium product may not be suitable for them. Being honest about that can prevent frustration later.

Comparison blogs help customers weigh up their options

Comparison blogs help buyers understand the difference between two or more options. They are especially useful when people are researching alternatives and trying to choose the best fit.

A strong comparison article should be honest, balanced, and practical. If you are comparing your product or service with a competitor, readers will notice if the article feels too biased.

A comparison blog should usually cover:

• The strengths of each option
• The weaknesses of each option
• Which option is best suited to whom
• What sets your solution apart
• Which option makes sense in different situations

Comparison blogs can also turn problem-based content into a sales opportunity. If buyers already understand a challenge, a comparison article can help explain which solution is better suited to solving it.

'Best of' blogs make research easier for buyers

'Best of' blogs help buyers quickly compare leading options, ideas, products, brands, or practices. They are useful because many people want a shortlist before they make a decision.

These articles are often written as listicles because that format is easy to scan and simple to understand.

Common “best of” blog types include:

• Best competitors
• Best in category
• Best practices
• Best applications

A “best competitors” article can help buyers understand who the main vendors are in your industry. It can also attract people who are already comparing options.

A “best in category” article can focus on the products or services you offer. These work well when they use specific language buyers are likely to search for, such as “most durable”, “highest rated”, or “best for” a particular application.

A “best practices” article helps people get better results from a product or service. For example, Vanguard 86 has an article on best practices for creating Facebook videos.

A “best applications” article explains which solution is best suited to different scenarios. This helps buyers understand why something may be perfect for one situation but not right for another.

Review blogs give buyers more confidence

Review blogs help buyers understand whether a product or service meets expectations. They are useful because people often want to know what others have experienced before making a purchase.

A review article can cover your own products, a new product, a previous generation, or a similar offering. The key is to be objective and clear about when something is a good fit and when it is not.

A strong review blog might answer:

• What does the product or service do well?
• What are the benefits?
• What are the limitations?
• Who is it best suited to?
• Who should consider something else?
• Does it meet customer expectations?

The original article includes examples such as An Honest Review of HubSpot Video and Most Reliable Appliance Brands.

Does content marketing work?

With the introduction of the internet, consumer habits have evolved significantly over the past decade.

• 53% of buyers research a product or service before purchasing it.
• 47% of buyers view 3-5 pieces of content before engaging with a sales rep.
• B2B marketers who use blogs get 67% more leads than those who do not.
• SEO leads have a 14.6% close rate, compared to a 1.7% close rate for outbound leads (including direct mail and print advertising).

To generate leads and close sales, you need to adapt your marketing and meet prospective customers where they are. Knowing which topics to cover and utilising SEO strategies to attract the most qualified leads is key. Fortunately, that’s where the Big 5 topics come in.

How to use the Big 5 in your content strategy

The best way to use the Big 5 is to start with the questions your customers already ask. Sales conversations, enquiry forms, emails, and customer objections are all useful places to find content ideas.

A practical process could look like this:

1. List the questions your sales team hears most often.
2. Group those questions into cost, problems, comparisons, best of lists, and reviews.
3. Prioritise the topics that matter most to active buyers.
4. Write clear, honest articles that answer the question directly.
5. Add practical examples, internal links, and useful next steps.
6. Review the content over time to keep it accurate and helpful.

For example, if prospects keep asking why your service costs more than another option, that could become a cost or comparison article.

If poor-fit customers keep buying the wrong product, that could become a problem article explaining when your product is not the right choice.

If buyers are overwhelmed by options, that could become a 'best of' article that helps them narrow the list.

Turn customer questions into useful content

The Big 5 gives businesses a simple but powerful way to plan content around real customer questions.

By writing about cost, problems, comparisons, best of lists, and reviews, you can build trust earlier in the buying journey and create resources your sales team can use again and again.

If you are looking for more inspiration, download our 20 inbound marketing examples to see how businesses have used helpful content to attract and convert better-fit customers.

Or, if you want to improve how your website content supports search visibility, AI visibility, and buyer decision making, contact Vanguard 86 to discuss how we can help.