Stateful search makes generic audience targeting structurally weak.
A generative system can use the session to infer what the user already knows, what they have tried, and what information they need next. A page written for “everyone interested in the topic” is often less precise than a source designed for the exact state the system is serving.
The editorial response is not hyper-personalization at the individual level. It is deliberate segmentation by meaningful states: awareness, situation, motivation, constraint, and desired outcome.
The tighter the state match, the stronger the semantic fit between the user's context and the source.
Match the content format to what the reader already understands.
Unaware
The reader does not recognize the problem. Use definitions, symptoms, consequences, and problem identification.
Problem aware
The reader recognizes the problem but does not know the solution path. Use diagnostics, root causes, frameworks, and solution categories.
Solution aware
The reader is evaluating options. Use comparisons, trade-offs, decision criteria, risk analysis, and use-case matching.
These states can support separate pages or clearly labeled sections. The important thing is to avoid forcing every level of explanation into one generic treatment that is too basic for experts and too advanced for beginners.
People hire content to make progress.
Jobs to Be Done reframes the editorial unit from a topic to an outcome. The reader is not seeking “project management features” in the abstract. They may be trying to win budget approval, migrate without disrupting clients, or choose a system that a distributed team will actually adopt.
The JTBD formula
When I [situation], I want to [motivation], so that I can [desired outcome].
A useful job statement includes enough specificity to guide the content but not so much demographic detail that it becomes a fictional persona exercise. Focus on the moment of struggle, the progress sought, and the constraints that shape the decision.
Combine awareness and JTBD into one editorial specification.
| Layer | Question | Example |
|---|---|---|
| State | What does the reader already understand? | Solution aware: they know platforms exist and are comparing options. |
| Situation | What event or constraint created the need? | The agency has outgrown spreadsheets and needs approval before renewal season. |
| Motivation | What progress are they trying to make? | Build a defensible business case for a new platform. |
| Outcome | What would make the content successful? | Walk into the CFO meeting with cost, risk, and implementation framing ready. |
The resulting article is no longer “Best project management software.” It may become “A CFO-ready business case for replacing agency project spreadsheets,” complete with a cost model, risk framing, adoption plan, and downloadable template.
Write the state and job before the headline.
State of awareness: What the reader already knows: Triggering situation: Primary motivation: Desired outcome: Decision constraints: Job statement: Direct answer the page must provide: Proof required to establish trust: Next action the content should enable: Prompts used to validate selection:
This approach also clarifies what should be excluded. If a paragraph does not help the defined reader make progress, it may belong in another page designed for a different state.
The same topic produces different source opportunities at different states.
| Topic | State and job | Better content asset |
|---|---|---|
| Cybersecurity platform | Unaware leader needs to recognize exposure. | A diagnostic guide to the operational signals of unmanaged SaaS risk. |
| Cybersecurity platform | Problem-aware IT director needs a remediation path. | A decision tree for reducing SaaS exposure without slowing procurement. |
| Cybersecurity platform | Solution-aware buyer needs to choose. | A control-coverage matrix with trade-offs, implementation effort, and total cost. |
| Video game walkthrough | Player understands the boss but is failing phase two. | A phase-two attack-pattern guide with timing windows and recovery tactics. |
The source with the highest general authority is not automatically the best fit for every state. Specificity can create a selection advantage when the content aligns with the exact point in the user's journey.
Questions about awareness states and JTBD.
What is a state of awareness in content strategy?
It describes what the reader already understands about the problem and solution landscape. The Playbook uses unaware, problem aware, and solution aware as the core working states.
How is Jobs to Be Done different from a persona?
A persona describes a type of person. JTBD describes the progress that person is trying to make in a specific situation. For editorial planning, the job often provides more actionable direction than demographics alone.
Should one article serve all awareness states?
Not necessarily. Broad pillar pages can orient multiple readers, but focused pages and sections usually perform better when each resolves one state and job precisely.
How does stateful search affect content selection?
A system that uses session history can calibrate depth and angle based on what the user has already learned. Content written for the next unresolved step may be more relevant than a generic overview.
How do teams validate state-and-job content?
Build prompt sets representing each state, track which sources appear, and observe whether the new content enters the answers designed for its specific situation and outcome.
About Marat Gaziev
Marat Gaziev is a search strategist and operator with 15 years of experience across SEO, content, and audience growth. He leads Audience Growth and Generative Search strategy at IGN Entertainment / Ziff Davis, where his work spans editorial systems, AI-driven discovery, and answer-engine visibility.