{"id":8051,"date":"2019-01-07T14:34:10","date_gmt":"2019-01-07T13:34:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.awantego.com\/en\/?p=8051"},"modified":"2023-03-29T11:53:12","modified_gmt":"2023-03-29T09:53:12","slug":"online-marketing-buzzwords-customer-journey","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.awantego.com\/en\/online-marketing-buzzwords-customer-journey\/","title":{"rendered":"Online Marketing Buzzwords: Customer Journey"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Online<\/a><\/p>\n

The customer journey is the path a site visitor takes<\/strong> before they make a purchase decision. Most people don\u2019t decide to buy something immediately after they discover it; typically, they look at brands and products several times<\/strong> before acting. Known as touchpoints<\/a>, these steps can best be visualized via journey mapping<\/strong>. Read on to learn more about the customer journey, its phases, and why it\u2019s important.<\/p>\n

Why Online Advertising Makes it Easier to Map the Customer Journey<\/h3>\n

\"\"<\/a>In print advertising<\/strong>, it\u2019s almost impossible to map the customer journey because it\u2019s hard to tell how people found out about a product. People get recommendations from various sources, such as newspaper ads, flyers, and family members<\/strong>. While qualitative surveys may provide some insight as to why customers have come to your store, they\u2019re costly to conduct. New, more budget-friendly approaches such as WiFi tracking<\/strong> make it easier for brick-and-mortar retailers to recreate the customer journey. With online ads<\/a>, however, every potential customer\u2019s contact points can be monitored and tracked across numerous channels<\/a>.<\/p>\n

An Example of the Customer Journey<\/h3>\n

Here, we\u2019ll use smartphones as an example. A potential buyer reads about the latest device in an online forum<\/strong>, and they do some online research<\/strong> on the device\u2019s technical specifications and features. They become more interested, and they want to see what others are saying. Others\u2019 glowing reviews make the visitor want to buy the device<\/strong>. Then, they visit the phone manufacturer\u2019s website<\/strong> to find out where it\u2019s being sold before visiting the online store<\/a> and making a purchase. In this hypothetical example, there are multiple touchpoints<\/strong>, such as:<\/p>\n

\u2022 The online forum
\n\u2022 The site that provided the phone\u2019s tech specifications
\n\u2022 The review site
\n\u2022 The device manufacturer\u2019s website
\n\u2022 The phone dealer\u2019s online store<\/p>\n

Almost any sort of marketing message can be regarded as a touchpoint<\/strong>, from TV and radio ads to billboards, newspaper ads, and other print media. While these ads are useful, it\u2019s almost impossible to track them. Online touchpoints are more effective<\/strong>, as they can be more easily tracked and monitored<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

The Journey\u2019s Different Phases<\/h3>\n

\"\"<\/a>The customer journey is divided into phases in different ways, depending on who you ask. However, all approaches have one thing in common: they assume that the buyer\u2019s decision isn\u2019t made right away<\/strong>. For that to happen, you\u2019ll need to make your target market aware of the product<\/strong>, pique their interest, and wait for them to act<\/strong>. That action isn\u2019t always an order or purchase; you may want your visitors to sign up for a newsletter or request information<\/strong>. Here are the most commonly cited stages:<\/p>\n