Many customers check reviews, ratings, and social media feedback (including what influencers and other customers say), which greatly affects how they see brands and make choices.
You know that moment when you’re about to buy something and you suddenly remember to check the reviews first? Maybe you look up ratings, scroll through social media or see what influencers and other folks are saying. That quick detour? It’s a big deal for brands — it’s where first impressions are made or broken. If you’re a business trying to grow, understanding how people move through their buying journey (and how to show up at each stage) is a game-changer. To grow your business, it is crucial to understanding how to connect with consumers at each stage of their buying journey. By diversifying your marketing tactics and understanding consumer behavior, you can maximize your reach and improve engagement.
The Digital World Is Loud — Here’s How to Be Heard
People are online all the time. Whether on social media, search engines, or shopping sites, consumers are constantly exposed to brands, which presents a huge opportunity for your business to connect with them at every step of their journey.
Understanding the Customer Journey
Imagine a typical day. Someone’s working, binge-watching a show, Googling recipes, or planning a trip. All of those moments are chances for a brand to show up. That “journey” is usually made up of these stages:
- Branding/Awareness – Something catches their eye (an ad or a recommendation).
- Interest/Research – They’re intrigued, so they dig a little deeper.
- Consideration – They’re comparing you with your competitors and beginning to decide.
- Intent – They’re this close — visiting your site, maybe calling or adding something to the cart.
- Conversion – Boom! They made a purchase.
- Retention – Now the goal is to keep them coming back.
Mapping Your Customer Journey
To succeed in reaching your target audience, you need to know where they are in the buying journey and how to engage them. Ask yourself:
- Are people finding you at each stage — or going straight to your competitors?
- How are you measuring success (e.g., website visits, leads, conversions)?
- Do you have tracking in place to understand customer behavior?
- What’s your close rate once a potential customer contacts you?
Real-Life Example: Mia, The Vacation Planner
Meet Mia, who is planning a family vacation to the mountains. Here’s how she interacts with brands online:
- Research: Mia looks up hotel reviews, fun things to do and travel blogs.
- Interest: Mia starts getting ads for hotels in the Berkshires and clicks on one.
- Consideration: Mia is unsure, so she searches for “Mountain Hotel” on Google.
- Intent: After seeing the hotel’s ad on multiple platforms, Mia books her trip.
- Conversion: When Mia arrives, she sees an ad for a local restaurant, looks it up, and they end up dining there.
Mia’s journey touched multiple platforms, devices and moments — and that’s exactly how modern buying works.
Don’t Just Rely on One Marketing Strategy — Mix It Up
To truly reach consumers, it’s important to diversify your marketing tactics. Using multiple channels allows you to:
- Increase brand recognition
- Reach a wider audience
- Improve performance
- Reduce risks
Studies show that it typically takes 8 touchpoints before a consumer converts, so using three or more tactics can significantly boost your results.
Emerging Solutions That Are Seeing Big Success
- Targeted Display Ads
Remember Mia and those hotel ads? That’s targeted display in action — showing your ads to people who’ve shown interest in your stuff. Targeted display helps you place ads in front of consumers who’ve shown interest in your products or services, wherever they are online. For example, ads for hiking gear would be shown to people interested in outdoor activities. - The Search Space
When Mia Googled “mountain hotel” and your ad popped up at the top? That’s Search Engine Marketing (SEM) at work. Consumers use search engines like Google for nearly everything, and 93% of online experiences begin with a search. Businesses that advertise through paid search ads or Local SEO (for location-based searches like “near me”) can dominate the search results. - Geofencing
Geofencing lets businesses serve ads to people who have previously visited a location. For example, Mia saw an ad for a hotel she stayed at the year before. By tracking her historical location data, businesses can re-engage past customers, encouraging repeat visits.
Build a Strategy That Actually Works
To make all this possible, businesses need a cohesive and efficient marketing strategy. Here’s how to optimize your efforts:
- Work with a Partner: Instead of managing multiple marketing channels, find a partner that offers a full suite of solutions. This can save time, streamline processes and ensure consistent messaging.
- Transparency: Ensure you have access to data and insights to track campaign performance and adjust strategies as needed. Having regular check-ins with your partner and access to a marketing dashboard helps you stay on top of your progress.
It’s All About the Mix
A successful marketing strategy today involves multiple solutions working together, such as:
- Display Ads
- Geofencing
- Email Marketing
- Search Engine Marketing (SEM)
- Local SEO
- Organic SEO
- Pre-Roll Video Ads
- Streaming TV and Audio
- Social Media Ads
- Website Development
- Print Media
Next Steps
If you’re not sure how your current strategy is performing, it’s time for a gut check. Audit your marketing. Look at where your customers are finding you, what’s working (and what’s just wasting money), and what you could be doing better.
Want to see where your business stands?
Get a free scan and audit from our team to take a deeper dive into your business, your consumers’ journey, and the opportunities for growth.
