A Comprehensive Guide to Understanding the Customer Journey Funnel

Do you ever feel like your customers are playing hide-and-seek with your business? One minute, they’re interested, and the next minute, they disappear without a trace. It’s like trying to catch a squirrel in a park—impossible! However, there is a solution! In this comprehensive guide to the customer journey funnel, we’ll take you through each step, from awareness to advocacy.

So grab your binoculars, and let’s go squirrel hunting (or customer hunting if you will)!

Stage 1: Awareness

The awareness stage is the first step in the customer journey funnel. At this stage, customers discover your brand and learn about your products or services. To capture their attention, you need to create content that educates and engages them.

Here are some strategies for the awareness stage:

• Create informative blog posts that answer common questions your potential customers may have.
• Use social media platforms to promote your content and reach a wider audience.
• Run paid ads on search engines and social media platforms to increase brand awareness.

Stage 2: Consideration

The consideration stage is when customers start evaluating their options. They look at your competitors and try to determine which product or service best fits their needs. To stand out, you must provide value and build trust with your audience.

Here are some strategies for the consideration stage:

• Create in-depth product guides that showcase the features and benefits of your products or services.
• Offer free trials or demos to let customers test your product before purchasing.
• Use retargeting ads to remind customers about your brand and products.

Stage 3: Conversion

In the conversion stage, customers purchase or sign up for a service. Providing a seamless buying experience and removing any barriers to purchase is essential at this stage.

Here are some strategies for the conversion stage:

• Optimise your website for conversions, making it easy for customers to find what they want.
• Provide multiple payment options to accommodate different preferences.
• Offer incentives such as discounts or free shipping to encourage customers to purchase.

Stage 4: Retention

Businesses can turn customers into loyal fans during the retention stage. By providing exceptional customer service and value, they can keep customers coming back and increase their lifetime value.

Here are some strategies for the retention stage:

• Offer a loyalty program that rewards customers for repeat purchases.
• Provide proactive customer service that solves issues before they become problems.
• Ask for feedback and use it to improve your products and services.

Stage 5: Advocacy

In the advocacy stage, customers become brand ambassadors, recommending your products or services to others. Creating a positive customer experience can turn customers into advocates and grow your business through word of mouth.

Here are some strategies for the advocacy stage:

• Encourage customers to leave reviews and testimonials on your website and social media channels.
• Offer referral programs that incentivise customers to refer friends and family.
• Create social media campaigns encouraging customers to share their experiences with your brand.

The Role of PPC in The Customer Journey

PPC (pay-per-click) advertising can be a potent tool for businesses to target customers at every stage of the customer journey funnel. 

• In the awareness stage, a well-targeted PPC campaign can help introduce your brand to new audiences who may not be aware of your product or service. You can get your brand in front of people using targeted keywords and demographics at the right time.
• In the consideration stage, you can use PPC ads to showcase your product or service’s unique value proposition and how it compares to your competitors. 
• In the decision stage, PPC ads can help drive conversions by offering special discounts or incentives to encourage customers to purchase. 
• And finally, in the advocacy stage, you can use PPC ads to retain and engage your existing customers by promoting new products, services, or loyalty programs. 

By creating a strategic PPC campaign that targets your customers at every stage of the customer journey, you can increase brand awareness, drive conversions, and, ultimately, grow your business. 

(Read more about the role of AI for digital marketers.)

Finding the “When”

The customer journey funnel is a crucial aspect of any business. By understanding the various stages of the funnel and optimising your sales process, you can increase conversions, build customer loyalty, and grow your business. The role of targeted, carefully crafted PPC ads is an essential tool for advertisers and brands alike.

Find out more on how to best handle PPC management.