The customer journey has become significantly more complicated as a result of digital technology’s proliferation of points of contact between firms and consumers.
The latest epidemic has furthered this trend by quickly converting “brick and store” shoppers into online shoppers.
In this manual, you’ll learn why understanding the digital customer journey is essential to business success and how to enhance it through examples of motivating real-world customer trips.
What is the Digital Customer Journey?
The path taken by an internet user from the awareness stage all the way up to the purchase stage is known as the “digital customer journey.”
In essence, it includes each and every online encounter that occurs between a buyer and a company during the purchasing process.
In some circumstances, the digital customer journey might go beyond making a purchase or signing up for a subscription and include client loyalty. To enhance the customer’s understanding and experience of their just purchased goods, the brand could, for instance, provide bespoke post-sale offers or customized material.
The Impact of Digitization on Customer Experience
Due to the extensive and intimate ties, they developed over time with their clients, the banking and insurance industries were initially primarily those that examined the customer journey in depth.
Yet now, any firm that recognizes the scope and significance of digital is talking a lot about the digital customer experience.
The recent digital revolution has altered this journey by introducing new phases, such as websites and blogs, alongside more conventional ones, like physical stores, TV and radio ads, and catalogs. The development of these new marketing platforms, closely followed by social media, voice assistants, chatbots, and even display advertising, has complicated the digital customer journey on multiple levels.
Also, the client journey often takes multiple forms because each industry is the same. For instance, in a hospital setting, we refer to it as the “patient journey.” The path of a patient, from booking an appointment online to reviewing the results, differs greatly from the route of a client looking to buy a new kitchen.
The Many Phases of a Customer’s Digital Journey
There is some truth to the claim that the buyer’s journey has as many stages in the digital era as there are sand grains on the beach. Indeed, you wouldn’t be too far off.
You’ll be relieved to learn that regardless of the business, there are three crucial buying stages that span every consumer journey. Let’s look at this…
1. Becoming aware: the discovery stage
When your customer recognizes they need something and don’t have it, they are in the discovery stage. This might involve, for instance, buying a second bike that is more suited for cycling to work or replacing a damaged refrigerator.
The user then does what? To conduct some studies, they use the internet. As a brand, you must therefore ensure that you address their inquiries. Although you aren’t yet making a sale to them, by responding to their inquiries, they are beginning to believe that you are an authority on the subject. You’ll write tutorials, blog posts, and e-books as the content you produce for the awareness stage.
2. Consideration: the evaluation phase
The consumer will begin to consider which solution is ideal for them after consulting a variety of sources to help solve their issue.
In order to assess their options and select the best choice for their budget, they will study buying guides, check out customer reviews, and watch product videos.
In order to convince your potential customers that you are their best choice, you must, as a brand, ensure that you have this content available.
2. Decision: the selection phase
The last step is the decision-making phase. Consumers must now select from the different options available after knowing exactly which product would satisfy their demands. It’s time for you as a brand to make sure you have the appropriate material to show how you have an advantage over your rivals.
If you can, why not offer a free trial period so the buyer may decide for themselves? Being kind can help tremendously if there are any remaining barriers, so do your best!
Why Study Your Online Customer’s Experience?
Digital customer journey mapping offers a number of benefits, including:
- Identifying the customer’s sources of friction that cause them to change, postpone, or cancel their project
- Improving knowledge of consumer habits and needs to provide them with the most appropriate content at the best time
- Giving you information so you may focus your marketing efforts on the most lucrative or promising opportunities
How to Optimize Your Digital Customer Journey?
Adopt an omnichannel strategy.
The client journey must now take into account the needs of many channels.
To do this, we must use an “omnichannel” strategy that prioritizes each step of the trip equally.
The purpose? is to provide a “seamless” user experience that is uniform in all mediums, including your website, social media, and phone.
Compartmentalization is no longer necessary.
Get everyone involved
It takes work to redesign and improve your digital consumer journey. In fact, it may trigger significant adjustments inside your company.
It is crucial to include all staff in the process in order to sustain production and consistency as you enhance the client journey.
The input from each area will be extremely helpful in developing a “concrete” plan based on trustworthy data.
Personalize the experience
Personalization can help you create a difference and stand out in the crowd in the oversaturated market of today.
Yet, effectively personalizing your journey necessitates a thorough awareness of your business objectives as well as a precise knowledge of your target personas.
After taking care of these issues, you’ll be able to choose the material to show on your website or application based on factors like age, geography, areas of interest, past searches, or purchases.
You can achieve this with the use of Contentsquare’s customer journey analysis tools.
Examples of Digital Customer Journeys to Wrap Things Up.
Without giving some examples of diverse and inspiring digital consumer journeys, we couldn’t call this essay a success.
1. Digital Experience
This customer journey exemplifies how a chocolate brand may attract new customers, from the random street-level discovery of items through the creation of a genuine brand ambassador.
2. Zendesk
In order to wrap up, let’s look at a digital customer journey example from Zendesk that demonstrates the dynamics of client acquisition, retention, and loss.
3. UXFirm
This second example from UXFirm emphasizes the consumer experience at each level, from awareness through purchase, and has a different goal.
4. WCIG
The final illustration goes into great depth on each stage and challenge that people with disabilities encounter when working. A highly intricate (but instructive) illustration of a customer journey!
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By SEO
- Feb 21, 2023
By SEO
