Through Google’s Lens: The Search-Savvy Customer Redefines Today’s Marketing Funnel

In the ‘old days’ when someone had a question, they had to go on a physical search for the answer. Books, news articles, television segments and magazines were just a few of the most likely places to turn for results. In the digital age, Google’s search bar empowers a search-savvy consumer to receive the answers in under a second, delivered to the palm of their hand.

Is it the instant gratification the consumers love or the ease of information?

Google’s most recent study dives into ‘clickstream’ behavioral data providing insight into Millennial user patterns driving digitally-made buying decisions.

The recent explosion of smartphone buying power has shifted the paradigm of the traditional consumer decision process from the well-known ‘marketing funnel’ concept to frequency-driven wide net.

Consider two different scenarios used by millions of Americans each day. First, there’s Amazon’s “1 click to cart” and Apple Pay. These digital giants have simplified the buying process to an expedited checkout before consumers even blink—or realize what they are actually buying. The second approach casts the wide net analogy to the opposite end of the spectrum. The empowerment of digital information sharing gives consumers the option to explore copious amounts of reviews, experiences and offers before a buying decisions is made for short or long term implications. And there goes that traditional funnel… out the window—err, off the screen!

Google’s study, “How intent is redefining the marketing funnel,” evaluated four customer profiles and their journeys to purchase items from a variety of industries: makeup, headphones, flights and candy. The analyzation of each consumer’s search patterns, volume of touch points and devices of choice shaped the buyers decisions.

Google defined some Key takeaways for us to consider:

– No two customer purchase journeys are exactly the same.

– The linear path to purchase is no longer the norm.

– The brand with the most touch points throughout the buying process wins the customer.

– Sacrificing reach for frequency does create conversions. Frequency across multiple media platforms with a unified message aids the purchasing decision.

Touch points are critical and CAN be affordable with the proper marketing product mix, which includes both digital and traditional marketing. Digital marketing options provide a strong “bang for your buck” with metrics that information about frequency and reach, delivering estimated ad recall percentages to engagement statistics. However, it cannot stop there. It is still the business’s role to drive the customer to the final sale, though the customer controls their digital experience leading up to it.

The best practices and recommendations for the digital giant who collected and translated all this data include:

Align outcomes across digital platforms. Provide the steps and empower the consumers to make conversions. Giving your consumer every opportunity to make a purchase will deliver, whether it’s time spent researching they desire or the one-click access to purchase.
Optimize the media mix. Understanding current and potential buyer profiles and subsequently targeting those market segments across different digital platforms will pay dividends. There is no longer value in volume of impressions about engagement across platforms because of frequencies create conversions.
Speed is everything, so automation is key. The’ fast and frictionless’ automation components of a digital strategy breeds brand loyalty and engagement—and connects the brand to their business goals.

At Digital Tulip our philosophy for capturing customers and creating conversion depends on the implementation of a unified brand strategy. Digital marketing products used in concert search engine marketing, retargeting, geofencing and social media marketing fuel the frequency game. That along with a lead converting website, of course!

If your organization is ready to grow into the digital age, Digital Tulip can help you define and implement a unified marketing strategy with pinpoint accuracy and detailed targeting to deliver results.