The User Journey

CLASSIC MARKETING

In the age of Digital Marketing and SEO, the classic marketing principles for converting potential consumers remain the same. First, grab their attention. Hold their attention and build their interest in your product. Persuade them that they need your product or service, then make the conversion and sell your wares.

The same can almost be said for the digital customer’s – or now more appropriate, the User’s  – journey. The User Journey is a trip we’ve all taken; one day you decide you need something new, let’s say a car – it may be your existing car is old, failed it’s MOT, or you need something bigger, more fuel-efficient, etc. The journey from want to have should be a straight line, however, the reality is, there are lots of twists, turns, and forks in the road. From the moment you decide to buy, you start looking around, maybe a test drive, read reviews, ask friends, check around for the best price so on and so forth. Delivery times are now a deciding factor – now you know what you want, you might pay a bit more to have it now. This journey could take hours, days, or months.

THE DIGITAL JOURNEY

The digital experience is the same – virtually – but it is much more intricate. Before a potential customer starts their User Journey, the question you should be asking is can they find you? This is SEO, and everything from keywords to User Experience is SEO. Your site needs to be optimised effectively to rank well with Google in 2021.

The User Journey starts with your site and branding – this is the car showroom, it needs to be eye-catching and attention-grabbing. The information you provide on your site should be well signposted and easy to find. The content and imagery should be informative and punchy, holding the User’s attention and building their desire for your product or service – sell, sell, sell. Include a chat-bot, reviews, or a referral scheme – this could help retain their attention and build confidence – perhaps include price comparisons and delivery times.

CHECK OUT

Finally, the checkout – this is the last hurdle. There isn’t a salesman to reassure your new customer. Make sure you use a recognised payment gateway and include reassuring information. Explain how their data will be stored and used, what they can expect next, your returns policy etc. For service providers, a free trial period can help to convert sales.

Although this is very much simplified, you must consider the User Journey when planning or changing your site. Imagine yourself as the customer and put yourself in their virtual shoes. Draw a map, it doesn’t need to be too detailed. Ask yourself where would you go and what questions would you have? Get some feedback. Analytical data can help you better understand when and where your Users travel through your site and allow you to re-structure your results, gain insights, and identify ways to improve the User Journey.

THE UX

User Experience (UX) is a hot topic in 2021, as Google uses different methods to assess how users experience your site. These include whether it is mobile-friendly, its loading speed, content, structure, links, user signals, and much more…

If this all sounds a bit daunting, there’s help – get in touch – we can help you narrate your User Journey.

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