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Google Concludes That Search Intent Is Redefining the Marketing Funnel

In a 6-month study, Google has found that intent has redefined the marketing funnel, for all industries. As businesses, we’ve spent hours studying the marketing funnel. It is the linear path that gives us insights into how our clients behave and what steps they take towards making a purchase. With the rise of digital marketing, we’ve shifted from a linear and consistent marketing funnel to a meaningful online experience. People are now searching for answers, that give them results immediately. Their behaviour, however, is unpredictable and unique, which makes it a lot harder for businesses to market themselves.

Behaviours have changed, and the funnel is a lot more complicated than it used to be. Here are some patterns that Google discovered to understand it better:

 

Journeys Are Unique

Over the last six months, Google studied many different users to analyze their behaviour online. Google concluded that no two journeys were the same. Even within the same category, every journey was different in their way.

 

Finding the Best Brands – And More

For many users, research begins small, and with every click, it gets redefined. As they consider more and more factors, their journey both widens and narrows while researching for the perfect brand. As you find different brands, they each have their unique selling point. The more unique points you learn, the more you take into consideration and the pickier you become.

The Last One Standing Takes the Prize

Some users tend to go back and forth between brands quickly, without paying much attention to the details and start to cancel ones that haven’t caught their attention. After extensive research and Youtube reviews, users determine whether the brands they didn’t cancel out still meet their expectations and criteria. Whichever brand can stay standing through all of the research and testing, is the one who will get the purchase. Remarketing ads may be very efficient in this scenario.

Continuous Research

Even after users have completed their purchase, they will continue to search. Let’s say they found the perfect deal. It was exactly what they wanted, but it doesn’t matter! Many users continue to research and plan every single detail of their purchasing decisions. This includes things that are related to the initial purchase. Let’s say someone bought a plane ticket, and they will continue to search for luggage or rental cars for their trip.

Small Details Matter

With having so much information available, users want to know that they are finding the best possible. This means that even the small details matter – such as a future discount coupon with purchase, specific retailers, and shipping charges/time. Users gather every single detail they can find, and this becomes a long-term practice for everything they need.

What This Means For Your Business:

 

Be There. All the time:

People are constantly searching. You need to be on Google, and you have to have different channels to do so. I know that numbers talk loud, and sales matter profoundly. But people are no longer clicking and immediately buying. The funnel is changing, and you need to present in every single media outlet. This includes your social media. Though it may seem like you’re not receiving immediate sales, you are highly influencing users’ buying decisions, with every piece of information you release online. The more content you have about your services or products, the more people will trust you.

 

Quality Over Quantity:

Stop trying just to be there and be average. If you want to succeed online, you have to give people something. Your information has to be useful. Otherwise, you may get lots of traffic, but nobody will come back to you after carrying on with their research. Optimize, optimize, optimize. Regularly audit every single aspect of your digital marketing and ensure effectiveness with your content. Understand your audience and create content for them, not your competition.

 

Automation Matters

THINK FAST. Customers are not going to wait around. If they fill out a form, you best believe they filled out about ten other forms at the same time. So call them. Contact them RIGHT AWAY. Ensure your website loads fast, and make sure it is mobile-friendly.

 

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