The Customer Journey in Social Media: A Decoding
Toni Liedtke & Max Schöbel6/21/2023
With this article, we help you understand and successfully use the customer journey in social media.
Table of contents
- What does Customer Journey mean anyway?
- The AIDA model is outdated
- DPP - Rethinking the Customer Journey
- The following tools
- After the purchase (Post-Purchase)
All marketers have heard the term Customer Journey once - and everyone believes they know what it means. But this belief is often characterized by misjudgments and is based on outdated models.
Because a lot has happened lately. The digital revolution has fundamentally changed the way we communicate and act, revolutionizing it. In particular, social networks have gained enormous importance.
Understanding the Customer Journey in social media and using it successfully is therefore crucial for businesses.
In this article, our guest authors and experts Toni Liedtke and Max Schöbel put the classic Customer Journey to the test according to the AIDA model and reveal new strategies for success. These help businesses decipher the complex journey of customers through different online interactions.
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What does Customer Journey mean anyway?
Customer Journey refers to the entire process that customers go through: From the first interaction with a company to the purchase decision and beyond.
In the age of online communication and the use of social media, interactions are becoming even more diverse. Social media platforms play a central role in the Customer Journey, as customers are inspired by products there and search for them, read recommendations and interact with brands - these experiences influence purchase decisions as well as re-engagement.
The AIDA model is outdated
Image: AIDA vs. DPP (author's illustration)
The AIDA model (Attention, Interest, Desire, Action) is a classic marketing concept that describes the steps potential customers go through to make a purchase. It focuses mainly on the company's perspective and represents a very distorted view of the Customer Journey.
Our main criticism of the AIDA model is that it sees the Customer Journey as a linear process, with buying being the final action. In reality, however, the Customer Journey is much more complex and includes multiple phases and interactions that go beyond the purchase.
Customer retention and customer satisfaction are of great importance. Satisfied customers become loyal regular customers and potential brand ambassadors. The experience after the purchase, i.e. the after-sales process, also plays a crucial role in influencing perceived quality of the brand and loyalty.
It's important to consider the Customer Journey from a holistic perspective that embraces the entire journey of costumers: From the first touchpoint to the use of the product and the potential recommendation.
The modern Customer Journey therefore consists of the steps Discover (Discover), Purchase (Purchase), and Post-Purchase. Briefly “DPP”. Admittedly, this sounds very much like a courier service and maybe less cool than “AIDA” - but that shouldn't stop anyone from applying this model.
However, our criticism of AIDA only applies when looking at the entire Customer Journey. Advertisements, content or a landing page - there the AIDA model makes sense if the goal of these media has been met after the sale. And in copywriting, too, AIDA is a powerful mechanism.
DPP - Rethinking the Customer Journey
1. Discover: The acquaintance phase
During the discovery phase, people are looking for content they want to see, and for companies or products that match their interests. At this stage, potential customers want to find relevant information that will help them get to know the product better.
Image: Simplified representation of the discovery path (author's illustration)
Help products find people
However, businesses can no longer wait for people to actively search for them and make a purchase. Digital experiences need to create demand rather than serving it. Otherwise, there is a risk that someone else will beat them to the punch. It's that simple.
And what do you do to generate demand? You run ads. That's the first touchpoint of a Customer Journey on social media from your potential customers. Usually an ad.
Advertising brings people into contact with new products. To avoid wasting money in this initial and important step, it is essential that the advertisement is addressed to individuals who are more likely to show interest. Because if a target group finds your offer irrelevant, it's unlikely they will purchase it.
You reach the right people by fully harnessing the capabilities of each social media platform.
With classic Interest Targeting you can exclude people who won't be interested in your product and target those who might be interested in your offering. For example, if you're marketing cat food, you need to target your ads to people living in households with a cat.
In addition to classic Interest-Targeting, most platforms offer the option to create Custom Audiences based on specific intent signals. These are great for Re-Engagement but also for offering, for example, incentives to complete a purchase to shopping cart abandoners.
To reach new people now one uses a strong Custom Audience (e.g., high-value buyers, etc.) and creates statistical twins on the basis of this target group - so-called Lookalikes, to reach people similar to them.
You can learn more about how to create a successful ad on Meta, for example, here.If you're in the B2B field, you should also check out this article to avoid the most common mistakes in B2B advertising
.The first impression counts
It's important to avoid anything that makes it difficult for potential customers to learn more about a product. If users encounter obstacles during the discovery phase, they may look elsewhere for a better experience.
It's important to avoid anything that makes it difficult for potential customers to learn more about a product. If users encounter obstacles during the discovery phase, they may look elsewhere for a better experience.
The following points will help convince as many potential customers as possible during the discovery phase.
Information, information, information
- Buyers want to be informed about a product or service before making a purchase. However, if there is insufficient information, no reviews, no ratings, or no way to get support, this can cause customers to hesitate and look elsewhere for alternatives.That's why it's crucial to provide a comprehensive and informative picture. Start by filling your social channels with relevant content, allowing potential customers to get to know your brand better and interact with it.On your website, appealing product images and detailed descriptions are a must. At the same time, it's important for customers to have access to external opinions to be convinced of the quality and the various use cases of the product.Occasionally, users have specific requirements or questions. Therefore, offer them ways to contactyou, for example via social media, to ask questions. This way you can convince undecided users and leave a positive impression. Even if your product may not be right for them, you can create a positive experience that could lead to them recommending you to other users - even if they didn't buy anything from you.Technical OptimizationsEnsure that there are no difficulties in discovering your products or services.If customers are faced with long loading times or difficulties using product filters or accessing your content on their smartphone, the likelihood of a purchase drops significantly.Design your website clearly and make sure it is displayed optimally on all devices and that the content can be accessed quickly.
- Play your cards right
Optimize placements:One important step in pushing potential customers to act is to optimally use all available placements. People use different platforms and technologies to engage with content. By placing ads in different formats and on different platforms, companies can achieve a wider reach and attract the attention of their target groups.Feeds-ads - work well to engage customers while they browse their desktop or mobile feeds. By placing engaging and relevant ads in feeds, companies can make potential customers aware of their product and encourage them to desire to learn more.With Storiesyou can get your customers excited about your business with fullscreen vertical ads and at the same time offer an immersive and yet effective experience.In-Stream Ads that appear before, during, or after videos, provide another opportunity to grab viewers' attention and encourage interaction.Depending on the platform, you also have the option of interactive Micro-Pages or Instant Experiences. With these fullscreen and fast-loading immersive ads, you can captivate users and help them explore your offering.Explore products in an exciting way - with Augmented Reality (AR): One exciting technology that companies can use to inspire potential customers to act is Augmented Reality (AR). AR allows customers to explore products using their mobile devices and interact with them as if they were physically present. AR provides a unique opportunity for virtual trial. This can make product discovery more exciting and increase customers' interest, which can ultimately lead to a purchase.Inspire people to act:In addition to using engaging ad formats, it's important to inspire potential customers to act. Show them how your product can help solve problems or meet needs. Present application examples that illustrate how your product can improve customers' situations.Use compelling Call-to-Actionsor other prompts that encourage people to interact with your business. This way, you can playfully advance customers in the Customer Journey and get them to take the next step: whether visiting your website, filling out a form, or buying a product directly.2. Purchase: Don't fail at the last meterImage: Typical mistakes in the purchase phase (author's illustration)
In the purchasing phase, potential customers have already decided on your product and want to become customers. The ordering process is a crucial moment in the Customer-Journey-Map. It's the point where potential customers need to be definitively convinced to put their trust in your offer and complete a purchase. They expect to be able to complete the purchase with ease.However, reality often lags behind expectations. Not a few companies fail in the last stages and thereby lose customers to their competitors. The following points are designed to help you make your order process as efficient as possible
so you don't lose any customers.Availability
One common reason why customers decide against a purchase is product availability. If an item is not in stock and customers can't tell at first glance and also don't get any information about whether the product might be available in a physical store, it inevitably leads to frustration. Instead of looking for another suitable offer on your site, people often look at the competition.
Customers want clarity on whether they can get the product they want and where they can find it. Insufficient and misleading information can lead to customers deciding against a purchase and looking elsewhere for alternatives.
PurchaseThere are also factors during the purchase itself that can cause customers to hesitate at the last moment or possibly decide against a purchase. For physical products, high or unclear shipping costs can lead to purchase cancellations. Customers want to know in advance what costs they will incur to avoid unpleasant surprises.A checkout process that is too complicated can also deter customers. Long forms or the need to create an account rather than order as a guest can make the process cumbersome and time-consuming. A purchase should be able to be completed with as few clicks as possible.
- In addition, the lack of an option to buy online and pick up the item in-store can deter potential customers from completing the purchase. Especially if they prefer personal pickup or need an item urgently.
- PaymentThe payment process is another critical factor in the order process. A non-mobile-optimized buying process can deter customers. As more and more people do their shopping on smartphones and tablets, inadequate adaptation to mobile devices often leads to a purchase being cancelled.
- Limited payment options can also be an obstacle. Customers want to be able to decide how and with which payment service provider they pay.
- Lastly, delays or errors in transactions can impact customers' trust. A smooth and safe payment process is crucial in order not to lose customers on the last step of completing the purchase.
- 3. Post-Purchase: Start where others end
At this preceding point, the common models of the Customer Journey end. But it is important to build and maintain a good relationship with their customers even after a purchase.- In the after-sales phase, customers expect quick fulfillment and prompt, attentive customer service. Social media is often used to get answers to questions, find ideas for possible uses and solve problems.
- If your customers have positive experiences in the after-sales phase, they are likely to buy from you again or even recommend your offer.
- Fulfillment of the order
- For physical products, the test commences after the order is completed. Customers look forward to receiving the item and expect a quick and smooth delivery. Delays can lead to frustration.It's important to have efficient shipping processes and to give customers clear information about the anticipated delivery time. In addition, a poor order tracking function is another stumbling block. Customers want to know where their order is and want to track the progress of their delivery. Missing or inaccurate information can lead to confusion and dissatisfaction.
- Product:
- If the actual product fails to meet expectations, this inevitably results in disappointment and a positive re-engagement is unlikely. Customers expect the received products to meet the described standards and be of high quality. If products fail to meet their expectations, this results in a loss of trust in the brand.
Support
Good customer service is crucial to satisfy customers after a purchase. Customers should be able to ask questions, report problems or receive help when something isn't quite going as expected.
Messenger:
In many cases, social media channels are the first point of contact for queries and problems. To create a accessible and responsive support system, it is recommended to use the messenger feature of the respective platform.
For example, on Meta, you can set up automatic responses that can already answer some initial questions and let your customers know when a customer service representative will address their questions.
With the messenger, you can offer support, collect feedback and interact with customers.
Returns
- Difficult return processes can discourage customers from sending back their products, even if they are dissatisfied. The negative experience remains and another purchase or even a recommendation is almost ruled out.
- It's important to offer an easy and customer-friendly return process to maintain trust.
Reviews
Every company should provide channels for feedback to give customers the opportunity to share their experiences, make suggestions for improvement, and see the opinions of others.
- It's important not just to consider well-known review platforms. Since social media channels often represent the first touchpoint in the Customer Journey, it's also important to use the ratings functions available there.
- Re-Engagement
- The post-purchase phase is also an opportunity to encourage customers to repeat purchases. Loyalty programs are great for rewarding customers and creating incentives for more shopping. Customers appreciate it when their loyalty is recognized and they can benefit from exclusive offers or discounts.
- In addition, purchase histories can be used to give personalized recommendations and encourage customers to purchase complementary products or upgrades. On most social media platforms, this process can even be fully automated.
- For subscription services, re-entry plans tailored to the needs and preferences of customers can also contribute to promoting repeated purchases.
- Optimize Customer Journey
- Customer-Journey-Map
- Create a Customer-Journey-Map that includes all the steps that customers go through. Identify what steps need to be taken to complete their purchase. This helps to find potential obstacles that potential customers might encounter and understand them.
- On
- OMR Reviews
we have a large selection of tools that can help you with your work. The following tools
will help you sketch your Customer Journey:
Identify problems
Imagine how you find out about new products and what expectations you have for your Customer Journey. Apply that to your offering and check if and where you miss chances. Analyzing webpage data can also help you identify possible problems by checking, for example, at which point most customers have dropped out.
The following tools
can help you track user actions on the website and identify the drop-off points:
Conversion
After analyzing the Customer Journey, develop a strategy on how you can improve it and put it into practice promptly. You should constantly test your Customer Journey and eliminate any potential friction points as soon as they arise.ConclusionUnderstanding the Customer Journey in social media and successfully using it is of great importance for businesses. However, the traditional view of the Customer Journey, as represented by the AIDA model, is too linear and distorted because it regards the purchase as the final action. In reality, the Customer Journey is much more complex
Microsoft Visio
Lucidchart and includes several phases and interactions that go beyond the purchase.
In order for companies to successfully design the Customer Journey, they must consider various aspects.
During the discovery phase (Discover) it is important to place targeted and relevant advertising and avoid information gaps. Technological optimizations, such as a good landing page and mobile optimization, are also crucial.
Contentsquare
mixpanel
Amplitude
Google Analytics
HotjarDuring the purchasing phase (Purchase)
businesses must ensure their products are available and provide clear information about the purchasing process and payment options. A smooth order process and optimized purchase completion are crucial for convincing potential customers to finalize a purchase.
After the purchase (Post-Purchase)
it is very important to build and maintain a good relationship with customers. This includes aspects such as quick delivery, effective service and the provision of channels for feedback. Loyalty programs and re-entry plans can help motivate customers to re-purchase.In summary, it's crucial to consider the Customer Journey in social media holistically and take into account the various phases and interactions. This is the only way businesses can be successful and build lasting customer relationships. und umfasst mehrere Phasen und Interaktionen, die auch über den Kauf hinausgehen.
Um die Customer Journey erfolgreich zu gestalten, müssen Unternehmen verschiedene Aspekte beachten. In der Entdeckungsphase (Discover) ist es wichtig, gezielte und relevante Werbung zu schalten und Informationslücken zu vermeiden. Technologische Optimierungen, wie eine gute Landing Page und eine mobile Optimierung, sind ebenfalls entscheidend.
In der Kaufphase (Purchase) müssen Unternehmen sicherstellen, dass ihre Produkte verfügbar sind und klare Informationen über den Kaufprozess und die Zahlungsoptionen bereitstellen. Ein reibungsloser Bestellprozess und eine optimierte Kaufabwicklung sind entscheidend, um potenzielle Kund*innen zu überzeugen, den Kauf abzuschließen.
Nach dem Kauf (Post-Purchase) ist es von großer Bedeutung, eine gute Beziehung zu Kund*innen aufzubauen und aufrechtzuerhalten. Dies umfasst Aspekte wie schnelle Lieferung, effektiven Service und die Bereitstellung von Kanälen für Rückmeldungen. Treueprogramme und Wiedereinstiegspläne können dazu beitragen, Kund*innen zum erneuten Kauf zu motivieren.
Insgesamt ist es entscheidend, die Customer Journey im Social Media ganzheitlich zu betrachten und die verschiedenen Phasen und Interaktionen zu berücksichtigen. Nur so können Unternehmen erfolgreich sein und langfristige Kundenbeziehungen aufbauen.
Author
Toni Liedtke
Toni ist Gründer der Performance-Marketingagentur Elirius. Mit mehr als 12 Jahren Erfahrung im Bereich Social-Media-Werbung hat Toni in verschiedenen Branchen schon jede Herausforderung gestemmt – vom kleinen Start-up bis zu milliardenschweren Konzernen. Toni ist weltweit am längsten als Meta Certified Planning Professional zertifiziert und freut sich, zu den erfolgreichsten Social-Marketern zu gehören.
Author
Max Schöbel
Als strategischer und operativer Partner begleitet Max Schöbel Unternehmen in den Bereichen Kommunikation, Marketing und Copywriting, um ihre Dienstleistungen und Expertise prägnant auf den Punkt zu bringen. Wir sorgen speziell auf Websites, in Unternehmenspräsentationen und auf LinkedIn für mehr Sichtbarkeit, professionelle Außenkommunikation und eine effektive Kundengewinnung.
