Google's insights tool on the customer’s Journey to online purchases

In this week’s blog I would like to share with you a new tool Google has offered for its customers to get a better insight on the customer’s Journey to online purchases. The tools helps you explore and understand the customer journey to improve your marketing programs. Channels (such as email, display ads, paid search ads, social, and direct visits to your website) influence the customer at different points in the path to purchase.

In class we have discussed how interactions through different channels affect the customer purchase decision. 

·         Step 1: The customer is aware of the product

·         Step 2: The customer considers a purchase

·         Step 3: The customer intents to make the purchase

·         Step 4: The customer makes the purchase

With the multi-channel funnels tool in Google analytics you can see how and when channels impact purchase decisions.  

Not only per industry, but also per geography (see example below) the impact decisions are influence by different channels at different times.

In addition, Google shows you how the length of the customer journey, in both number of days and number of interactions, varies widely depending on the type of purchase. Some decisions require substantial research, while others are made very quickly. Typically, more complex purchases lead to longer paths and larger purchase values.

By exploring the benchmarks that Google provides by industry and region, companies can learn more about the effectiveness of their marketing activities. 

Rutger Flohil

Link Google:

http://www.google.com/analytics/features/multichannel-funnels.html?utm_medium=tip&utm_source=think&utm_campaign=cust_journ 

US car industry:

 

German car industry