Mapping Search Strategy to the Buy Cycle
A breakdown of the four major stages of a buy cycle, and opportunities in which search marketing, SEO, and PPC can be incorporated.
A breakdown of the four major stages of a buy cycle, and opportunities in which search marketing, SEO, and PPC can be incorporated.
Within any consumer lifecycle, the following stages typically lead the user to an informed purchase:
The complexity of the product or service offering usually has a drastic impact on the number of searches it takes in order to create a conversion, with higher ticket items usually equating to a longer buy cycle.
Understanding the user’s likely purchase state depending on the nature of the query arms advertisers with a tremendous competitive and strategic advantage. Below is a breakdown of the four major stages of a buy cycle accompanied by opportunities in which search marketing can be incorporated.
1. Awareness Phase
Typically, these are the broadest and most generic queries searched for by the user. In many verticals, the probability of a purchase is much more unlikely than later stage queries.
Sample Keywords
“high cholesterol”; “travel deals”
User Intent
Information seeking
User brand awareness
Low
User Confidence Level
Low
Analysis
This is a great opportunity to introduce a brand to consumers, but it often comes at a significant price. From an SEM perspective, it is frequently where lazy or amateur PPC experts throw empty branding dollars. Conversely, from a search engine optimization (SEO) perspective, a keyword such as “high cholesterol” is a pipe dream unless the site is considered a medical authority (if you’re selling anything other than ad space, you need not apply for this space in a search engine).
2. Information Refinement Phase
This phase is typically marked by user query refinement. Instead of general one- to two-word searches, the user is now refining searches using long tail keyword modifiers. The end of this phase is marked by specific brand related queries.
Sample Keywords
“Cholesterol medications”; “Miami beach hotels”
User Intent
Find product or service
Consumer Confidence Level
Low
Analysis
Unlike the awareness phase, this is typically a much more profitable opportunity for advertisers and SEOs.
3. Reassured/Comparison Phase
By this stage of the buy funnel, the consumer is much closer to making a purchase decision. The user now looks for evidence to support or refute the decision to purchase. Additionally, the consumer will search for additional deals or coupons surrounding the product.
Sample Keywords
“Marriot Miami Beach”; “Marriot Miami Beach Reviews”; “[Brand X Heart Medication””; “[Brand X Discounts””; “[Brand X Coupons””
User Intent
Reinforce purchase decision/improve value proposition
User Confidence Level
Moderate-High
Analysis
Often, this is the most cost effective stage in the buy cycle, but frequently misleading. Branded keywords can serve as PPC stat padders in the sense that they produce great ROI numbers that are typically a product of previous online and offline marketing efforts. Larger advertisers can use attribution tracking to map query chains to purchase decisions.
4. Loyal/Advocacy Phase
This post-purchase phase is generally one of the most important in marketing as it’s where evangelism, loyalty, and word of mouth are born. While search doesn’t always play an especially vital role in this phase, there are several effective search strategies that can help solidify consistent touch points between brand and consumer.
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