Unsure how to get started with intent data to reach and resonate with your customers in a way that's aligned with their online customer journey? Using intent data to bolster your customer journey helps you understand how consumers interact with your brand online so you can provide more relevant content.
There are four types of intent data:
You can extract these from web pages, searches, and other online behaviors to gauge a prospect's level of interest in your product or service.
According to Insights for Professionals, collecting and understanding intent data has become increasingly critical to understanding your customers and their customer journey. That is why about 40% of businesses spend more than half their marketing budget on it, and 70% plan on increasing their spending on intent data within the next year.
Let's back up and start from the beginning: how exactly does intent data improve the online customer journey? Keep reading to find out!
Knowing these types of information about your customers allows you to create content relevant to their decision stage to find and reach the 15% of buyers in market. For instance, if they're becoming aware of their problem, you can present them with content that educates them on the pain point and possible solutions (tips on what to look for, comparisons, etc.). However, in the Conversion stage, consumers require more specific content like details on features and pricing.
Although the stages can vary from company to company, the following are the most helpful customer journey stages to map out:
Tailoring content at the earlier stages compared to later will look different. As we've mentioned, the earlier stages are about getting to know their problem, who your brand is, and why your solutions are superior to the competition. The later stages, especially Re-purchase, focus more on the current customer base who knows who you are but are more susceptible to upsells, cross-selling, and other opportunities.
Promoting value and ROI during consideration stages to counter their pain points and concerns can speed up the process because that's often the most significant problem: is my investment worth it? When you can reach them in this moment of indecisiveness, you help them resolve their concerns and position yourself as a trustworthy source.
Gathering the information necessary to learn about your customers and interpret their behavior can be a lot to handle on your own. Fortunately, you don’t need to handle it by yourself. An experienced media partner can help you make informed decisions and grow your marketing.
Contact McClatchy for more insight into increasing your online customer journey efficiency with intent data. Our experts can help you turn your data into actionable insights!