Understanding the Customer Journey Notes for Digital Marketing & E-commerce
Definition The Customer Journey is the complete process a customer goes through while interacting with a brand — from awareness to purchase and post-purchase loyalty. It maps what customers think, feel, and do at each stage.
Stages of the Customer Journey 1. Awareness – Customer first becomes aware of a brand/product (Ads, social media, influencers). 2. Consideration/Interest – Research and comparison (Websites, reviews, search). 3. Decision/Purchase – Ready to buy (Website, app, store). 4. Retention/Experience – Evaluates experience (Email, customer service). 5. Advocacy/Loyalty – Recommends brand (Reviews, referrals).
Touchpoints in the Journey • Online: Ads, websites, blogs, emails, chatbots. • Offline: Stores, events, word-of-mouth. • Support: FAQs, live chat, call centers.
Why Understanding the Journey Matters • Identifies customer pain points. • Helps target the right message at the right time. • Improves conversion rates and satisfaction. • Builds loyal, long-term customers.
Tools to Map Customer Journey • Google Analytics – Tracks user behavior. • Heatmaps (Hotjar, CrazyEgg) – Show where users click/scroll. • CRM (HubSpot, Salesforce) – Track interactions. • Surveys & Feedback – Direct customer insights.