It’s time to revisit your digital customer journeymap
If you’re wondering how to evolve your digital experience, start with what you know best: your customer.
Let’s demystify the journeymap.
A customer journeymap outlines how people interact with your brand at key moments: how someone becomes aware of your brand, how they convert into customers, and how they develop brand loyalty over time.
Customer journeymaps are ideally co-created with a variety of stakeholders. Once you’re aligned on strategy and core audience definition, you can build a journeymap out of known user data, audience needs, and buying habits. This can be done internally, but partnering with a brand studio can deepen your insights and check your working assumptions — no matter how far along you are in this process.
From there, you can begin to translate the insights from your journeymap into tactical next steps for improvement.
1. Discovery phase: Meet your audience’s needs
You only get one shot at a first impression. Consumers will instinctively determine whether your visuals and top-line messaging connect with their preferences and values. If they’re genuinely interested, they’ll dig in to learn more.
What they’re asking: “Does this brand resonate with my preferences?” “Is this product tailored to me?”
How to activate: Ensure that your brand’s distinct look and feel are well-represented throughout the digital journey — so your target audience can see themselves in your brand.
2. Evaluation phase: Stand out from the crowd
This is where your audience is considering different products and solutions, using everything from word-of-mouth to extensive research. A unique value proposition helps customers get clear on exactly how you differ from competitors.
What they’re asking: “Which product is the best fit for me?” “How do competing brands compare?”
How to activate: Conduct a competitive audit to anticipate the likely comparisons that customers will make. This will ensure that your brand’s appeal is clear and differentiated from other offerings.
3. Purchase phase: Streamline the purchase process
The purchase process has historically been the biggest hurdle for digital storefronts. Users have a variety of tasks in the purchase process — like putting an order together, managing the cart, creating an account, entering personal information, and finalizing an order. In software and subscription products, the purchase phase can also include a free trial period.
What they’re asking: “How long will this take?” “Can I trust this company with my personal information?” “What level of commitment is required?”
How to activate: Review your UX and purchase path to determine if it’s intuitive for a user to jump from considering options to making a purchase.
4. Receive phase: Build expectations
This phase considers the delay between placing an order and receiving it, which could happen digitally or via delivery or in-store pickup. There’s a significant brand opportunity in the process of “unboxing” and in follow-up communication.
What they’re asking: “When will my order arrive?” “How is it packaged?” “How do I set up my new product?”
How to activate: Develop follow-up content to prepare customers for their order’s arrival and get excited about their purchase.
5. Use phase: Empower your customers
Your brand’s tutorial and support experience are critical for building customer rapport. Thinking about how your product is consumed (however long or short that may be) helps your brand build a strong reputation over time.
What they’re asking: “How do I get the most out of this product?” “How do I troubleshoot an issue?”
How to activate: Onboarding or tutorial-oriented content is crucial for products that have a learning curve. Even if your product doesn’t require a tutorial, delivering brand touchpoints (like check-in emails) will increase engagement.
6. Upgrade/Repeat phase: Bring customers back for more
In this phase, you’re building brand loyalty so that customers return for additional products or services. Promotions, sales, new product announcements, and other timely messages get attention back on your brand among your previous customers.
Audience questions: “What’s new and different since the last time I looked?” “What sales and promotions are active?” “Is there a way to make my product experience better with an upgrade?”
How to activate: A win-back or upgrade campaign is crucial for securing future purchases from your existing customer base. Likewise, understanding your audience’s needs allows you to create content that feels contextual and timely.
Better experiences start with better customer journeymaps.
Customer journeymaps are the foundation of impactful digital experiences that feel seamless and personal. Team Studio works with clients across industries to develop illuminating customer journeymaps built from insight, empathy, and customer research. If you’re interested in creating a better digital experience or just want to talk through your existing assumptions, get in touch with us here.
