Do you recognise this? You scroll through Instagram, click on an advert, land on a website, read some product information, but then leave again. Two days later, you remember, search specifically for the product - and finally buy it. This is a typical customer journey. But what does this mean for you as a marketer? It's simple: if you understand how your (potential) customers behave, you can take targeted measures to engage them effectively - from initial contact to conversion. In this article, I'll show you how to properly understand and track the customer journey in online marketing.
What is the customer journey anyway?
The customer journey describes the path that a customer takes from the first contact "with your offer" (or a competitor's offer) to the purchase (and beyond). In online marketing, we usually talk about digital touchpoints. These can be:
- Social media posts or ads
- Google search results
- Newsletter
- Website visits
- Product pages
- Retargeting adverts
- and much more.
The journey is rarely linear. Users jump back and forth between channels, compare, read reviews, and often need multiple touchpoints before they buy. This is exactly where the Tracking to.
The phases of the customer journey in online marketing
Here is a rough overview of the phases - there may be slight variations depending on the model:
- Awareness (attention)
Your target group becomes aware of you - e.g. via social ads or organic search results. - Consideration
This is where users research, compare offers, read blog articles and watch videos. - Conversion (purchase)
The decisive step - someone goes from being a prospective customer to a customer. - Retention (binding)
Customers remain loyal to you because they have had a good experience. Newsletters or remarketing, for example, can help here. - Advocacy (recommendation)
Satisfied customers recommend you to others. The premier class!
Many only define the customer journey from the first click - but it often begins as early as that before the first conscious interest. As a marketer, it is crucial not only to track the journey, but also the Understanding needs and decision-making beforehand. This is the only way you can early into play - before the competition does.
Bear in mind that competitors are lurking around every corner during the customer journey and want to use the work you have done to arouse needs to bring their product into play. It is therefore crucial to do good remarketing and provide good arguments on all channels in order to keep "owning the ball" and convince customers of exactly your product.
? Challenge: Why do customers switch to the competition?
Nothing is set in stone during the customer journey. You may have aroused initial interest - but the path to conversion is like an open marketplace: your Competitors standing right next to it.
What are the most common reasons why users drop out?
- Unclear or insufficient information
If someone does not understand immediately, what your product can dohow it works or why it is better than the competition, he quickly loses interest. - Lack of trust signals
No reviews, no references, no social proof? That's a deterrent. Especially with new brands, users want to see that others have already had good experiences. - Long loading times or poor UX
A technical classic: If your site takes too long to load or is difficult to use on mobile devices, many people will leave immediately - and google for alternatives. - Price comparison & alternatives
Many people inform themselves in parallel. If your offer is not clearly communicated, Why it's worth the pricethe cheaper product often wins - even if it is worse. - No follow-up
If someone has shown interest, but you have no Remarketing measures (e.g. adverts, email reminders, vouchers), the user often only remembers "the other brand"which was more present.
? What can you do about it?
- Communicate clearly & convincingly: Don't just say whatbut also Why. Show benefits, differences and added value.
- Use elements of trustRatings, seals, testimonials, customer logos - everything that creates trust.
- Optimise the user experienceYour site must be fast, clearly structured and top mobile.
- Use retargetingGet visitors back with well thought-out emails, ads or exclusive offers.
- Be present - but not annoyingPresence determines whether you will be remembered. Think about Pinterest, newsletters, socials or pop-ups - dosed and targeted.
? An example from practice
Imagine you sell high-quality candles in an online shop. This is what the customer journey of your customer Lena could look like:
Awareness: Lena sees a stylish advert for your candles on Instagram. She clicks on it briefly, looks at the pictures, but leaves the page again.
Consideration: Two days later, she googles "sustainable scented candles". Your page appears in the search results, she clicks again, reads a blog article on your website about vegan waxes.
Conversion: In the evening, she sees a pin with your product set on Pinterest. This time she clicks, lands back in the shop and adds a candle to her shopping basket. She hesitates - but you have a pop-up with a 10 % welcome discount. She logs in and buys.
Retention: A week later, she receives an e-mail with care tips for candles and a suggestion for suitable fragrances. She orders again - this time a set.
Advocacy: Lena happily shares a picture of her candle in her story and tags your account. You repost - and reach new potential customers.
This is what a typical digital customer journey looks like - and you can measure and optimise each of these steps.
Why is it important to track the customer journey?
To be honest: without tracking, you're in the dark. You don't know where your leads come from, what interests potential customers, where they drop off - or what motivates them to buy.
With the right tracking, you can:
- Understand how users find you
- Recognising which content is effective - and which is not
- Optimise where you invest budget and time
- Create customised experiences - matching the phase of the journey
How to track the customer journey correctly
Here comes the practice. Want to know how to make this journey visible? Here are a few tools and methods you need:
1 Google Analytics 4 (GA4) and alternative tools
With GA4 and user- and data protection-friendly alternatives you can track user paths - from the first session to the event (e.g. purchase, click, scroll). Take a look at the "User Explorer" or the "Funnels".
> Read also: Customer journey vs. website funnel: Differences and correlations
2 UTM parameters
Use UTM parameters at your links to find out, Which channel brings which traffic. Super important for social media, ads and newsletters.
3. CRM and e-mail tracking
If you connect your CRM with web tracking, you can see, which mails were opened, which links were clicked - and what happened next.
4. heatmaps & session recordings (e.g. Hotjar, Clarity)
These tools show you where users click, scroll or bounce. Ideal for improving the experience on your website.
5. Conversion tracking (Google Ads, Meta Ads)
This is the only way to see whether your campaigns are actually leading to sales or leads.
The customer journey is like a road trip for your target group through the world of your offering. If you know where they get on, where they stop and where they get off, you can give them exactly the information, offers and impulses that take them to the next step. So: start tracking, analysing and understanding. This is the only way to achieve sustainable success in online marketing - and turn interested parties into enthusiastic customers.
