Buying cycle

The search engine is the main helper when the customer decides to buy some goods. From the original potential interest, it reaches the stage where it selects a specific product and a particular seller. The queries he asks the search engine are gradually evolving with the stage of the purchasing process.

Your interest is to guide a potential customer at every step, help him with every question, let him know about himself as a potential seller, lead him to a decision, and finally convince you of the purchase from you.

No one will look for the product until they know it
If your product is new, people don’t know it or can’t name it, they won’t even search for it. If people know your product but still want to get more interested in it, you can’t do it in search. In search engines, you always respond only to already generated demand.

Like the ones at https://www.outdoor-advertising.org.uk/billboards/underground, To provoke a need or interest in your product, you need to let them know it exists. However, in this case, you will use non-search ad channels. It can be other internet advertising, banners and offline advertising on TV, radio, print media, flyers like advertising in train stations, or a billboard. If we stick to PPC systems, it will be advertising on the content network.

Would it make sense to target a lot of much-sought keywords from another industry and lure users away from the original intent of your product? No! Such an ad will not be well targeted, relevant, and may not work well. The user prefers another link to help them solve their problem or offer the product they are looking for.

Awareness of need
In the initial phase of the buying cycle, one begins to need or want something and becomes interested in it. It doesn’t matter how he comes to his need. It can be the influence of TV or outdoor advertising, the influence of friends or otherwise naturally arising need. Such a person will ask the search engine very general questions and expect to be introduced.

Imagine a man who wants to get a camera. Simply because he goes on vacation and wants to have photos. He knows he wants to take pictures, but he has no concrete idea of ​​what he wants from the camera, what options he has, or where to buy it. Ask general questions such as “cameras”, “digital cameras”, etc.

Information discovery
After finding the basic information, the user proceeds. There are plenty of links, cameras also, find out more information and try to orientate. Asks questions such as “how to choose a camera”.

Learning about the product
It gradually reveals the important parameters, knows the price range, has an idea of ​​which type of product is suitable for it. Originally general questions are increasingly specific, starting to search for “digital SLRs”, “widescreen digital compacts” or “waterproof camera”.

Everyone has a slightly different style of shopping. Some buy quickly, another practically becomes an expert on the product before deciding to buy it. At this stage, one is already interested in specific specifications and properties of the product, begins to compare. In many cases, the queries also contain words characterizing the interest in detailed information. Often they already create a preference for a brand. Typical words for these users will be “Canon SLR reviews”, “Canon Nikon comparisons” or “10 mpix digital cameras”.

Shopping
When a user has enough information to make a responsible purchasing decision, he or she chooses only a few products, specific types from the product group, or searches for detailed information from one particular product. Queries are already very specific, such as “Canon eos series digital cameras” or “Nikon D300s”.

Final purchase
The latest information that is missing when a customer already knows exactly which product to buy is where to buy it. Often the price (product or transport) plays a decisive role. Therefore, it is common for customers that are more price sensitive at this stage to go to the search engines. Queries at this stage typically include either the word “price” (“Nikon D300s price”) or other elements that characterize interest in the purchase. In this case, for example, “Nikon D300s sale” or “Nikon Brno store”.

Retention
After a purchase, the user returns to the search engine when they buy something else – such as lenses, camera bag or photo shoot course. If he was happy, he often enters the name of the retailer he has already purchased from in the search engine (but brand queries accompany the entire buying cycle). Targeted use of remarketing is appropriate for these cases.

Customers who have the product often return to search with questions related to the operation of the product – looking for a manual, advice, discussion or even service. These are rather queries you’d like to exclude from your ad targeting.

How does the buying cycle work real?
The buying cycle as described above is quite generalized. In fact, they vary greatly depending on the industry, the user, and the particular situation. The customer does not always go through all phases. The following cases are common:

The customer goes directly to the last stage – looking for where to buy. This happens in cases where he wants a specific product directly and comparisons by nature are out of the question. Typically, such as books (recommended from friends), “trendy” products such as iPhone 6, etc.
The buying cycle does not end with a purchase. This is the most common case, so the conversion rate is most often in the order of a maximum of one percent, more than 90% of customers do not complete the purchase at all. The customer thinks about it because he does not have enough information, found that the product is not suitable for him, he cannot afford it or revised his priorities. However, it is not uncommon to return to the buying cycle after some time.
The customer skips some phases in the middle of the cycle. Perhaps because he found a product exactly matching his idea and has no need to compare it with others. Or get product information offline, from friends.
The stage of the buying cycle the customer is in is also important for choosing the right ad text and landing page. For all queries, it is not clear exactly what the user is expecting. But if you know it is just in the initial phase of shopping, it is nonsense to push it immediately with the text “buy!”