The Shift to a Digital Marketing Funnel – Why is it Needed?

In a world where customers have more access to information than ever before, the marketing funnel needs to be rethought to reflect the new reality of marketing in 2022. Tracking your customers’ journey all the way from awareness to purchase is now a more complex, non-linear process. 

Based on a more accurate understanding of where your customers are in the digital marketing funnel, you can adapt your ecommerce marketing strategy to achieve a greater reach, meet your customers’ needs and of course, boost your conversion rate. 

What’s wrong with the traditional marketing funnel? 

The traditional marketing funnel is not wrong per se, it’s just outdated and ineffective. The old cone-shaped model depicts 4 stages: awareness, interest, desire and action. Most marketing efforts are put into the awareness stage, trying to get as many customers to enter the funnel. As we venture deeper into the digital age, we need more targeted, customized strategies to attract the right audience, not just the largest one. 

Here’s why the old marketing funnel no longer works:

• Buyers have more options than ever before

With so many brands to choose from and so much information readily available, customers are having a hard time staying loyal to any one product, service and the business behind them. To stand out, your brand needs to offer personalized, unique solutions based on the customer’s individual needs. That means marketing strategies designed for the masses must be set aside.

• Customers can easily do their own research

Coupled with the proliferation of choice, the ability to research products and services online through independent reviews, recommendations, social media activity and many other sources gives buyers a lot of power and freedom. That means the marketing funnel is no longer linear and customers can easily leave at any stage. 

• Competition is now global 

Gone are the days when you would only compete with other businesses in your area – be that a city, region or country. Bringing your business into the online sphere means entering a fiercely competitive international arena where you really need to stand out to make a difference, attract customers and convince them to buy your products. 

How does the digital marketing funnel improve the old model? 

Shifting towards a digital marketing funnel means adopting a customer-centric approach to your marketing strategy. That means: 

• Targeting the right audience and reaching more prospective buyers that are actually likely to take an interest in your product or service. 
• Engaging and guiding your potential customers through every stage of their journey, creating personal relationships and cultivating brand loyalty. It’s also worth investing in customer retention to consolidate trust in your business. 
• Relying on data to create personalized experiences for different buyer personas and anticipate your customers’ individual needs. 

• Taking care of your business’ public image and trying to deliver the best possible experience to every customer. Satisfied customers will bring in more satisfied customers. 
• Utilizing modern digital marketing tools and channels such as SEO, email, social media and PPC to track your performance, target and reach the proper audience and boost your conversions. 

The digital marketing funnel may sound like a lot of work, but it improves the old model by being more effective and profitable in the long run. Instead of wasting time, money and energy on efforts to get as many customers as possible through the funnel, focusing your strategy on the right audience is key. A customer-centric marketing funnel gets the right people through the door, and personalized conversion and retention strategies ensure they stay. 

Creating a powerful digital marketing funnel for your e-commerce business can be tricky. The best way to maximize your odds is to work with an experienced digital partner like Mejix. As a software development and digital marketing agency, we help you build successful websites and focus our efforts on making sure they get all the attention they deserve!