Knowing and addressing your customer’s intent is critical to successful marketing for your business. First, let’s clarify customer intent.
Whenever anyone goes to Google to search for a solution to a problem, they enter a phrase or question. That signals their intent. In marketing, intent is someone’s purpose when asking a search engine a question.
Keywords are the clue
That phrase or question will contain certain words (keywords) that Google analyzes, and within seconds, a list of “results” pops up to help answer that question. You want to be on that list!
Let’s say you own a pet supply or supplement business. You understand many factors that can affect and improve a dog’s health.
We also have Maggie, who is concerned about her two-year-old Cocker Spaniel.
When Maggie types into Google, “Why is my dog so lethargic?” you want your website to be one of the top options in Google’s search results. Maggie sees your company on Google and clicks to learn how you could solve her pet’s problem.
You must understand what your customers need at different stages in their buyer’s journey to do that.
What is the Buyer’s Journey?
Online searchers fall into one of four categories (or intents):
- Research. At this beginning stage, users want to find information about a problem, a product, or a service. In our example, Maggie was at the research stage. She didn’t know why her doggie had no energy.
- Compare. Once users understand possible solutions to their problems, they move into this stage to compare different brands or products. Maggie learned that something her dog ate (or has been eating for several weeks) may be a factor. She starts looking at different brands of healthier dog food.
- Buy. A user has decided to buy a particular product or service at this stage. They may need even more information to reassure them that you have the solution but they are ready to spend money.
- Succeed. After buying, the buyer wants to get the most value from their purchase. For Maggie, serving suggestions or other supplements are options you could offer to help her care for her fur baby.
This business should have an email series to help with the Succeed intent. Stay connected with your buyers by emailing them additional information, tips, or resources they can use.
A second email can include info on the company and its quality standards. Connect with new customers and make sure they know how to contact your company if they have any questions. Help your customers know you care and you’re there for them.
You want information on your website that addresses all four customer intent stages.
Where to address these intents…
What parts of your website address each intent? Watch for my next post. I’ll give you more information on what pages should address these buyer intents. In future posts, I’ll go into more detail on these specific buyer intents. Until then, please check out the post on keywords here.