The changing consumer journey

The marketing funnel

The consumer journey begins with a person who’s unaware of an advertiser brand or product. After they become aware, they may want to learn more about it. Next, they consider whether to buy it before finally making the purchase. In the last stage, they may decide whether they want to purchase from that advertiser again.

This path is called the consumer purchase funnel or marketing funnel. The funnel shape is invoked because fewer and fewer consumers remain on the path to purchase, narrowing it, at each stage of the journey. This process has many different names, but the progression from lack of awareness to consumer loyalty tends to be more or less the same. Marketers can use digital advertising at all stages of the marketing funnel.

The collapse of the funnel

Thanks to the internet, marketers can now reach out to consumers on a massive scale, completely changing the way we shop online. This digital retail revolution has made the consumer journey much faster.

Instead of needing days, weeks, or months for a consumer to transition from learning about a brand to making a purchase, it can now happen in a matter of minutes. You see an ad you like, you click on it to check out the product, and bam! You’re done, and it’s all done online. It’s that quick and easy.

This change in consumption patterns is sometimes called the collapse of the purchase funnel. It has never been more critical for marketers to quickly and precisely reach a consumer’s head and heart. Fortunately, marketers can be ready to embrace this development with the help of digital advertising platforms.

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