Boost Your Website Conversions with Customer Journey Mapping!
Customer Journey Mapping: A Comprehensive Guide to Improving Website Conversion Rates
Understanding the Gap Between Company-centric funnels and actual Customer Journeys
When it comes to website conversion optimisation, there’s often a significant disconnect between how companies envision their customer’s journey and the actual path customers take. Let me illustrate this through a real-world example of purchasing a kitchen.
The Company’s Linear Perspective
From a kitchen retailer’s viewpoint, they typically see the journey as straightforward:
- Customer discovers them online or in a shopping mall
- Customer requests a brochure or books a showroom appointment
- Customer visits showroom and works with a designer
- Customer makes payment and arranges delivery
- Kitchen is delivered and installed
The Real Customer Journey: A Personal Experience
The actual customer journey is far more complex and non-linear. Here’s how my own kitchen purchasing journey unfolded:
Initial awareness came unexpectedly through regular visits to a shopping mall for an unrelated purpose – the kitchen retailer’s strong branding caught my attention over time.
The Research Phase
- Identified space issues in existing kitchen
- Researched multiple kitchen companies online
- Read customer reviews and experiences
- Requested brochures from various retailers
- Visited multiple showrooms to compare quality
Unexpected Complexities
What started as a simple kitchen purchase revealed several unexpected challenges:
- Need for kitchen removal services
- Requirement for professional kitchen fitters
- Additional work for flooring and electrical
- Waste disposal considerations
Creating an Effective Customer Journey Map
Step 1: Internal Brainstorming
A successful customer journey mapping requires input from key stakeholders:
- Marketing team representatives
- Customer acquisition specialists (SEO, PPC, Social Media)
- UX and analytics teams
- Website developers
- Content and email marketing teams
- Legal and compliance representatives
- Customer service team members
Important: Choose a neutral facilitator to manage the brainstorming session and prevent political dynamics from hampering open discussion.
Step 2: Customer Insight Gathering
Focus on different customer segments:
- High-value customers
- New customers
- Repeat customers
- Long-term loyal customers
- Competitor’s customers you want to attract
Implementing Journey Insights for Better Conversion
Website Optimization
Use journey mapping insights to:
- Remove friction points identified in the customer journey
- Address customer anxieties with appropriate content
- Build trust through transparent information
- Improve the post-purchase experience
Beyond A/B Testing
Remember: Conversion optimization isn’t just about A/B testing. It’s about understanding and improving the entire customer journey across all touchpoints.
Emotional Triggers and Psychology
Journey mapping helps identify:
- Key decision-making factors at each stage
- Emotional triggers that encourage purchases
- Barriers that prevent conversion
- Trust-building opportunities
Measuring Success
Track these key metrics across the journey:
- Conversion rates at each stage
- Time spent in each phase
- Drop-off points
- Customer satisfaction scores
- Post-purchase engagement
Remember that customer journey mapping is an ongoing process that requires regular updates and refinements as customer behaviors and expectations evolve. Use the insights gathered to continuously improve your website’s conversion rate and overall customer experience.