Introduction

The concept of a customer journey, encompassing all critical touch points between the customer and a particular product, has been applied in numerous marketing aspects. 

Now, when translated to the online realm, it sparks many questions. Readers have been asking us whether there is a difference in the journey mapping here and how businesses can improve their customer experience.

Below is a comprehensive guide that introduces all there is to know about the customer digital journey. Keep scrolling to learn more. 

An Overview Of Customer Digital Journey

Definition

The term refers to customers’ online experience with your brand (Image source: Pxhere). 

Just like the traditional customer journey, a “customer digital journey” also refers to the series of interactions and touchpoints that a customer has with a business or brand. The only difference is that these encounters are carried out on digital platforms, encompassing the entire online experience of a customer. 

Long story short, all events between the first moment of product awareness and customers’ ongoing engagement (via social media platforms, emails, official websites, etc.) are all categorized as part of the customer’s digital journey.

Five Customer Journey Stages

Awareness

Also referred to as the discovery phase, the awareness stage is where your customer realizes their need. 

Note that the definition of “need” in customer journeys can be quite broad. For instance, the customer never knew that a candy flavor existed before, and one day, they discovered the flavor and wanted to try it out. Or they saw a post about a massage on their Instagram feed and decided to get some massage the next day. 

And the journey does not necessarily start online. Customers might learn about the product offline through conversations with friends, TV commercials, or even a store window before visiting the brand’s social media channels. Of course, 100% digital journeys are also common, in which customers discover the products through social networks, advertising, sponsored articles, or search engines. 

Consideration

The next phase is digital consideration, where potential customers contemplate what they discovered at a closer look and decide whether to purchase the service. Brands also begin their marketing strategy by sending third-party reviews, sponsored articles, email campaigns, and more. 

It is understandable why most of the campaign’s resources are invested in this phase: everything’s at high stake, and the customers also have numerous other rival brands to consider. The only way to win the competition is to make sure your services last the longest in their mind. The prospect must understand what advantages you have that the others do not. 

Furthermore, you should also set yourself apart from the race and offer extra value for your brand. Specifically, the product should not just solve the customer’s one-time need but also target their persona; that way, they will become your loyal customers later during the journey. 

Purchase

Customers might leave if their shopping experience disappoints (Image source: Pickpik.) 

Now, it’s time for the customer to finalize their first purchase. 

Their shopping experience plays a pivotal role in this journey. Customers will likely leave for another alternative if the website is hard to use, they cannot use their preferred payment options, or too many stages are involved during the purchase, etc. 

This issue is commonly referred to as “cart abandonment,” a problem for millions of e-commerce businesses that makes all previous marketing efforts go down the drain. To address it, you must make every purchase as frictionless and straightforward as possible. We will return to this matter later in our article. 

Customer Retention

Once the customer’s purchase process concludes, businesses move to the retention phase: asking the customer to stay. 

It would be easier to persuade them if their experience with your service is positive. Hence, you should reach out to them through all digital channels and other after-sales services to offer extra support. Make sure to respond as soon as possible to their related questions and inquiries; the point is to make them feel they are valuable to your business. 

Advocacy (The Ultimate Goal)

Now, your happy customers will recommend your products to other prospects. They will also share their positive experiences via social media posts or reviews.

Although this is the ultimate goal for every marketing campaign, not all buying journeys end here. Many businesses fail to draft a clear map of the customer’s digital experience and end up wasting a lot of potential advocates.

The Benefits of Customer Digital Journey Mapping

You Can Make Better Decisions The On Content Creation

You can tailor your content to customers’ preferences (Image source: Pxhere). 

A clear visual map unlocks powerful insights into your marketing content. Your business can pinpoint the exact stages where customers need specific support or inspiration, which allows you to tailor your content accordingly to address each of those concerns at every essential step. 

Furthermore, the analysis of all main touchpoints also reveals which channels your customers favor most during their journey. From there, you may focus most of your content efforts on platforms that will likely reach them the most effectively. 

Clear insights into their emotional highs and lows also pave the way for powerful stories that resonate. Celebrate victories,  highlight pain points, or offer diverse solutions to connect with the audience on a deeper level; you have a lot of options here. 

Knowing where customers are in their journey also guides your choice of content format. A catchy video might work best for discovery/awareness, for instance, while detailed blog posts are more effective when customers are already deep into the consideration stage.

You Can Predict and Influence Customers’ Future Behaviors

Based on the journey map, you can strategically place "nudges'' or subtle cues that guide customers toward the desired outcome. A well-timed email offering free shipping after the customer's view of a cart full of clothes, for example, might encourage their purchase. Other examples:

• Highlighting related products during purchase
• Displaying customer testimonials for hesitant buyers
• Suggesting complementary items to increase basket size

The map also anticipates what information customers might need or what offers will resonate with them best, leading to a more accurate prediction of their potential choices. Some businesses even take one step further and segment audiences based on behaviors to predict their next actions. 

Remember that influencing behavior is not manipulation; it is simply an attempt to understand your customer’s needs and provide them with the right information and support at the right time. The end result is a well-informed customer decision that aligns with both your goals and their personal needs.

You Can Reduce Future Roadblocks

A clear visual representation allows you to identify key touchpoints where proactive communication can prevent confusion and build trust. You can plan your approach accordingly, such as:

• Sending personalized pre-purchase information
• Offering relevant post-purchase guidance
• Providing timely updates on order status

The same applies to customers’ vulnerabilities at each stage. Understanding these looming threats empowers your business to implement suitable safeguards:

• Offering extended return policies (for hesitant buyers)
• Providing live chat support during peak purchase times
• Implementing robust security measures to protect sensitive data

Armed with data-driven foresight, you can address and remove all potential roadblocks before they turn into stumbling blocks. Building loyalty will no longer be a struggle, setting your business up for sustainable growth in the future.

How to Improve Digital Customer Experience

Your customers should have the same experience across all platforms (Image source: Flickr). 

Make Sure The Customer’s Omnichannel Experience Is Consistent

Confusion and frustration will be inevitable if a customer encounters conflicting information or different processes across channels.

Instead, your brand should aim for a consistent image across all platforms to build trust and confidence in them; they will always know what to expect, regardless of how they interact with you. Your brand identity will also become strengthened as a result, turning satisfied people into loyal and repeat customers. 

Note, however, that consistency does not necessarily mean uniformity. You can maintain brand identity while tailoring content and interactions to the specific platform or audience. At the end of the day, it is about delivering the essence of your brand in a way that resonates with each customer.

That explains why StringeeX has been riding in its surging popularity. As one of the best programmable contact centers on the market, the service allows agents to contact customers and monitor their behaviors across multiple channels using only one interface.

Whether it is a voice call, a Facebook message, or a quick email, agents can respond to all those inquiries from StringeeX. There is no need to switch between platforms constantly. Furthermore, since all customers’ data are stored in the same place and accessible to all agents, customers will always receive the highest service quality regardless of which agents they are talking to. 

Update Platforms Regularly To Meet Changing Needs

In today's fast-paced landscape, customer expectations evolve faster than how we would like. Failure to adapt can leave your platforms outdated, clunky, and ultimately frustrating for your users.

It is an ongoing process that requires dedication and planning, so do not treat these updates as a one-time fix. We suggest outlining upgrades at regular intervals (factoring in testing phases and development time) to ensure both consistency and predictability for customers. 

Focus On Self-Service

Modern customers crave autonomy more than ever. They want to solve their problems and complete tasks of their own accord without waiting around for assistance.

StringeeX’s IVR system is the go-to solution here. Your customers can use either voice commands or keypad inputs to interact with the system’s menu options, designed based on the most frequently asked questions. Most of the time, they can solve their issues instantly on their own without speaking to a live agent. 

Conclusion

Given the fast-paced nature of digital platforms, customers understandably crave a straightforward and effortless buying experience. 

You should keep that in mind to make the customer digital journey as frictionless as possible. And remember, giving them the necessary tools to solve problems on their own (without resorting to customer support) is also the key to success.