In today’s consumer-driven world brands constantly vie for attention, hoping that when it comes time to make a purchase shoppers will choose them over the rest. This relentless competition has created a complex landscape of touchpoints, both online and offline, that consumers subconsciously navigate every day. Path to Purchase research aims to decode this landscape by quantifying which touchpoints shoppers are exposed to, and influenced by, on the journey to making a purchase.

At Nepa we believe that certain ingredients are essential for effectively measuring the touchpoint landscape and consumer journeys.

1. Bring all your data points onto the same playing field

You can’t improve what you can’t track. If you’re measuring your digital, physical, paid, unpaid, owned, and earned touchpoints in different ways, with different tools, in different teams, you’re going to be making decisions based on incomplete data.

Nepa’s Path to Purchase offers a comprehensive, two-pronged approach to measure the entire touchpoint landscape. By combining behavioural web tracking with detailed survey responses over a semi-longitudinal period, our methodology captures all touchpoints in one place. This gives us a complete view of consumer journeys, enabling us to effectively measure the impact of individual touchpoints on purchase conversion across omnichannel.

2. Focus on the one metric that truly matters: Conversion

Everything a marketer and insights professional does should be towards one goal – Driving growth. Understanding the touchpoints that have the most impact to the most people means even small teams can optimise their marketing efforts for maximum impact.

Measuring conversion is not easy: shoppers are exposed to multiple touchpoints from competing brands each time they make a purchase and, often their decisions are not made through a conscious evaluation process. However, at Nepa, we’ve developed a technique, called Conversion Power, to accurately quantify the effectiveness of touchpoints in conversion, even when purchases seem automated.

Conversion Power analysis

Nepa’s Conversion Power analysis measures touchpoint effectiveness by calculating the increased likelihood of a brand being chosen when a shopper is exposed a touchpoint of that brand prior to purchase. Conversion Power values are linked to real-life outcomes and are directly comparable. For instance, a Conversion Power of 50% means that a shopper is 50% more likely to buy Brand X if exposed to that touchpoint than if they aren’t.

Additionally, it indicates that this touchpoint is twice as effective at converting shoppers compared to a touchpoint with a Conversion Power of 25%. Our approach also determines touchpoint influence through advanced statistical modelling of observations. By doing this we avoid potential inaccuracies caused by biases in claimed respondent influence.

Measuring conversion this way empowers brands to optimize their activation strategies by defining which touchpoints to invest in based on their uplift values.

3. Collect what happens, as it happens

Memories fade, so if you’re not collecting self-stated and behavioural data at the same time, it is easy to misattribute conversions to different touchpoints. Did the shopper buy your brand because they saw it in-store, or were the paid social media posts and UGC a more important part of their journey?

At Nepa, we recognize the importance of collecting real-time data. Our Path to Purchase research methodology captures data as close to real-time as possible through a semi-longitudinal design. Capturing real time actions online is the easy part: our web tracking techniques record online touchpoint data as it occurs: each time a shopper encounters a category touchpoint, we document its type, brand, content, and timing.

Offline data collection

Capturing real-time offline (real-world) data presents a greater challenge. While it would be ideal to follow shoppers around with a clipboard and record every brand encounter, this is not feasible—at least not yet! To address this, we use a regular diary approach. Respondents receive a brief survey every 2 to 3 days, where they document their interactions with touchpoints and any purchases made since the last survey. This method helps minimize memory decay that can occur over longer periods. By combining this with the online data and collecting over a 6 to 8 week period, we can thoroughly map complex touchpoint landscape and shopper journeys, even for products with extended purchase cycles.

4. Map the entire journey

Nothing happens in a silo, so you need to understand the cross-channel effects of both online and offline marketing. Do your consumers experience a seamless experience across all platforms, or is there friction you need to improve upon to drive future growth?

This is why at Nepa we consider the ‘omnichannel’ Path to Purchase. Our solution assesses the impact of all touchpoints across both online and offline environments. We don’t just measure the effect of online touchpoints on online purchases or offline touchpoints on offline purchases. We recognize that the offline and online worlds interact, and we make sure to measure this. Given the increasing fragmentation and complexity of the omnichannel landscape, we go beyond being mere data providers. As industry leaders, we offer we act as partners and advisers to help you navigate this complex environment, empowering you to craft informed strategies and outperform the competition.

Alex Provan is a Senior Project Manager in London, who has worked on Path to Purchase research projects for high-profile brands all across the globe.

500%. That’s the increase in touchpoints that our clients have tracked over the last five years. Banner ads. PPC. Print ads. TV commercials. Blogs. In-person events. Webinars. Catalogues. OOH. Referrals. Sponsored social posts. Organic social search. Influencers. Emails. These are just some of the ways your consumers can interact with your brand every single day. The shopper journey is no longer a linear ‘path to purchase’ – every shopper journey is as different as every shopper. So how can brands quantify these effects in the omnichannel, always-on, world?

Traditionally, the shopper marketing funnel views the consumer journey as a straight path from awareness to conversion. But the shopper marketing funnel was made for the old, pre-digital world. We see in our Path to Purchase studies that consumers now bounce around between stages, and there has been a massive diversification of consumer behaviour. The funnel has become an infinite loop with conversion at its centre.

Measure your touchpoints with the same yardstick

But with a proliferation of online and offline touchpoints, how do you know which touchpoints are strongest at driving conversions, which ones need re-thinking, and where the whitespace lies to make the most out of your time and resources? How do you measure every single touchpoint with the same yardstick, when many platforms ringfence their analytics and data protection laws become increasingly more stringent? 

The whole journey needs to be measured to capture reality. Everything that a consumer experiences before a store, in the store, and after they’ve visited to capture each individual path to purchase. Without doing so risks misattribution. The right approaches and tools are needed to measure what happens, when it happens.

The Nepa Path to Purchase approach

We use a unique approach that combines continuously measured self-stated and behavioural data that enables us to map each individual path to purchase. By blending the two, brands get a fuller understanding of the ‘what’ and the ‘why’ of all touchpoints, and takes into account any cross-channel effects that may otherwise be missed. From this, detailed reports can be created that highlight the most influential factors driving consumers to convert.

Global powerhouse brands have used this information to tap into new audiences, increase basket frequency by leveraging omnichannel shopping behaviour, and drive up trade by understanding what their consumers want and where.

Our Path to Purchase recommendations

If you’re new to this way of measuring your consumer journeys, there are five things we recommend brands do in order to tame the chaos:

Bring all your data points onto the same playing field

You can’t improve what you can’t track. If you’re measuring your digital, physical, paid, unpaid, owned, and earned touchpoints in different ways, with different tools, in different teams, you’re going to be making decisions based on incomplete data.

Focus on the one metric that truly matters: Conversion

Everything a marketer and insights professional does should be towards one goal – Driving growth. Understanding the touchpoints that have the most impact to the most people means even small teams can optimise their marketing efforts for maximum impact.

Collect what happens, as it happens

Memories fade, so if you’re not collecting self-stated and behavioural data at the same time, it is easy to misattribute conversions to different touchpoints. Did the shopper buy your brand because they saw it in-store, or were the paid social media posts and UGC a more important part of their journey?

Map the entire journey

Nothing happens in a silo, so you need to understand the cross-channel effects of both online and offline marketing. Do your consumers experience a seamless experience across all platforms, or is there friction you need to improve upon to drive future growth?

If you would like some help simplifying and clarifying your complex consumer path to purchase, why not get in touch? We will also be hosting a webinar on the topic on the 28th August 2024 at 11.00 BST / 12.00 CEST. Find out more here.

In the ever-evolving landscape of consumer behaviour, understanding the Paths to Purchase is crucial for brands aiming to connect with their audience and drive conversions. The concept of “paths to purchase” encompasses the various stages and channels through which consumers journey before making a purchase decision. This journey has transformed significantly with the rise of digital technologies and the diversification of consumer behaviour, especially in the post-pandemic era.

Traditional Paths to Purchase stages

For many years, marketers have been taught that the traditional path to purchase follows a linear funnel, with distinct touchpoints guiding consumers to perform specific actions:

Awareness

The first stage is where the consumer becomes aware of a product or service. It can be generated through various means, including advertising (both traditional and digital), social media, word-of-mouth, search engines, and other marketing efforts. Effective strategies in this stage often involve creating compelling content that captures attention and piques interest.

Consideration

Once awareness is established, the consumer moves into the consideration stage. Here, they compare different options, evaluate competitors, and scrutinise prices, features, and benefits. They also heavily rely on customer feedback and reviews. Marketers can influence this stage by providing detailed product information, comparison tools, and showcasing positive customer testimonials.

Purchase

In the purchase stage, the actual transaction takes place. This can occur online, in physical stores, or through direct sales channels. The key to success in this stage is providing a seamless and user-friendly purchasing experience. Offering multiple payment options, ensuring website usability, and providing excellent customer service can significantly enhance the likelihood of conversion.

Retain

Post-purchase, marketers often make efforts to retain the customer and keep them engaged and satisfied. Retention strategies might include sending thank-you emails, offering loyalty programmes, and creating exclusive content for existing customers.

Advocacy

The final stage sees satisfied consumers promote the product or service to others. This can involve activities such as user-generated content (UGC), referrals, testimonials, and other forms of social proof. Encouraging customers to share their positive experiences and rewarding them for referrals can amplify word-of-mouth marketing.

The modern Paths to Purchase stages

In today’s dynamic market, the Paths to Purchase have evolved from a distinct funnel to a more complex, non-linear journey. Modern consumers interact with brands across multiple touchpoints and platforms, often moving back and forth between stages. No touchpoint solely drives awareness, consideration, or loyalty. Instead, the funnel has morphed into an infinite loop with conversions at the centre.

Awareness and consideration now blend

In the digital age, awareness and consideration often overlap. A consumer might discover a product on Instagram, and simultaneously read reviews on Amazon and watch unboxing videos on YouTube. They might engage with brand content on their TikTok, participate in discussions on SnapChat, and compare alternatives on Reddit, all within the same session. This blending of stages requires brands to ensure consistency and cohesion across all touchpoints.

Purchase flexibility

Consumers now expect a seamless transition between online and offline channels. For instance, they might research products online and complete the purchase in a physical store, or vice versa. Brands must provide a unified shopping experience across all platforms to meet these new expectations.

Continuous engagement

Retention and advocacy now require continuous engagement rather than discrete post-purchase activities. Brands need to maintain an ongoing relationship with customers through personalised content, timely updates, and responsive customer service. Brand increasingly need to be more effective with leveraging their data to anticipate customer needs and preferences, thereby fostering loyalty, and encouraging advocacy.

Why does this matter to brands?

Understanding their specific Paths to Purchase is critical for brands to effectively allocate marketing budgets and resources. With no single ‘path’ to purchase, there is now a multitude of paths that a consumer can take to conversion, each different from the other and varying from one instance to the next. Brands must identify and quantify the touchpoints that are key to driving purchase conversion, determine when in the journey they are used, and understand why they are effective.

Evaluating all touchpoints

All touchpoints need to be evaluated with the same level of scrutiny – whether digital, physical, paid, unpaid, earned, or owned. This holistic approach ensures that marketing efforts are optimised and aligned with their unique consumer behaviours across all relevant channels.

How does Nepa measure Paths to Purchase?

Nepa’s approach to measuring Paths to Purchase is unique. By blending behavioural data from URL tracking with self-stated data from diaries, we provide a comprehensive view of the ‘what’ and the ‘why’ of all online and offline touchpoints. This dual approach allows for detailed analysis and reporting on the most influential touchpoints driving purchases and takes into account all cross-channel effects.

– Behavioural data

This involves tracking consumer actions and interactions across various digital platforms. This data provides insights into what consumers are doing – such as the websites they visit and the products they browse.

– Self-stated data

Collected through diaries and surveys, this captures the consumer’s perspective and motivations. This data reveals why consumers make certain decisions and what factors influence their behaviour.

– Using the data

By combining this data, Nepa can create detailed reports that identify the most influential touchpoints in driving purchases. These take into account any cross-channel effects that may occur, providing brands with a nuanced understanding of their consumer behaviours.

– Benefits for brands

Global powerhouse brands have utilised Nepa’s insights in various ways. For instance, they have grown their total category by tapping into new audiences, increased frequency or basket incidence by leveraging omnichannel shopping behaviour and driven up trade by understanding their audience’s needs.

Nepa’s Paths to Purchase in summary

Our best-in-class Paths to Purchase solution will help brands to:

– Bring all offline and online touchpoints onto the same playing field

By measuring all data points with the same yardstick, brands get a comprehensive view of consumer behaviour across all channels.

– Focus on the metric that truly matters: Conversions

Conversions are the ultimate goal, and by understanding the touchpoints that drive them, brands can optimise their marketing efforts for maximum impact.

– Collect what happens, where it happens

Understand exactly what consumers are doing, when, to understand what drives them to conversion.

– Map the entire omnichannel journey

By considering cross-channel effects, brands can create a cohesive and seamless consumer experience across all platforms.

– Invest in the touchpoints that really matter

Identifying the most effective touchpoints allows brands to rise above the noise and invest in areas that drive growth.

In conclusion, understanding the Paths to Purchase is essential for brands aiming to connect with today’s consumers. The journey to purchase is no longer a linear path but a complex, multi-faceted process. By leveraging insights from data analytics and adopting a holistic approach, brands can effectively navigate this journey, optimise their marketing strategies, and ultimately drive conversions. Nepa’s comprehensive Paths to Purchase solution provides the tools and insights needed to succeed in this dynamic landscape, helping brands to not only understand but also influence consumer behaviour across all touchpoints.