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The personas of the modern market are becoming increasingly tech-savvy and digitally oriented. The buyer’s journey is now a combination of online and offline interactions, from strangling their initial research to making the final purchase.
To shape and influence the buyer’s journey, copy, visuals, and banners must leave a lasting impact. The content for each stage of the journey must be optimized to engage, educate, and build trust.
Display advertising as an advertising medium is uniquely placed to achieve this, and its role in the buyer’s journey is often underestimated. Here, we will explore the different stages of the buyer’s journey and discuss how display advertising can play a vital role in each stage.
The buyer’s journey is the process a potential customer goes through, from realizing they need a product or service to making a final purchase. If we break it down into three stages, we have:
For example, a person may realize they need a new laptop and start researching different options (awareness), compare specifications and prices of various laptops (consideration), and finally make a purchase based on their findings (decision).
Display advertising can strategically target potential customers at each stage of the buyer’s journey.
At this stage, potential customers are strangers to your brand and may not even know their need for your product or service. They seek information and solutions across social media, websites, or search engines.
Now is the time to capture their attention with visually appealing display ads that showcase your brand, products, or services. Display ads can introduce your brand to potential customers and create awareness of the problem or need that you can solve.
With compelling visuals and messaging, display ads can stand out in a crowded online space and pique interest. They can also drive traffic to your website or social media pages, where potential customers can gather more information about your brand.
At this stage, potential customers are aware of their needs and are actively researching different solutions or options. They may compare prices, features, and reviews to make an informed decision.
Display ads can play a key role in this stage by showcasing your products or services’ unique features and benefits. By strategically targeting potential customers who have shown interest in related products or visited your website, display ads can serve as a reminder and prompt them to consider your brand. They can also provide social proof through customer reviews and ratings, increasing trust in your brand.
More importantly, display ads can retarget potential customers who have interacted with your brand. This personalization can increase the chances of a potential customer choosing your brand over others.
They say a picture is worth a thousand words, which couldn’t be more true in the decision stage of the buyer’s journey. After researching and considering different options, potential customers are ready to purchase or take action. Display ads can be the final push they need to choose your brand.
By highlighting limited-time offers, promotions, or discounts through visually appealing ads, potential customers may feel a sense of urgency and take action. Additionally, retargeting ads can remind potential customers of their previous interest in your brand, increasing the chances of a conversion.
More and more marketers prioritize display advertising over search ads in their digital marketing strategies. But why is this the case?
The cookieless world of the future may bring some changes for marketers using third-party cookies, but display ads will remain effective in promoting brand visibility and awareness.
A visually appealing bridge between potential customers and your brand, display advertising offers several advantages in the buyer’s journey:
Compared to traditional forms of advertising, such as television or print ads, display advertising is relatively more cost-effective. With the ability to target a specific audience and track ad performance, businesses can maximize their audio advertising budget and reach potential customers at the awareness stage of the buyer’s journey.
Funnel-based targeting allows businesses to reach potential customers at each stage of the buyer’s journey. From creating awareness to driving conversions, display ads can target any funnel stage, providing a holistic approach to customer acquisition and retention.
Display ads can be customized based on user behavior and interests, increasing the chances of capturing their attention. By retargeting potential customers who have previously interacted with your brand, display ads can provide a more personalized approach, making them more relevant and increasing the chances of a conversion.
Display ads provide the opportunity to retarget potential customers who have shown interest in your brand but have yet to convert. By reminding them of your products or services, display ads can bring them back into the funnel, potentially leading to a conversion.
From static images to interactive videos, display advertising offers a range of ad formats to engage and attract potential customers. This flexibility allows businesses to choose the most effective format for their products or services, making display ads more impactful in the buyer’s journey.
While display advertising offers many advantages, it also comes with its own set of challenges and limitations:
As internet users are constantly bombarded with ads, they may develop ad blindness or banner fatigue. This means they may subconsciously ignore or overlook display ads, reducing their effectiveness in capturing attention and driving conversions.
With programmatic advertising, businesses have limited control over where their ads are placed. As a result, display ads may appear on websites or alongside content that does not align with their brand image. This can negatively impact brand reputation and reduce the effectiveness of the ad.
With the rise of click farms and fraudulent practices, there is a risk of businesses paying for fake clicks or impressions. This means display ads may not reach their intended audience, reducing their potential impact on driving conversions.
Unlike search ads, where a click can directly lead to a conversion, measuring the impact of display ads on conversions is more challenging. This makes it harder for businesses to track their return on investment and accurately assess the effectiveness of their display advertising efforts.
Despite its challenges, display advertising remains a valuable tool for businesses in the buyer’s journey. With continuous advancements in technology and targeting capabilities, it offers an effective way to reach potential customers and promote brand visibility.
To make the most out of display advertising, businesses should regularly review and optimize their ad campaigns, closely monitor performance metrics, and ensure that their ads align with their overall marketing strategy.
VenziMedia, as a programmatic DSP, offers a reliable and efficient way for businesses to run their display ad campaigns. With advanced targeting capabilities, customizable ad formats, and transparent reporting, VenziMedia helps companies maximize the impact of display advertising in the buyer’s journey. So, don’t let the changes in cookie policies discourage you from utilizing display advertising as a powerful tool to reach and engage potential customers.
