The path to conversion is no longer a straight line.
In today’s digital landscape, consumers don’t follow a simple, linear funnel from “awareness” to “purchase.” Instead, they embark on a complex, multi-touchpoint journey – a sprawling city map with endless routes, shortcuts, and detours.
For marketers, understanding this new reality is not just a strategic advantage; it’s a necessity. It’s about being present at every turn, ready to provide value and guide the consumer through what is often a “messy middle” of exploration and consideration.
The Unpredictable Journey of the Mobile Consumer
The user journey is far more complex than it used to be. A user undertakes an average of 5.5 touchpoints before becoming a lead, and a modern consumer interacts with their mobile device up to 130 times a day. Every one of these interactions – from scrolling through social media feeds to clicking on a search ad, reading a review, or visiting a website – is a digital touchpoint.
This is particularly true for mobile users. M-commerce sales are projected to top $2.5 trillion in 2024, and consumers now use their phones more than any other device for online shopping and research. A seamless, mobile-first experience is no longer optional; it’s a core requirement for a business to compete.
With the addition of AI in search, each user’s query is more unique and expecting of a personalised response. 61% of consumers want brands to reflect their exact needs in their ad copy! This highlights the need for AI powered solutions to match the scale of human curiosity and demands.
Google Ads: Guiding the Way Through the Messy Middle
So how do you navigate this digital labyrinth? This is where a sophisticated marketing strategy, powered by tools like Google Ads, becomes your most valuable guide. Google’s AI-driven solutions are designed to simplify this complex journey by ensuring your brand is present with the right message at the right moment.
Be Present Everywhere
Google’s Performance Max campaigns use AI to reach valuable customers across all of its properties – Search, Display, YouTube, Discover, and more – from a single campaign. This ensures that no matter where the user is in their journey, from their first search to watching a video, your brand is there.
Keep up with the ever-changing landscape
Improve your performance with through AI powered features such as AI Max to tailor your approach to the complexity of the modern-day user.
Engage with Intent
Google’s AI understands consumer intent, allowing you to deliver personalised and relevant messages. Campaigns like Demand Gen focus on building awareness and nurturing interest with visually compelling content across YouTube, Discover, and Gmail, influencing users long before they are ready to convert.
Measure Holistically
The modern consumer journey demands a new approach to measurement. By using Google’s omnichannel measurement and analytics tools, marketers can track both online and offline impact, gaining a holistic view of the customer’s journey and making data-driven decisions to optimise their campaigns.
Conclusion: The Future of Marketing is Consumer-Centric
The key to success in this new landscape is to move beyond the traditional funnel and embrace the reality of the multi-touchpoint consumer journey. By leveraging a comprehensive understanding of mobile user behaviour and powerful, AI-driven tools in Google Ads, you can transform the “messy middle” into a clear, guided path to conversion. It’s no longer about pushing a user through a sales funnel, but about being a flexible, helpful and trusted presence in their complex digital world.