What is the buyer's journey?

Buyer's journey

The buyer's journey is the process a potential customer goes through before making a purchase. It starts when someone first realizes they have a problem, continues as they research possible solutions, and ends when they choose a product or service to solve that problem.

Understanding this journey helps you deliver the right message at the right time. Instead of pushing a sale before someone is ready, you guide them through each stage with relevant information that builds trust and moves them closer to a decision.

The three stages of the buyer's journey

Every buyer moves through three distinct stages, though not always in a straight line. Some people jump back and forth, while others skip ahead. The key is recognizing where someone is so you can meet them there.

Awareness stage: The buyer knows something is wrong but hasn't named the problem yet. They're experiencing symptoms and searching for information to understand what's happening. At this point, they're not looking for products; they want clarity.

Consideration stage: Now the buyer has defined their problem and is actively exploring solutions. They're comparing different approaches, reading reviews, and weighing options. Your job here is to show how your type of solution addresses their specific challenge.

Decision stage: The buyer has chosen their approach and is now evaluating specific providers. They're comparing features, pricing, and reviews to make a final choice. This is where testimonials, demos, and clear value propositions matter most.

Buyer's journey vs. customer journey

These terms often get used interchangeably, but they describe different things.

The buyer's journey covers everything before the purchase. It's about acquisition: how you turn strangers into customers.

The customer journey extends beyond that first transaction. It includes onboarding, ongoing support, retention efforts, and turning satisfied customers into advocates. The buyer's journey ends at conversion; the customer journey continues for as long as that relationship lasts.

Both matter. Focusing only on acquisition means you're constantly refilling a leaky bucket. Mapping both journeys helps you build sustainable growth.

Why the buyer's journey matters for your marketing

When you understand how buyers make decisions, you stop guessing about what content to create or when to reach out.

• You create content that answers real questions at each stage
• Your sales team knows which leads need nurturing versus which are ready to talk
• Your email automations deliver relevant messages based on where someone actually is
• You stop wasting budget on bottom-of-funnel ads for people who haven't even identified their problem yet

The buyer's journey also reveals gaps. If you have plenty of awareness content but nothing for the consideration stage, you're losing people right when they're getting serious about finding a solution.

How to map content to each stage

Different stages call for different content types. Here's how to think about it:

Awareness stage content:

• Blog posts explaining common problems and symptoms
• Educational guides and checklists
• Social media content that addresses pain points
• Videos that help people understand their situation

Consideration stage content:

• Comparison guides showing different solution approaches
• Case studies demonstrating results
• Webinars diving deep into specific topics
• Email sequences that educate and build trust

Decision stage content:

• Product demos and free trials
• Customer testimonials and reviews
• Pricing pages with clear value propositions
• Consultation offers for complex purchases

The goal isn't to push people through faster. It's to give them what they need to move forward confidently.

B2B vs. B2C buyer journeys

The stages remain the same, but the dynamics differ significantly.

B2B purchases typically involve multiple decision-makers, longer timelines, and higher stakes. A software purchase might take months and require buy-in from IT, finance, and end users. Content needs to address different concerns for each stakeholder.

B2C purchases often happen faster and involve fewer people, and emotion plays a larger role. Someone might move from awareness to purchase in a single browsing session if the price is right and the reviews are strong.

Your CRM strategy should account for these differences. B2B leads need more touchpoints and longer nurture sequences. B2C customers might need faster follow-up and more emphasis on social proof.

Using automation to support the buyer's journey

Marketing automation shines when it's built around the buyer's journey. Instead of sending the same emails to everyone, you can trigger specific sequences based on behavior.

Someone who downloads an awareness-stage guide gets educational content. Someone who visits your pricing page three times gets a different message entirely. Someone who attended a webinar but hasn't booked a demo gets a gentle nudge.

This approach respects where people are in their process. It also frees your team to focus on the leads who are actually ready for a conversation.

FAQs

How long does the buyer's journey typically take?
It varies widely by industry and purchase complexity. A B2C impulse buy might take minutes, while a B2B software decision could take months. Map your own data to understand your typical timeline.

Can someone skip stages in the buyer's journey?
Yes. A referral from a trusted colleague might jump straight to the decision stage, and someone who's solved this problem before might skip awareness entirely. The stages describe a general pattern, not a rigid sequence.

How do I know which stage a lead is in?
Look at their behavior. What content have they engaged with? What pages have they visited? What questions are they asking? These signals tell you more than any form field.

Should I create equal amounts of content for each stage?
Not necessarily. Audit what you have and identify gaps. Most companies over-invest in awareness content and under-invest in consideration and decision content.

Ready to build automations that meet buyers where they are? Start your free ActiveCampaign trial and see how journey-based marketing works in practice.