Consumer interactions with brands happen through a broad range of touchpoints, including websites, streaming videos, online searches, and in-store visits. Traditionally, marketers have relied on a linear funnel model to assess these touchpoints, assigning each a role based on when consumers become aware of, consider, or purchase a product.
However, consumers now navigate complex, non-linear journeys involving multiple repeated interactions across various channels. These touchpoints influence awareness, consideration, and purchase at different points along the pathway, complicating marketing strategies. The influence of each touchpoint can vary widely depending on the unique consumer journey.
Recent analysis by BCG recommends shifting focus from the linear funnel to evaluating the true influence of touchpoints—their capacity to meaningfully shape demand and outcomes. By mapping influence across individual consumer pathways, brands can better allocate marketing resources, improving ROI and identifying untapped opportunities.
The Role of Video in Consumer Journeys
Video content, across platforms like YouTube, social media, and streaming services, plays a critical role beyond mere brand awareness. It contributes to product discovery, evaluation, and social proof across multiple devices and settings. BCG surveyed nearly 10,000 consumers in beauty and electronics sectors, examining interactions with various video types including organic, sponsored, and ad-based content.
The findings revealed that consumers influenced by digital video are 2.5 times more likely to purchase a brand compared to exposure via traditional TV. Video impacts multiple stages of the purchasing process, with creator-led content—both organic and paid—building the highest levels of trust and affecting buying decisions substantially.
Comparing video’s influence with ad spending shows many brands underutilize this channel. The impact of video varies across consumer pathways, with some platforms driving brand consideration, others final purchase, or both.
Identifying Key Consumer Pathways
BCG identified five primary shopping pathways to simplify marketing decisions:
- Find the best product: Involves extensive research for high-value purchases.
- Indulge my curiosity: Driven by external triggers and casual browsing.
- Shop my ongoing interests: Regular engagement with new content in favorite categories.
- Match my vision and my means: Visual searches balancing style and budget.
- See if it works: Gradual narrowing of options with openness to returns.
Understanding the specific pathways relevant to a brand allows marketers to create detailed influence maps. These maps reveal which touchpoints drive decisions strongly and where marketing resources are misaligned, enabling more strategic orchestration of paid and organic efforts.
Drivers of Touchpoint Influence
Three behavioral factors correlate with a touchpoint’s influence:
- Attention: Platforms vary in their ability to raise awareness or enable deeper exploration.
- Relevance: Content must align with consumer needs, with creator content, demos, and reviews differing in perceived relevance.
- Trust: Authenticity, credible creators, and transparency enhance consumer confidence.
Recognizing how these factors affect touchpoints across the consumer journey helps marketers optimize channel mix, messaging, and partnerships to maximize effectiveness.
Integrating these insights with BCG’s Demand Centric Growth approach further refines content strategies by aligning them with consumer choice drivers.
Practical Steps for Marketers
- Identify distinct consumer purchase pathways where the brand has competitive strength.
- Determine the most influential channels and content types driving desired behaviors along these pathways.
- Assess and adjust marketing spend to correct over- or underinvestment.
- Implement pilot programs tailored to these pathways, testing messaging and creative variations.
- Measure impacts on brand equity and responsiveness, refining the media mix accordingly.
By developing influence maps and aligning marketing strategies with consumer behavior, brands can enhance their impact, maximize returns, and uncover new growth opportunities.