It's About The Journey, Not The Destination

Overview

Sean Amster is the Manager for Digital Content Solutions at The Hershey Company. He also teaches digital marketing as a comprehensive subject at Pennsylvania State University.

His Mission: Oversee innovation and transformation processes to make data-driven decisions in demand generation and overall efficiency.

Surveys Matter

When outlining the customer journey, Sean begins with qualitative research; surveying subject-experts helps discover the specific issues or problem which they wish to solve focus. Finding the root of the issues, the key barriers, or responsibilities aids in refocusing the customer journey.

Sometimes Analytics Can Deceive

Most of the interaction that a customer has with a company comes while clicking around the website. Utilizing Google Analytics can help marketers track what search terms potential clients use on the site, on which pages they spend time and other data. They formulate key findings from this information, such as the ease of use and whether or not the company even operates in the desired search term; if it doesn't, Sean considers it a missed opportunity but perhaps a potential route for expansion or pivoting. For instance, customers may be spending a lot of time on the site, but not on any particular page as they may have difficulty finding their desired result. The metrics can be deceiving when they don't align with the actual customer experience.

As a Means to an End

'Vanity metrics' can tell a certain story but they should only be given value if they serve as a means to an end, that end being the desired business outcome or result. Sean argues that many times, marketing teams sometimes focus on the less important metrics and miss valuable insights that would lead to more efficient lead generation and more cohesive customer journeys. Significant brand interactions matter the most when a potential client is taking proactive exposure with a company or service. A download or watch time data can help marketers hone in on to which potential clients the company is communicating.

Value Exchange

The customer journey is one of balance, give and take between a company and a client. By tracking these significant interactions, using Google Analytics, Marketo, and Salesforce, marketers are able to capitalize as a means to their business goals. This was only a high-level overview of our conversation with Sean. Be sure to listen to the whole episode!

See you next week!