Media Buying Automation Blog

Local Advertising and the Consumer Decision Process

Consumers are empowered more now than they ever have been to find information when they want it, and block out unwanted or irrelevant messages on the radio, television, their favorite online magazine.

The ads that do make it through the clutter have to compete for attention.

Recent studies prove that not only are we engaged in media from more sources than ever before, but a large percentage of the population does it simultaneously—already in 2006, 60% of adults surfed the internet occasionally while watching television.  Then there are those who listen to the radio while spending time online or reading a print publication. The possibilities for concurrent consumption of media—and advertising—are endless. 

As we engage in these media channels, we both seek out and are exposed to advertising messages designed to inform and persuade our feelings toward a business or brand, or our inclination toward a purchase.

This brings consumers through the decision process of

• Awareness 
• Consideration 
• Evaluation 
• Purchase 
• Loyalty 

Shaping that path for the consumer are such factors as motivation for the purchase (physiological, social, personal fulfillment); buyer persona; and the way the consumer retains, organizes, and interprets information, which also affects purchase behavior (i.e., impulse purchase online vs. moving through consideration and evaluation stages).

Here’s a closer look at what’s going on in each of those stages. The time spent in each stage varies depending on the product or service and its price, but in general, it goes something like this:

• Awareness – Identifies a problem/need/desire, whether it’s a need for gas in the minivan or a desire that had a little help from marketing, such as a ticket to an upcoming concert or play. 
• Consideration – Searches for information or solution related to problem/need/desire. 
• Evaluation – Compares options and considers price, quality, benefit, and risk factors. 
• Purchase – Decides what, where, when to buy. 
• Loyalty – Repeats purchase behavior depending on level of satisfaction with product or service experience. 

Keeping the general stages of the decision-making cycle in mind along with the attributes and message delivery capabilities of each media channel can help create a media plan that drives consumers from awareness to purchase.

Download Avenue Right's newest white paper, "3 Tips for Aligning Local Advertising with the Consumer Decision-Making Process."