Circular and Linear patterns in Consumer Journeys

Creating detailed consumer journeys are becoming an increasingly important part of effective marketing as the path to purchase becomes more complex.

At Mccann our comms department has been making some killer journeys in our quest to identify hidden and unexpected opportunities to communicate persuasively.

When creating a travel journey I noticed that there are two distinct media navigation patterns people go through on the path to purchase. One is circular, one is linear.

Circular patterns occur when consumers are exploring, researching or discovering. They jump between media platforms and content with no specific aim and do not need to complete specific steps to move on.

Below is a circular pattern during the exploring stage of a trip. Our audience is checking out videos of their dream destinations, looking up prices and reading articles. All things to help form a picture of what the trip will entail. This pattern can occur for a few weeks or a few years. 

Linear patterns occur when a consumer has a specific goal. They involve sequential steps that need to be completed in order for a consumer to progress towards purchase.

Below is a linear pattern that occurs during the booking stage of a travel journey. They need to complete their ‘cart', check with their partner they can lock it down, book, confirm with an email and then start to prepare. One stage cannot happen until the stage before it is complete.

Why does this matter?

Identifying where a circular or linear pattern occurs in a journey is really important when designing communications to reach consumers at different stages of the journey.

Circular patterns happen when a consumer is either unfamiliar with the category, is not currently ready to convert or has not even entered the path towards purchase at all. 

Communications we design here have to be entertaining to grab their attention and create a positive impression or informative to help build expectations. 

Linear patterns are quite different. In a linear pattern consumers are ready to commit and need a simple and clear path forward. 

Communications must be precise and simple, descriptive and delivered with upmost clarity. 

Our objectives and KPIs are also quite different for each pattern.

In a Circular pattern if our content is read and the user doesn’t progress, that’s still ok. They may not be in a position to purchase, but we have made a positive impression and will be closer to top of mind when the consumer is ready to commit.

In a Linear pattern if the user doesn’t progress we have failed. They are ready to commit and want to complete the steps to land at purchase. If our communications and experience doesn’t move them forward they will find an alternative path to purchase.

Because comms planners love a chart:

Understanding the anatomy of Circular vs Linear patterns is a vital approach to apply further rigor to the effective delivery of comms against a user’s path to purchase.

What other distinct patterns have you identified in the path to purchase?