See Think Do Care model
Also called: STDC model.
The See Think Do Care model is an online marketing model developed by Google with the goal of mapping the customer journey. Using this model, the different stages of a customer journey are mapped. In addition, a clear marketing funnel (funnel) is visible in this model. The See Think Do Care model provides an organization with practical guidance and direction regarding the chosen marketing strategy. The STDC model focuses on the complete customer journey and is not limited to sales and conversion in the purchase phase. Especially the journey prior to this phase is often overlooked by many organizations, resulting in many missed opportunities.
STDC model as a modern successor to the AIDA model
The STDC model can be seen as the modern successor to the AIDA model. The AIDA model assumes that an average customer goes through the following steps during a customer journey:
- Attention
- Interest
- Desire
- Action
However, the AIDA model is somewhat outdated and considered obsolete. In particular, the hierarchical nature of the model no longer reflects current consumer behavior whose successive steps are enormously difficult to predict. This is partly due to the increased availability of modern digital facilities. A framework in the form of the STDC model is better suited to today's society.
How does the See Think Do Care model work?
The See Think Do Care model is a marketing model that distinguishes between the contact moments before and after the sale. This assumes that every contact moment a potential customer has with your company before the purchase should appeal to the people in the See, Think and Do phases. The Care phase focuses on good customer contact after the sale. Even in that phase, an organization must take good care of the customer to increase the likelihood of repeat purchases.
- The See phase refers to the moments when the customer is passive and has no purchase intention yet. In this phase, the aim is to create brand or offer awareness. Therefore, a fairly broad audience is targeted, i.e. anyone who might find the offer in question interesting. This marketing model indicates which marketing tools can be used to approach the target audience. This could include findability in search engines (SEO/ SEA), the use of social media and Google My Company.
- The Think phase relates to the consideration phase. In this phase, the customer is looking more specifically for a fulfillment of a specific need in the form of a product or service. In this phase, an unknown interested party is brought into the picture by an organization. The marketing effort may be aimed at getting a customer to sign up
for a newsletter or chooses to download an e-book. This desire can be met by using a remarketing campaign through social media or the search engine, the use of Google Ads or search engine optimization, among others.
- The Do phase refers to further acquaintance of the customer with an organization. In this phase, the client knows the best fulfillment for a specific need and this person also knows which organization is the best party to do business with. In this case, the use of Google Ads or search engine optimization with the "do keywords" is very important. Remarketing on social media channels also works very effectively here.
- The Care phase focuses on "aftercare" in the form of customer loyalty. In this phase, a customer can be thanked for the purchase but also approached with targeted content related to using the offer, making repeat purchases, using a related offer or informing about new developments. This phase is aimed at increasing customer value.
