When you Google something you’re essentially raising your hand to ask for information, services, products, etc. Searches like “restaurants near me” or “best running shoes” reveal a transactional state of mind. The searcher is actively looking to solve a problem and perform a transaction.
In contrast, advertising on many social media platforms is different. Users are typically not searching for anything in particular. They’re scrolling through a feed, messaging friends, and consuming the content they’re presented with. In this context, you are interrupting the user and hoping they take action.
For example, LinkedIn is a place where people go to promote themselves and their services. But if everyone is on LinkedIn to promote themselves, how many people are there to buy something at that moment? Advertising in these settings can yield results, but it will take additional nurturing because the consumer is not yet in a transactional state of mind.
The difference is summarized by the user’s intent. Understanding where you are meeting your prospects can help you create a more effective strategy.
Where can you find more of your prospective customers in a transactional state of mind?