[Facebook & Instagram Ads in 8 Steps] Lesson 1/8: Why We Advertise and the Customer Journey

Hello, and welcome! I am truly excited that you are starting your journey into the world of Facebook and Instagram advertising.

Before we get into the tactical details of clicking buttons and setting budgets, we first need to explore a much deeper question: What exactly is advertising? How does it actually work to persuade people to buy our products?

If we skip this foundational idea, running ads feels like scattering money into the sky and just hoping for a rain cloud to appear.

The answer to this question lies within a concept that sounds a bit technical but is actually very simple. It is called the Customer Journey.

What is the Customer Journey?

Please do not be intimidated by the term. A customer journey is just the path a person follows, from having absolutely no idea who you are, to developing some interest, and finally to making a purchase. It describes their entire thought process.

Let’s illustrate this with a scenario you have probably experienced yourself: deciding to buy a new pair of shoes.

Phase 1: Awareness – “I think I might need something.”

Your Situation: You are probably just scrolling through Instagram on your way home from work. You have no specific intention to buy shoes today. Suddenly, you see a stunning short video. An influencer is doing parkour across the city wearing a pair of shoes from a brand you have never seen before. The music and editing are fantastic.

Your Thought: “Wow, those shoes look so cool. What brand is that?”

The Ad’s Purpose: Notice that this ad probably did not ask you to “buy now.” Its only goal was to make you aware of the brand, remember it, and think it is cool. It has just planted a small seed of interest in your mind.

Phase 2: Consideration – “I’m starting to look into this.”

Your Situation: A couple of days go by, and you see an ad for that same brand on Facebook. This time, it is not an action video. Instead, it might be an article explaining the design philosophy behind the shoes, the environmentally friendly materials they use, or all the different color options available. Or perhaps you see a collection of glowing reviews from other customers.

Your Thought: “Oh, interesting. This brand has a real story, and so many people say the shoes are comfortable. I’ll go to their website to check them out and compare the price and style with other brands.”

The Ad’s Purpose: The goal here is not to force a sale. It is to give you more information and build your trust. This ad helps turn you from a stranger into a potential fan. It is watering the seed that was planted earlier.

Phase 3: Conversion – “This is the one. I’m buying it!”

Your Situation: You have already added the shoes to your online shopping cart, but you got distracted and forgot to check out. Later that evening, you see one more ad from the brand. This one has a bold headline: “For 24 Hours Only! Free shipping on all orders, plus a free pair of premium socks!”

Your Thought: “That’s a great deal! I was going to buy them anyway. No reason to wait.” You immediately click the link and complete your purchase.

The Ad’s Purpose: This ad has a very direct goal: to give you that final nudge to take action and place the order. It uses incentives like a special offer and scarcity (a limited time) to encourage you to finish the process. This is when the seed, which has now sprouted, finally bears fruit.

Why This Concept Is So Important for You

Once you understand these three distinct phases of the customer journey, you will see why so many newcomers fail with their ads. The single biggest mistake they make is trying to show a “Buy Now” conversion ad to someone who is still in the awareness phase and has no idea who they are.

Think about it like this: It would be like meeting a complete stranger on the street and proposing marriage before they even had a chance to respond to your hello. The outcome is predictable. You would simply scare them away.

Therefore, our advertising strategy must also align with these phases:

• For Strangers (Cold Audience): Our goal is awareness. We use exciting, interesting, or valuable content like videos and images to introduce ourselves.
• For People Showing Interest (Warm Audience): Our goal is consideration. We show them more detailed product information, customer reviews, and brand stories to build their trust.
• For People Ready to Buy (Hot Audience): Our goal is conversion. We use discounts, special offers, and other incentives to encourage them to complete the purchase.

Lesson Summary

The customer journey is the mental process a user goes through from first discovering your brand to finally buying your product.

It consists of three main phases: Awareness, Consideration, and Conversion.

To be successful, you must use different advertising content and strategies for users in each phase.

Great advertising is about delivering the right message to the right person at the right time.

Time for Reflection

I want you to think about the last item you bought online that was not a daily necessity. It could be a piece of clothing, a video game, or an online course.

• How did you first become aware of this product or brand? (Awareness)
• What research or comparisons did you make before deciding to buy? (Consideration)
• What was the final trigger that made you commit to the purchase? (Conversion)

Try to map out your own customer journey. Analyzing your own experience will give you a much deeper and more personal understanding of this powerful concept.