How many marketing touchpoints does it take to convert?
One of the key questions that continues to perplex content marketers: how many touchpoints are necessary before a customer finally converts.
The bad and obvious news is that there is no single answer to this. The number of touch points you need to make will vary for a host of reasons. The main reason is usually price; those selling holidays, for example, will require more touch points than those selling stationary. There’s also seasonality, someone may be more likely to buy stationary in September as the kids go back to school than in July, and they might be more likely to book a holiday in January when daydreams of blue seas and white beaches abound, than in September (when the kids are going back to school). And while some sectors might benefit from a streamlined process, others require a more extended, strategic sequence of engagements to build trust and drive a sale. As businesses allocate more resources to digital marketing, understanding these nuances has become imperative for optimising return on investment (ROI).
Let’s delve into how the number of touchpoints required before conversion, depending on the industry, and what this means for marketers in terms of strategy, cost, and long-term customer relationships.
Defining a marketing touchpoint
A touchpoint can be understood as any interaction—direct or indirect—a consumer has with a brand on the way to making a purchase decision. These include digital ads, emails, social media interactions, product reviews, blog posts, or even word-of-mouth recommendations.
In today’s digital era, marketing funnels have evolved into more complex, multi-channel journeys. A consumer might encounter a brand across multiple channels, from a sponsored post on Instagram to an email newsletter, to a poster on the Tube before deciding to buy. But the frequency and combination of these touchpoints vary significantly across sectors.
B2B vs B2C’s diverging paths to conversion
One of the most profound distinctions in touchpoint strategies is between B2B (business-to-business) and B2C (business-to-consumer) industries.
In B2B markets, the customer journey tends to take longer and follow more intricate pathways. According to Hubspot, it takes around 6 to 8 marketing touchpoints before a potential customer books a demo or ‘talks to sales’.
This extended sequence is partly due to the complexity of the products or services being sold and the larger financial commitments involved. A decision to purchase enterprise software, for instance, may involve multiple decision-makers, requiring tailored content and several rounds of validation before approval. Trust and credibility play a critical role, and that requires more in-depth engagement, whether through webinars, case studies, or detailed whitepapers.
In contrast, B2C businesses—particularly in sectors with lower-cost, high-volume sales, like retail—usually operate with a faster, more fluid customer journey.
According to industry reports, a consumer might need 2 to 4 touchpoints before making a purchasing decision. E-commerce platforms, in particular, benefit from impulse purchases triggered by targeted ads and email marketing. Nevertheless, for luxury or high-involvement products like cars or house renovations, the number of touchpoints can rise significantly, reflecting the higher cost and the level of research a customer undertakes before committing.
Touchpoints in the financial services sector
Financial services provide an interesting case study for marketing touch points. Customers in this space typically require more nurturing due to the stakes involved—whether they’re choosing a mortgage product, opening a new investment account, or selecting an insurance policy. Recent surveys suggest that financial services customers, on average, engage with 7 to 12 touchpoints before engaging in the purchase process.
Trust and information are the most important messages to get across. Consumers will often interact with a combination of comparison websites, customer reviews, product videos, and direct consultations before reaching a final decision. Financial institutions that invest in long-term, educational content and relationship-building tools such as personalised newsletters, offer higher conversion rates than those that rely on isolated sales pitches.
Consumers expect more and better quality touch points
Another factor influencing the number of touchpoints is the evolution of consumer expectations. Today’s customers, regardless of sector, are more informed. With access to endless information, comparisons and opinions, they’re less likely to be swayed by the first piece of marketing they encounter. A typical consumer will now engage in extensive self-directed research across social platforms, review websites, and industry publications before making a decision.
A McKinsey report highlighted that 70% of consumers engage with brands across multiple channels before completing a purchase. This has made multi-channel marketing strategies essential. Acustomer in the travel industry might initially see a banner ad on Facebook, check prices on a comparison site, read a review on TripAdvisor, receive a follow-up email from the airline, and finally convert via the company’s mobile app. Each of these touchpoints plays a role in the final decision. Tracking this journey is another operational job in itself.
The role of personalisation and data
Increasingly, marketers are relying on data-driven insights to determine not just how many touchpoints a customer needs but also how to maximise the effectiveness of each interaction. Personalisation plays a critical role here. While a generic display ad might not resonate, a personalised recommendation based on previous browsing history or past purchases is far more likely to drive conversions.
In industries where competition is fierce—such as technology or retail—tailored messaging across touchpoints can drastically shorten the customer journey. Studies show that companies that leverage advanced personalisation achieve 20% higher conversion rates than those that don’t. This suggests that while the number of touchpoints remains important, the quality and relevance of those interactions are equally crucial.
Optimising the number of touchpoints
The optimal number of touchpoints is far from a one-size-fits-all metric. Instead, it must be tailored to both the industry and the specific characteristics of a company’s target audience.
For B2B firms, focusing on content-rich touchpoints that foster trust—such as detailed case studies, consultations, and testimonials—can be more effective than simply increasing the number of interactions. In B2C sectors, investing in retargeting campaigns and optimising the checkout process might be a more fruitful way to reduce the length of the sales funnel without losing potential customers.
Across all sectors, however, businesses should resist the temptation to overload consumers with too many touchpoints. Bombarding prospects with excessive, irrelevant interactions can lead to ‘touchpoint fatigue’, resulting in customers disengaging from the brand entirely.
The better the content the shorter the journey
So yes the number of touchpoints required to convert a customer varies significantly. And this might be down to industry, product complexity, and customer expectations. While B2B companies may need to nurture leads with 6 to 8 touchpoints, B2C firms often convert with fewer. However, the key to a successful marketing strategy is not just the number of touchpoints but their quality and relevance. Content that’s tailored to the audience’s needs will help shorten the journey significantly.
By carefully analysing data, personalising content, and striking the right balance between engagement and value, you can optimise your marketing strategy and conversion rates regardless of industry.
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