On this page (15)
- What is the consideration stage?
- The 5 questions customers ask during consideration
- Content that builds trust
- Detailed service and product pages
- Reviews and testimonials
- Case studies and before-and-after examples
- Comparison and “how to choose” guides
- FAQs and explainer videos
- Free lead magnets
- How to stay top of mind while they compare
- How to measure consideration
- Common consideration mistakes
- What comes next
- Key takeaways
- Want more prospects to choose you over competitors?
This is part 2 of our 4-part funnel series. Start with What Is a Marketing Funnel? or read part 1, Awareness Stage Marketing.
Someone has noticed your business. Maybe they saw your Reel, found you on Google Maps or read one of your blog posts. Now they’re doing what every careful customer does: comparing.
They’re checking your reviews, looking at your competitors, asking friends and wondering, “Can I trust these people?”
This is the consideration stage, the middle of the marketing funnel. It’s where most small businesses quietly lose customers, not because they’re worse than competitors, but because they don’t give people enough reasons to feel confident.
This guide explains what customers need during consideration, what content builds trust, how to stay in touch while they decide, and how to measure it.
In this post:
- What the consideration stage is
- The 5 questions every customer is asking
- Content that builds trust
- How to stay top of mind while they compare
- How to measure consideration
What is the consideration stage?
The consideration stage is when a potential customer knows they have a need, knows you exist, and is actively weighing up their options.
They’re not ready to buy yet, but they’re getting close. Your job is to:
- Answer their questions before they have to ask
- Prove you can deliver what you promise
- Make it easy to stay in touch while they decide
Pro tip: At this stage, the business that explains things most clearly often wins, even if it isn’t the cheapest. Confusion feels risky, and clarity feels safe.
The 5 questions customers ask during consideration
Almost every customer, for almost every business, is quietly asking these questions:
| Question | What they really mean | How to answer it |
|---|---|---|
| “Can you solve my problem?” | Do you do exactly what I need? | Detailed service or product pages, with specifics |
| “Have you done it before?” | Do you have experience with people like me? | Case studies, portfolios, before-and-after examples |
| “What do other customers say?” | Can I trust you? | Google reviews, testimonials, video reviews |
| “How are you different?” | Why you and not someone else? | A clear comparison, your process, guarantees |
| “What will it cost and what happens next?” | Is this affordable and simple? | Pricing guides, packages, a clear step-by-step process |
If your website, social profiles and WhatsApp replies answer all five, you’re ahead of most competitors.
Content that builds trust
Detailed service and product pages
A single “Services” page with a list of bullet points isn’t enough. Give each main service its own page that explains who it’s for, what’s included, how it works, how long it takes and what it roughly costs.
Reviews and testimonials
Reviews are often the deciding factor. Show them on your website, share them on social media and reply to them on Google. A short video testimonial from a real customer can be especially convincing. Only use real reviews, with permission where needed.
Case studies and before-and-after examples
Show real work and real results. For a renovation business, that might be photos of a kitchen before and after. For a coaching institute, it might be a student’s journey. Keep claims accurate and avoid promising results you can’t guarantee.
Comparison and “how to choose” guides
Help people make a good decision, even if it isn’t always you. Guides like “How to choose a physiotherapist” or “Solar panels: on-grid vs off-grid” build trust because they feel helpful rather than salesy.
FAQs and explainer videos
Collect the questions people ask on WhatsApp, calls and DMs, and answer them on your website and in short videos. This saves you time and reassures customers who prefer to research quietly.
Free lead magnets
Offer something useful in exchange for an email address or WhatsApp number, such as a checklist, price guide, sample, free consultation or a short assessment. This turns an anonymous visitor into someone you can follow up with.
How to stay top of mind while they compare
People rarely decide in one visit. They come back days or weeks later, often after seeing you again. These tools help you stay in the picture:
- Retargeting ads: Show ads on Facebook, Instagram, Google or YouTube to people who visited your website, watched your videos or engaged with your page. Use these ads for reviews, case studies and answers to common doubts, not just “Buy now”.
- Email nurture sequences: Send a short series of helpful emails to people who download your lead magnet. Our marketing automation guide covers how to set this up.
- WhatsApp follow-ups: For people who have opted in, a friendly check-in with a useful tip or answer can bring them back. See our WhatsApp marketing playbook.
- Consistent social posting: Regular posts mean you keep appearing in their feed while they think it over.
Pro tip: Keep retargeting audiences fresh and frequency reasonable. Seeing the same ad again and again for weeks can annoy people rather than persuade them.
How to measure consideration
Consideration is about engagement and interest. Track:
| Metric | Where to find it | What it tells you |
|---|---|---|
| Visits to service and pricing pages | Google Analytics | Whether people are seriously researching you |
| Time on page and pages per visit | Google Analytics | Whether your content answers their questions |
| Lead magnet sign-ups | Your email platform, forms or WhatsApp | How many people want to stay in touch |
| Email open and click rates | Your email platform | Whether your nurture emails are helpful |
| Enquiries and quote requests | Forms, calls, WhatsApp | How many people are moving towards a decision |
| New Google reviews | Google Business Profile | Whether your social proof is growing |
If lots of people visit your service pages but very few enquire, your pages probably aren’t answering one of the five questions above.
Common consideration mistakes
- Thin service pages. If customers can’t find the details they need, they’ll find them on a competitor’s site.
- Hiding prices completely. You don’t always need exact prices, but a starting price or typical range builds trust.
- No social proof. A great business with no visible reviews looks riskier than an average one with many.
- Retargeting with the same ad as before. Use retargeting to answer doubts, not to repeat your first message.
- Slow replies. People comparing several businesses often go with the first helpful reply.
What comes next
When customers have the information and trust they need, they’re ready to choose. That’s the decision stage, where you make saying yes as easy and low-risk as possible. Read part 3: Decision Stage Marketing: How to Turn Interested Prospects Into Customers.
Key takeaways
- ✅ Consideration is when customers compare options and look for reasons to trust you
- ✅ Answer the five questions: can you solve it, experience, reviews, difference and cost
- ✅ Build detailed service pages, reviews, case studies and helpful guides
- ✅ Offer a useful lead magnet so you can follow up
- ✅ Use retargeting, email and WhatsApp to stay in the picture
- ✅ Track service page visits, sign-ups, enquiries and reviews
Want more prospects to choose you over competitors?
Consideration is where trust is built or lost. The right content and follow-ups make you the obvious choice.
BananaBlocks Solutions helps small and growing businesses build trust at every step, from service pages and case studies to retargeting campaigns and email and WhatsApp follow-ups.
Book a free 30-minute strategy call and we’ll review how your business looks to customers who are comparing their options.
Written by
Andrew Akshat
Writes for the BananaBlocks team about websites, SEO and digital growth for small and growing businesses.
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