"Active Search (High Intent) Triggers: Emergency business trip, family crisis, last-minute travel, vacation planning, relocating to new city Channels: Google Search ("cat sitter Hamburg"), Google Maps Mindset: "I need to solve my problem now. Who can help me?" Focus: Star ratings, review volume, pricing transparency, availability - whatever resolves their immediate constraint"
"Passive Discovery (Low Intent) Triggers: Positive impression without immediate need - Instagram reels, friend recommendations, ads, flyers Channels: Instagram, Facebook, referrals, physical advertising Mindset: "This seems interesting. I might need this someday. Is this legitimate?" Focus: Legitimacy check, often triggering validation across other channels"
"We zigzag across channels unpredictably, driven by whatever specific concern we're trying to resolve in that moment. Some people check channels multiple times and read every detail on the website, building a complete picture. Others land on a website, check the price, book. For the new website, I couldn't optimize for any single type of person because there isn't a single type of person. There's the midnight caller, the Instagram stalker, the friend-of-a-friend referral, the person who just moved to Hamburg, the one casually browsing while watching Netflix who doesn't even have a cat yet but might someday."
Different discovery modes create distinct user mindsets and information needs. Active Search users have high intent and seek immediate solutions; they prioritize ratings, reviews, price, and availability. Passive Discovery users encounter offerings casually and seek legitimacy and social proof across channels. Users move unpredictably between channels to resolve specific concerns, sometimes repeatedly cross-checking details, other times booking quickly after minimal checks. A single website must serve diverse discovery paths and personas by providing enough information and trust signals to let each visitor quickly confirm whether the service is a good match.
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