Brand consideration

What is brand consideration?

Brand consideration is the middle stage of the marketing funnel where potential customers actively evaluate your brand as a possible solution to their needs. It sits between awareness (when customers first discover your brand) and conversion (when they make a purchase decision). During this crucial phase, consumers are comparing options, weighing benefits, and determining if your brand deserves a place in their final decision set. Unlike awareness, which focuses on recognition, consideration measures intent and interest—signaling that consumers see your brand as a viable contender worth their time and attention.

How does brand consideration impact purchase decisions?

Brand consideration directly influences purchase decisions by determining which options make it to a consumer's "short list." When your brand achieves strong consideration, you're positioned as a legitimate choice when customers are ready to buy, dramatically increasing your conversion potential. Brands with high consideration rates convert at 4-5 times the rate of those with low consideration, even with identical awareness levels. This impact is especially pronounced for high-involvement purchases where consumers deliberately evaluate alternatives before committing. Without consideration, even well-known brands fall out of contention during the decision process, essentially removing them from purchase possibilities regardless of awareness or marketing spend.

What metrics measure brand consideration effectively?

Consideration rate measures the percentage of your aware audience that would consider purchasing from your brand. This core metric reveals how successfully you're converting awareness into interest. Competitive comparison metrics track how often consumers evaluate your brand alongside competitors, indicating your position in the consideration set. Engagement depth metrics like time spent with content, return visits, and product comparison activities signal active evaluation. Website behaviors such as pricing page visits, feature comparisons, and configuration tools usage reflect consideration intent. Additionally, consideration can be measured through survey research asking consumers which brands they would consider for specific purchase occasions.

How can you increase brand consideration?

To increase brand consideration, clearly communicate your unique value proposition and how it addresses specific customer pain points better than alternatives. Leverage social proof through customer testimonials, reviews, and case studies to build credibility during the evaluation phase. Create comparison content that favorably positions your offerings against competitors while addressing common decision criteria. Develop middle-funnel content like buying guides, detailed product information, and interactive tools that support evaluation. Retarget aware audiences with consideration-focused messaging that deepens engagement rather than repeating awareness messages. Finally, optimize digital touchpoints to facilitate comparison, making it easy for consumers to understand your advantages without creating friction in their evaluation process.

Why is brand consideration often overlooked in marketing strategies?

Brand consideration is frequently overlooked because it's harder to measure than awareness (which has clear metrics like reach and recall) and conversion (which ties directly to revenue). Many marketing teams organize their efforts and budgets around the top and bottom of the funnel, leaving the middle stages underfunded. Digital marketing's emphasis on direct response and attribution models has further shifted focus toward immediate conversion activities rather than nurturing consideration. Additionally, consideration requires more nuanced, personalized content that's costlier to produce than broad awareness campaigns. This creates a strategic blind spot where brands invest heavily in getting noticed and closing sales, but underinvest in the critical evaluation phase that connects these endpoints in the customer journey.