See Think Do Care Model

The See Think Do Care Model is a marketing framework developed by Google's Avinash Kaushik that divides customers into four phases based on their intent and distance to purchase. In the See phase, people discover your category, in Think they consider options, in Do they are ready to buy, and in Care they remain as repeat customers. The model helps divide your marketing efforts and budgets logically among these four groups, so you focus not only on direct sales but also on awareness and customer retention.

How the See Think Do Care Model works in practice

The model works with four concentric circles, with See being the largest group and Do the smallest. In the See phase, you reach people who don't yet know they have a problem or that your solution exists. Think of someone scrolling through social media who happens to see an article about sustainable packaging. In the Think phase, people actively compare options: they google "best ecommerce store platform for food" or read reviews. The Do phase is small but valuable: these are people who have "buy now" in their search term or already have products in their shopping cart. Care focuses on existing customers who you want to retain, keep coming back or make ambassadors. For each of these groups, you choose different channels, content and messages.

Why the See Think Do Care Model came about and why it matters now

Avinash Kaushik developed the model in response to the traditional marketing funnel, which was too linear and too focused on the bottom line. Many companies threw all their budget at keywords with buying intent, while neglecting the upper stages. The result: an ever-shrinking pool of potential customers and rising advertising costs. The See Think Do Care Model forces marketers to invest in all phases, from brand awareness to customer retention. In the Dutch SME context, this is especially relevant: many companies compete in saturated markets where brand awareness and trust make the difference between a click and a scroll.

What the See Think Do Care Model delivers for SMEs

For an SMB, this model makes your marketing budget more efficient and predictable. You stop guessing which channel works and start allocating resources strategically:YouTube videos and blogs for See, comparison content and white papers for Think, SEO-optimized landing pages for Do, and email campaigns or loyalty programs for Care. For example, an ecommerce store selling organic cosmetics could use TikTok content for “See,” blog articles about ingredients for “Think,” product pages with reviews for “Do,” and a birthday discount via email for “Care.” The model also helps interpret analytics: a high bounce rate on a “See” page isn’t a problem, but it is on a “Do” page. This way, you turn individual tactics into a cohesive content strategy that supports long-term growth.

You can apply the See Think Do Care Model to virtually any marketing channel and any type of business, from an ecommerce store to a B2B service provider. Its strength lies in translating the model into concrete campaigns, budget decisions, and content types that align with your target audience’s intent at every stage.

Content planning and channel distribution by phase

Many SMEs publish content without a clear purpose. With the See Think Do Care Model, you give each piece of content a function. For See, you create broad, inspirational content such as how-to videos, infographics or guest blogs that help your target audience without selling directly. For example, a solar panel installation company creates a "What will energy cost in 2025?" video without branding prominently. For Think, you write comparison articles, case studies or product guides: "Solar panels for a row house: mono or poly?" In the Do phase, you bet on landing pages with clear call-to-actions, quote forms and live chat. Care content consists of customer stories, maintenance manuals and exclusive offers for existing customers. By planning this division in advance, you avoid creating only Do content and keeping your brand unknown.

Adjust budget allocation and ROI expectations

A common mistake is putting all ad budget into Google Ads on keywords with high buying intent. Those keywords are expensive and competition is cutthroat. The See Think Do Care Model shows that you should also invest in the upper phases, even if they don't deliver immediate sales. A good rule of thumb for SMEs: divide your budget roughly 30% See, 25% Think, 30% Do and 15% Care. See campaigns are measured on reach and brand awareness, Think on engagement and time on page, Do on conversions and Care on repeat purchase rate. A sports nutrition ecommerce store can use Facebook ads for See (broad target audience, low CPC), YouTube pre-roll for Think ("Which protein powder suits you?"), Google Shopping for Do, and an email stream with supplement advice for Care. With this mix, you avoid depending on one expensive channel and build a more stable customer flow.

Customer segmentation and personalization in email marketing

In email marketing, you can use the model to segment your list and send relevant messages. New newsletter subscribers are often in the See or Think phase: send them educational content, not a discount code right away. People who have left a shopping cart are in Do: send a reminder with social proof such as reviews. Existing customers in the Care phase get exclusive tips, early access to new products or a birthday discount. A B2B software company can send leads who download a white paper (Think) a drip campaign with case studies, while demo applicants (Do) get direct contact from sales. This segmentation increases open rates and conversions because you match the recipient's intent, not your sales agenda.

When the See Think Do Care Model is the right choice and when it is not

The model works best for companies with a longer customer journey and multiple touchpoints, such as ecommerce stores, SaaS services or B2B service providers. It is less suitable if you serve a very niche market with immediate demand and little competition, or if your product are impulse purchases without consideration. A butcher in a village square does not need a See campaign; an online butcher with nationwide shipping does. Even with very limited budgets (under €500 per month), it is difficult to serve all four phases; in that case, focus on Think and Do first. The model also requires discipline: you must be willing to invest in content and channels that don't directly generate revenue, but do build your brand. If you only want to advertise on direct ROI, a pure performance model is easier, but more expensive and vulnerable in the long run.