The RACE model (Reach, Act, Convert, Engage) is a marketing planning framework that maps the customer lifecycle into four stages, each with its own goals and KPIs, plus an opening Plan phase. Dave Chaffey developed it in 2010 at Smart Insights because many businesses were doing digital marketing without a strategic approach. Although it is usually called a digital framework, Chaffey designs it to cover online and offline channels together.
Set the overall integrated strategy, objectives and governance, including the resources the plan needs.
02
Reach and Act
Reach builds visibility and traffic across paid, owned and earned touchpoints. Act, short for interact, is separate from conversion: it is about the first interaction, such as a sign-up or a lead.
03
Convert
Move prospects to a sale through e-commerce or offline channels such as sales teams, stores or the phone.
04
Engage
Keep first-time buyers coming back with email, social and direct contact; measure repeat sales, active customers and recommendation.
Where you see it today
Reach when search answers first
In Pew Research Center’s March 2025 browsing data, U.S. Google users who saw an AI summary clicked a traditional result link in 8% of visits, against 15% for users who did not see one (Pew Research Center, 2025). Reach plans now have to count being cited inside the answer, not only the click.
Act with AI assistants
Chat assistants on sites and in apps now handle the first interaction: answering product questions and capturing leads. A study of a generative-AI assistant for 5,172 customer support agents found it raised issues resolved per hour by 15% on average (Brynjolfsson, Li and Raymond, 2023).
Convert inside the AI interface
In November 2025 Google began rolling out agentic checkout on Search, including AI Mode: it can buy a tracked item from eligible U.S. merchants on the shopper’s behalf after the shopper confirms (Google, 2025). The Convert stage can now happen without a visit to the merchant’s site.
Engage as the defensible stage
If AI answers take some of the top-of-funnel traffic, owned channels such as email lists, communities and apps carry more of the relationship. RACE’s Engage stage is where that audience is kept.
RACE vs other funnel frameworks
RACE (Chaffey)
StagesPlan, Reach, Act, Convert, Engage
Best used forAn integrated online and offline marketing plan with KPIs per stage
SOSTAC
StagesSituation, Objectives, Strategy, Tactics, Action, Control
Best used forWriting the full plan document; often paired with RACE
Best used forWeb analytics; Chaffey credits it as an influence on RACE
How to use it
Start with Plan: write one objective per stage and the KPI that proves it.
Audit Reach for AI answers: check whether your brand is cited in AI search summaries and assistants, not just ranked.
Give Act a clear next step on every page, such as a tool, a sample or a newsletter, rather than going straight to a sale.
Test Convert one variable at a time, and include offline paths such as sales calls and stores.
Report Engage monthly: active customers, repeat purchases and recommendation scores.
The Business Engineer lens
AI answers and agents are moving parts of Reach and Convert inside interfaces the brand does not own. The Business Engineer reads RACE as a map of which stages you still control, and puts investment where the relationship can be owned.
No. Chaffey says it has always been meant to manage online and offline communications together, especially in the Convert stage.
How does AI change the RACE model?
AI search summaries reduce clicks to websites, and agentic checkout lets purchases happen inside AI interfaces, so Reach and Convert increasingly happen on platforms the brand does not own.
Updated 6 October 2026: we refreshed 2 figures on this page, now taken from davechaffey.com. Anything we could not check against a current source keeps its original year, so you can see how old it is.
Latest figures · checked 6 October 2026
In its members’ resources, Smart Insights breaks the RACE framework down into 25 key digital communications activities that apply to most businesses, whatever their size or sector. davechaffey.com
Dan Bosomworth, marketing director at the time and co-founder of First10, created a popular RACE infographic in 2012, and Dave Chaffey updated it in 2015. davechaffey.com
RACE Framework
DescriptionThe RACE framework is a strategic model used in digital marketing to plan and execute marketing activities. It is an acronym that represents the key stages of a digital marketingstrategy: Reach, Act, Convert, and Engage.
Benefits– Provides a structured approach to digital marketing planning. – Helps in optimizing marketing strategies for better results. – Aligns marketing efforts with specific goals and stages.
Drawbacks– Requires consistent monitoring and adjustments to remain effective. – Can be resource-intensive, especially for continuous optimization. – Success depends on accurate data analysis and interpretation.
Applications– Digital marketing planning and strategy development. – Campaign management and execution. – Performance evaluation and optimization.
Examples– A clothing brand increases social media followers in the Reach phase. – An e-commerce site encourages newsletter sign-ups in the Act phase. – An online retailer optimizes the checkout process in the Convert phase. – A subscription-based service offers personalized content in the Engage phase.
Reach (R)
DescriptionThe first phase in the RACE model focuses on building brand awareness through various online and offline channels. It involves driving traffic to web presences like microsites, social media pages, and landing pages. Metrics for this stage include social media followers, value per visit, and unique website visitors. Benefits include building a wider audience and increasing brand visibility, but drawbacks may include high competition for audience attention and potential low conversion rates. This phase is used to attract potential customers and create brand recognition.
Examples– A clothing brand runs targeted ad campaigns to increase social media followers.
Act (A)
DescriptionThe Act phase aims to engage with visitors or prospects and persuade them to take specific actions, such as signing up or browsing products. Metrics include leads, lead conversion rates, shares, likes, and time spent on the site. Benefits involve encouraging user interactions and lead generation, while drawbacks include the fact that not all engaged users may convert, and strategies may need optimization. This phase is used for lead generation and nurturing potential customers.
Benefits– Encourages user interactions. – Facilitates lead generation.
Drawbacks– Not all engaged users may convert. – Strategies may need optimization.
Applications– Lead generation. – Nurturing potential customers.
Examples– An e-commerce website encourages website visitors to sign up for their newsletter.
Convert (C)
DescriptionThe Convert stage focuses on turning leads into paying customers, where they make a purchase or commit to a desired action. Metrics include average order value (AOV), online and offline sales, and revenue. Benefits include generating sales and revenue from converted leads, but drawbacks may include some leads not converting, and conversion rates can vary. This phase is applied to increase sales and drive revenue.
Benefits– Generates sales and revenue. – Drives revenue from converted leads.
Drawbacks– Some leads may not convert. – Conversion rates can vary.
Examples– An online retailer implements the Convert phase to boost online sales by optimizing their checkout process.
Engage (E)
DescriptionThe Engage phase revolves around building long-term relationships with first-time buyers to encourage repeat purchases and brand loyalty. Metrics include repeat purchases, customer retention, positive mentions, and Net Promoter Score (NPS). Benefits involve fostering customer loyalty and retention, but drawbacks may include the resource-intensive nature of engaging customers. This phase is used to build and maintain customer relationships and brand loyalty.
Drawbacks– Engaging customers can be resource-intensive.
Applications– Building and maintaining customer relationships. – Enhancing brand loyalty.
Examples– A subscription-based service offers personalized content to retain and engage existing subscribers.
Analysis
DescriptionThroughout the RACE framework, data and analytics play a crucial role in evaluating and optimizing marketing strategies. Various metrics and analytics tools are used at each stage to measure performance. Benefits include informed decision-making and performance improvement, but drawbacks may include the complexity of data analysis, and misinterpretation may lead to flawed strategies. Data analysis applies to all stages for continuous improvement.
Benefits– Informed decision-making. – Performance improvement through data-driven insights.
Drawbacks– Complexity of data analysis. – Misinterpretation may lead to flawed strategies.
Applications– Continuous performance evaluation and optimization.
Examples– Regularly analyzing customer feedback to make improvements based on their needs and preferences.
Understanding the RACE model
The RACE model is a framework that enables organizations to take a more structured, agile, and strategic approach to digital marketing.
Drawing by The Business Engineer.
FourWeekMBABusiness EngineerAt a glance
The RACE model provides a simple framework that is used to create a digital marketing plan that combines both online and offline communication.
Act is an abbreviation of interact and concerns persuading visitors or prospects to progress to the next step.
The final step deals with creating long-term relationships with first-time buyers that encourage repeat purchases and brand loyalty.
Layout and figures refreshed 6 October 2026. Sources are listed at the end of the article.
Why it mattersFrom the article
The RACE model is a framework that enables organizations to take a more structured, agile, and strategic approach to digital marketing.
A comprehensive approach covering all stages of the customer journey enhances campaign effectiveness and ROI.
By aligning digital marketing efforts with the RACE model, businesses can gain a competitive advantage in the digital landscape.
The RACE model provides a simple framework that is used to create a digital marketing plan that combines both online and offline communication.
Structured around the traditional marketing funnel, the model also possesses these characteristics:
Practical and action-oriented
The focus of the RACE model is on tactics and their implementation across multiple platforms.
Modern marketing activity integration
This includes paid, owned, and earned inbound marketing activities. Offline marketing activities are also considered.
Based on a performance improvement process
The model also encourages marketers to define, set, review, and analyze KPIs as part of a continuous optimization process.
Customer-centric
As we hinted at above, Chaffey’s model focuses on the customer lifecycle from awareness to conversion, repeat purchases, brand advocacy, and social sharing.
The four steps of the RACE model
The RACE model features four steps across the customer lifecycle that comprise the RACE acronym.
Reach (R)
DescriptionThe first phase in the RACE model focuses on building brand awareness through various online and offline channels. It involves driving traffic to web presences like microsites, social media pages, and landing pages. Reach can be optimized through paid, earned, and owned media channels. Key performance indicators (KPIs) for this stage include social media followers, value per visit, and unique website visitors.
Act (A)
DescriptionThe Act phase aims to engage with visitors or prospects and persuade them to take specific actions. For B2B businesses, this often means lead generation, while for consumers, it could involve actions like searching for products, registering, or reading content. Providing value through lead magnets and encouraging content sharing are essential strategies. KPIs include leads, lead conversion rates, shares, likes, and time spent on the site.
Convert (C)
DescriptionThe Convert stage focuses on turning leads into paying customers. It’s crucial to recognize that many strategies may have initially low conversion rates. A/B split tests can help identify the most effective approaches, such as testing different calls to action (CTAs) on landing pages. Surveying the target audience to create data-driven customer profiles is also valuable. KPIs in this phase include average order value (AOV), online and offline sales, and revenue.
Engage (E)
DescriptionThe Engage phase revolves around building long-term relationships with first-time buyers to encourage repeat purchases and brand loyalty. Companies should interact with buyers through channels like social media, email, SMS, phone, live chat, and online communities. Enhancing the customer experience is essential. Key KPIs include repeat purchases, customer retention, positive mentions, and Net Promoter Score (NPS) determined through customer satisfaction surveys.
Some interpretations of the model also feature an initial planning step where the digital strategy and its SMART objectives are formulated.
Below we have provided an explanation of the four steps:
Reach (R)
The first step is to build awareness of a brand and its products and services over online and offline channels.
Traffic should be sent to different web presences such as microsites, social media pages, and landing pages.
Reach can be maximized by the utilization of paid, earned, and owned media.
Relevant KPIs include social media followers, value per visit, and unique website visitors.
Act (A)
Act is an abbreviation of interact and concerns persuading visitors or prospects to progress to the next step.
For B2B businesses, this normally entails lead generation.
For the average consumer, actions may encompass searching for a product, viewing a product, registering as a new member, or reading a blog post.
In either case, a lead magnet that provides value to the prospect is a good way to encourage the start of a relationship.
Marketers also need to develop ways to encourage prospects to share their content with others.
KPIs for this step include leads, lead conversion rate, shares, likes, and time on site.
Convert (C)
This step describes the process of transforming a lead into a paying customer.
It’s important to note that most businesses will not hit a home run on the first attempt, with many strategies experiencing low conversion rates.
To determine the course of action that most resonates with the target audience, A/B split tests can be used to analyze strategy variants.
Different CTAs on a landing page, for example, could be split tested to identify the one that converts the best.
Alternatively, the marketing team can survey its target audience to build a detailed, data-driven customer profile for each segment.
KPIs include average order value (AVO), online sales, offline sales, and revenue.
Engage (E)
The final step deals with creating long-term relationships with first-time buyers that encourage repeat purchases and brand loyalty.
At the very least, the company should interact with buyers via social media and email.
But many are also turning to SMS, phone, live chat, and online communities to build customer lifetime value.
In addition to initiatives that improve customer experience, relevant KPIs here include repeat purchases, customer retention, and positive mentions.
Customer satisfaction surveys should also be used to determine Net Promoter Score (NPS).
Drawbacks of Using the RACE Model
While the RACE model is a valuable framework for digital marketing, it has some limitations and potential drawbacks:
1. Simplified Framework
The RACE model simplifies the complex digital marketing landscape, potentially overlooking nuances specific to individual businesses or industries.
2. Potential Overemphasis on Metrics
Focusing solely on metrics at each stage may lead to a quantitative approach, potentially neglecting qualitative aspects of customer engagement.
3. Rapid Changes in Digital Marketing
The digital marketing landscape evolves quickly, and the RACE model may not always keep pace with emerging trends and technologies.
4. Resource Intensive
Implementing all elements of the RACE model may require significant resources, including technology, personnel, and marketing tools.
5. Risk of Over-Automation
Excessive reliance on automation tools in the Convert and Engage stages may depersonalize customer interactions.
When to Use the RACE Model
The RACE model is valuable in various scenarios within digital marketing:
1. Campaign Planning
Use the RACE model when planning digital marketing campaigns to ensure a comprehensive approach that covers all stages of the customer journey.
2. Performance Evaluation
Employ the model to assess the effectiveness of ongoing digital marketing efforts and identify areas for improvement.
3. Strategy Alignment
The RACE model helps align digital marketing strategies with broader business goals and objectives.
4. Competitive Analysis
Utilize the model to analyze and benchmark your digital marketing efforts against competitors in the digital landscape.
How to Use the RACE Model
Implementing the RACE model effectively involves several key steps:
1. Reach (R)
Identify target audiences and personas.
Select the most relevant digital channels for reaching your audience.
Develop content and campaigns to increase brand awareness and reach potential customers.
2. Act (A)
Encourage interactions and engagement with your audience through actions like clicks, likes, shares, or comments.
Create compelling and relevant content that motivates users to take action.
Employ email marketing, social media, and other channels to drive user engagement.
3. Convert (C)
Optimize conversion paths on your website or landing pages to facilitate user actions like sign-ups, downloads, or purchases.
Implement conversion rate optimization (CRO) strategies to improve the likelihood of users taking desired actions.
Use tools like A/B testing to refine conversion elements.
4. Engage (E)
Build and maintain relationships with existing customers through personalized content, email marketing, and social media engagement.
Solicit feedback and conduct surveys to understand customer needs and preferences.
Encourage repeat purchases and brand loyalty through loyalty programs or exclusive offers.
What to Expect from Implementing the RACE Model
Implementing the RACE model in digital marketing can lead to several outcomes and benefits:
1. Improved Campaign Effectiveness
A comprehensive approach covering all stages of the customer journey enhances campaign effectiveness and ROI.
2. Enhanced Customer Engagement
The RACE model fosters meaningful engagement with customers, leading to stronger relationships and brand loyalty.
3. Data-Driven Decision-Making
By tracking and analyzing metrics at each stage, businesses can make data-driven decisions and optimize digital marketing strategies.
4. Better Understanding of Customer Behavior
The model provides insights into customer behavior and preferences, enabling more targeted marketing efforts.
5. Increased Conversions and Revenue
Efficiently guiding customers through the RACE stages can lead to higher conversion rates and increased revenue.
6. Competitive Advantage
By aligning digital marketing efforts with the RACE model, businesses can gain a competitive advantage in the digital landscape.
In conclusion, the RACE model is a valuable framework for digital marketing, helping businesses plan and execute effective campaigns across the customer journey.
While it has its drawbacks and complexities, understanding when to use it and how to apply it effectively can lead to improved campaign effectiveness, customer engagement, and data-driven decision-making.
By following the steps outlined in the model and recognizing its potential benefits and drawbacks, organizations can leverage the RACE model to enhance their digital marketing strategies and achieve their goals.
Case Studies
Social Media Awareness Campaign: A tech startup launches an awareness campaign on LinkedIn and Twitter to introduce its innovative product to a professional audience. The campaign utilizes sponsored posts and industry-specific hashtags to maximize reach and attract potential customers.
Influencer Partnerships: A cosmetics brand collaborates with beauty influencers on YouTube and Instagram to showcase its new makeup line. These influencers have a large following, allowing the brand to reach a broader audience interested in beauty products.
Local Event Promotion: A restaurant promotes a special event on Facebook and through email marketing to reach its local customer base. By targeting the event to the restaurant’s loyal patrons, it ensures a strong turnout and increased awareness within the community.
Interactive Product Demos: An electronics retailer offers interactive product demonstrations on its website, allowing customers to virtually explore and interact with the latest gadgets. Visitors can ask questions and make informed decisions, leading to higher conversion rates.
Chatbot Engagement: An e-commerce store integrates a chatbot on its website to assist customers with product recommendations, answer inquiries, and guide them through the purchase process. The chatbot’s proactive engagement increases user interactions and conversions.
User-Generated Content Contests: A sports equipment brand launches a user-generated content contest on social media, encouraging customers to share photos and videos of their experiences using the brand’s products. This action not only fosters engagement but also generates authentic content for marketing purposes.
Cart Abandonment Recovery: An online fashion retailer implements an email recovery strategy for abandoned shopping carts. It sends personalized emails to customers who left items in their carts, offering discounts or incentives to complete their purchases, leading to higher conversion rates.
Lead Scoring and Segmentation: A software-as-a-service (SaaS) company uses lead scoring and segmentation to prioritize leads based on their engagement level and readiness to buy. This strategy allows the sales team to focus on high-potential leads, resulting in more conversions.
Free Trial to Paid Subscription: A cloud storage provider offers a free trial of its premium service to attract users. By providing a seamless transition from the free trial to a paid subscription, the company successfully converts free users into paying customers.
Personalized Email Campaigns: An online bookstore engages its customers through personalized email campaigns. These emails recommend books based on customers’ previous purchases and preferences, encouraging them to return to the store and make additional purchases.
Customer Feedback and Surveys: An automobile manufacturer actively seeks feedback from its customers through surveys and online forums. This engagement not only shows customers that their opinions matter but also helps the company improve its products and services.
Social Media Community: A health and wellness brand cultivates an engaged social media community where customers share their fitness journeys and challenges. The brand regularly interacts with its community, provides support, and acknowledges achievements, fostering long-term loyalty.
Key takeaways
The RACE model is a framework that enables organizations to take a more structured, agile, and strategic approach to digital marketing.
The RACE model provides a simple framework that combines online and offline communication channels. It is practical, action-oriented, customer-centric, and KPI-focused.
The RACE model is an acronym for four stages: reach, act, convert, and engage. Collectively, the stages loosely represent the customer progression through a traditional marketing funnel.
Key Highlights
RACE Model Introduction: The RACE model was developed by Dave Chaffey in 2010 to address the lack of structured digital marketing plans in businesses. It offers a framework for organizations to approach digital marketing in a more strategic and organized manner.
Framework Overview: The RACE model is a framework that blends both online and offline communication channels to create a comprehensive digital marketing plan. It follows the traditional marketing funnel and emphasizes practical tactics, modern marketing integration, performance improvement, and customer-centricity.
Key Characteristics:
Practical and Action-Oriented: Focuses on actionable tactics across various platforms.
Modern Marketing Integration: Includes paid, owned, and earned inbound marketing, even considering offline activities.
Performance Improvement Process: Encourages defining, setting, reviewing, and analyzing Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for continuous optimization.
Customer-Centric: Concentrates on the customer lifecycle from awareness to brand advocacy and social sharing.
Four Steps of the RACE Model:
Reach (R): Create brand awareness through online and offline channels, utilizing paid, earned, and owned media. Key metrics include social media followers, value per visit, and unique website visitors.
Act (A): Interact with visitors, encouraging them to take actions such as registering, viewing products, or sharing content. Key metrics include leads, lead conversion rate, shares, likes, and time on site.
Convert (C): Transform leads into paying customers using strategies like A/B split tests or data-driven customer profiling. Key metrics include average order value, online/offline sales, and revenue.
Engage (E): Build long-term relationships with customers, encouraging repeat purchases and loyalty. Utilize social media, email, SMS, live chat, and more. Key metrics include repeat purchases, customer retention, and positive mentions.
Planning Step: Some interpretations of the RACE model include an initial planning step where the digital strategy and SMART objectives are established.
Key Takeaways:
The RACE model is a structured approach to digital marketing created by Dave Chaffey.
It integrates online and offline communication channels for a comprehensive plan.
The model focuses on Reach, Act, Convert, and Engage stages.
Key metrics are crucial for evaluating performance at each stage and optimizing the strategy.
The RACE model emphasizes customer-centricity and continuous improvement in digital marketing efforts.
Gennaro Cuofano is a CRO and tech executive who has worked in AI since late 2015, starting with bringing NLP, natural-language generation, voice and chatbot products to the marketing industry. His background is in law and finance: he holds a Master's degree in Law and an International MBA with an emphasis on corporate finance (LUISS Business School and the University of San Diego, 2012), and worked as a financial analyst at a real-estate investment firm in San Diego and as an assistant controller. His work focuses on business model strategy, business engineering and, more broadly, structural analysis: how companies make money, read from their own filings. He created FourWeekMBA and leads research there and at The Business Engineer, his newsletter on AI and business strategy, with over 95,000 subscribers and more than 1,000 published analyses. His writing has also appeared on Entrepreneur (for example, How to Digitize a Family Business in Europe) and HackerNoon. Find him on LinkedIn and Substack. See how we source.
