Making Micro-Moments Count ~@tamicann
Our love affair with smart devices has turned the traditional marketing world upside-down. The radical shift in the marketing landscape has transformed the way consumers read, view and buy just about everything. Brands must capture an interested audience within seconds. Google calls this approach “micro-moments.”
Let’s go back to the traditional ways we used to create a consumer message. Historically, marketing messages were detailed with pain points, explanations, a reason to buy, and a call to action. Now when you think about how we use our smartphones, it’s easy to see why there’s a disconnect. We are on our smartphones hundreds of times per day. We’re checking email, chatting with friends, and being “social” on various platforms. But these seemingly frivolous moments also are important times because they are the “I want” and “I need” times.
• I want to-do
• I need-to-know
• I want-to-buy
Each of these “I want” times involves billions of searches, interactions and viewing. They are each critical moments during the decision making process. Consider this shift like serving 5 smaller snacks to your customers throughout the day instead of one large meal. You are still giving the people what they want – but in snackable portions.
The average consumer already exists in the micro-moment. It’s up to us as marketers to recognize and accommodate them by delivering messages that communicate to their needs at any given moment. It comes down to giving your customers what they want at the exact moment that they’re interested. According to The Wall Street Journal, “There are no longer just a few sporadic “a-ha!” moments of truth; now there are countless moments that matter. If you haven't read it already, make sure to put Google's playbook on your summer reading list, "Micro-Moments: Your Guide to Winning the Shift to Mobile."
Impeccable timing can positively influence how consumers feel about your brand. Today's consumers will use their phone within a store rather than look for a store clerk to ask questions. If you’re one of the companies who can add value during a shopping “moment,” you’re on the right track. Brands need to carefully consider the quality, timing, relevance and usefulness of their marketing. Ultimately, whoever does the best job of addressing the user’s need in-the-moment, wins.
Remaining competitive in targeting through advertising requires insights that are minutes or seconds old, not months or years. If your ad agency is setting keywords in January and sending you monthly reports, you are likely behind the curve here! When you use micro-moments to change how you buy media and serve up content, you can start to communicate during the time that your customers are likely to buy. Understanding consumer patterns should be your top priority, and micro-moments can help you to convey information in a relevant, real way.
So if the battle for hearts and mind is won in micro-moments, ask yourself, are both your content creation and media strategy designed to capture them?
