Today’s consumers aren’t in the habit of waiting for what they want; in the age of the smartphone, where information is at your fingertips and you can purchase virtually anything at the drop of a hat, businesses have the challenge of trying to keep up with this fast-paced consumerism and it isn’t easy.  A website that has a glitch and takes an extra couple seconds to load could mean the loss of a sale, or content that is produced with too many words and not enough images could be the reason why a buyer just keeps on scrolling.  Buyers demand instant gratification and brands only have a few seconds to capture their attention in the digital world. This is where micro-moments come into play.

What are Micro-Moments in Marketing and Where Do They Fit In?

Google believes that micro moments are essentially changing the way people consume media.  Before the age of mobile, people used to plan out their internet sessions and spend predictable chunks of time sitting at a desktop answering emails, researching, making purchases etc.  But with the addition of a smartphone which gives consumers 24/7 access to the Internet, this is no longer the case.  Instead, these predictable Internet sessions have been replaced by hundreds of fragmented interactions, or “micro-moments”, that take place throughout our daily lives.  There are purchase moments, research moments, learning moments, or as Google describes them “I want to know” moments, “I want to go” moments, and “I want to buy” moments, among others.  These are intense moments when consumers turn to their smartphone to make a decision and their expectations of the result are incredibly high.  Thus, if companies want to keep up and not get lost among the billions of content, ads, notifications, emails, videos and more that are present online, they need to change the way they view their marketing strategy.

 

Consumers spend an average of 4.7 hours a DAY on their smartphone, and they’re inundated with brands and products and marketing tactics during that time.  And instead of these strategies capturing a buyer’s attention, oftentimes they’re seen as an annoyance and a distraction from their desired activity.  I know I’ve left a website or closed an app many times if there were too many popups, or if what I was reading was constantly being interrupted by advertisements.  If you’re afraid this might also be the case for your consumers, check out this checklist from No Risk SEO to make sure your website is optimized and ready to go.  People want to make purchases, and they want to be sold to (even if they don’t realize it), but not in an overbearing, obnoxious way.  So the key to capturing their attention during these ultra short but important micro moments is to make sure what you’re offering is engaging, and that it has value.  You want to send a clear and concise message that is relevant and interesting to your target audience.  The quantity of your content isn’t nearly as important as the quality.  In fact, we recommend producing less content in favor of making sure that what you do produce is engaging and adds value to the lives of your audience.  Remember, expectations are high but patience is low.  If you’re struggling to produce quality content, check out this article by No Risk SEO on tools that can help you produce better content.

Value-Based Exchange and Micro-Moments in Marketing

 

Inc.com discusses the idea of a “value-based exchange” with your consumers.  One way to make sure they don’t scroll right past your brand is to ensure that they’re getting something out of the exchange.  This could be in the form of knowledge, discounts, coupons, exclusive experiences, or more.  Buyers just have too many options to choose from to settle for a company that isn’t willing to reward them for their time. “Many consumers aren’t committed to a specific brand. 90% of smartphone users are not absolutely certain of the specific brand they want to buy when they begin looking for information online.”  According to Google, of online consumers, 69% agree that the quality, timing, or relevance of a company’s message influences their perception of a brand.  So focus on those three important concepts: quality, timing, and relevance, and make sure they are at the center of your marketing campaign.  Here are some innovative content marketing examples that can inspire you to take your marketing strategy to the next level.

In addition to this, talk to your consumers and find out what influences their “I want to buy” micro moments.  Where are they?  What device are they on?  Do they start researching at one time and finish purchasing at another?  It’s imperative that you understand their micro moments before you can decide how to market to them.

Once you’ve figured out the timing and you have some valuable, relevant content to offer, make sure you make purchasing as easy as possible.  Don’t forget the “high expectations, low patience” mantra; no one has the desire to fill out long lead capture forms anymore.  If your customers have decided they want to buy in that moment, they need to have access in the same moment- an extra 30 seconds could mean the difference between a purchase or losing their attention and thus, your sale.

Wherever your buyer is looking, be there and be valuable!  There are an endless amount of opportunities in micro-marketing, so make sure your brand is taking advantage of them.

Have you had any experience with micro-moment marketing?  Comment in the section below!

Feature Image Credit: octos.com.au/blog/micro-moments-predicting-future/