In the age of digital assistance, consumers plan before they experience, even if only for a moment. They want to know as much as they can about what they'll be getting into and minimize unwanted surprises. Google reports that 91% of mobile users search for information on their phones in the middle of a task for ideas or inspiration. Those "intent-rich moments when a person turns to a device to act on a need to know, go, do or buy" are called micro-moments.
Micro-moments aren't merely a trend but a shift in buyer behavior, making a huge impact on consumer decisions. Understanding those micro-moments are key to successfully delivering what people want, when they want it. And your brand will stand out among the crowd if you can anticipate these moments, provide relevant content, and deliver an optimized, consistent experience across channels.
The Four Major Micro-Moments
First, it's helpful to know the primary micro-moments that occur with consumers:
- Want to know moments: When a person wants to research to find information, not necessarily to purchase something
- Want to go moments: When someone is looking for a location, such as a local business
- Want to buy moments: When a person wants to make a purchase but needs suggestions for what to buy or how to buy it
- Want to do moments: When someone wants assistance completing a task or trying something new
Anticipate your customers' micro-moments
Your brand is unique, and your specific audience has a unique set of micro-moments. Figuring out what those moments are will help you better target your prospects. And that comes down to knowing your customer and investigating customer search intent.
Develop buyer personas and brainstorm the types of questions they might have. One helpful strategy to achieve this is to map your customer journey - even take the customer journey yourself. Then you can identify at which points they might want to search for information. You can also explore how frequently your brand or products have been searched and see trends people search for with this Google tool. It's about determining where mobile fits into your customers' decision-making process.
Other tools like Google Analytics allow you to pinpoint the search queries that are pulling people to your website. Google Analytics can identify your top referrers as well, like review websites, to help you see where consumers typically land during their micro-moments. One-third of smartphone users have purchased from a brand that wasn't their first choice because the company provided information when they needed it.
Ultimately, you want to find out where consumers are digitally in their moments of searching. Then, you can take steps to get your business there - and in the most positive light.
Provide relevant content
You can maximize micro-moments by providing useful information to help consumers make a final purchase decision. In addition to knowing what people are searching for, you also want to explore why, which will help you create relevant content. Nearly 75% of people will choose one brand over another if they regularly receive relevant information from them.
So consider the source of what is motivating your customers. Then, tailor your content to show how completely your products/services address those problems. Product reviews are helpful, as proven by the 35% increase in mobile searches for product reviews in the past few years. Aside from reviews, though, you can also teach consumers about what you have to offer or how to compare products. Make your brand the adviser, focusing on features that make your products/services seem unique and the best options.
Deliver an optimized, consistent experience
Since 90% of consumers don't have a specific brand in mind when they set out to make a purchase, even small, lesser-known companies can attract more business if they take the right steps to be noticeable and accessible to buyers. This means using a mobile-first approach.
Your website should be fast and easy to follow, featuring simple and targeted information. Some marketers make the mistake of overloading pages with text in hopes of being thorough. Instead, simplify with infographics, videos, and icons that steer buyers to learn and purchase with ease. You can also engage customers by creating trigger events to prompt people browsing your site to take a specific action. Optimized SEO will make your brand more visible and your company more accessible as well.
You can't afford not to prioritize the modern consumer's demand for immediacy. With a 12% drop in conversions for every second delay in site-loading time, people will find other companies to fulfill their needs if yours can't get the job done quickly. Your company's presence during those brief micro-moments can be the difference between failure and success. Simplify your user experience across all your channels to make the customer journey fast and seamless from discovery to purchase. This will keep buyers coming your way micro-moment after micro-moment.