Searching for information on your smartphone can lead you to make purchases in ways you might not have imagined, whether it is food, entertainment, travel, or something else. While early search engines were built to deliver relevant results that could be handed to users with minimal interaction (think AOL keywords), we now live in an era where search needs to provide answers that meet the consumer exactly where they are — whether that’s their phone or desktop computer. And that means when users are searching for something specific, they expect — and need — a very personalized experience that links to micro-moments.
Micro-moments are moments of spontaneous interest. When users experience a micro-moment, they instantly seek more information through search. They shoot off a search query with their smartphone and limited screen real estate means a clear, concise answer is essential. There’s no room for clutter or you lose your chance at converting the user. Micro-moments give consumers the flexibility to interact with information however they choose — smartphones, desktops, smartwatches, or other connected devices are all opportunities for micro-moments. Thus, marketers must optimize their content to drive conversion rates across these platforms.
The concept of micro-moments was created by Google to help marketers understand the gaps in consumers' days which brands can fill. For example, when you’re planning a night out with friends to check out a new restaurant, you’re probably searching online for reviews, opening hours, and operating times. These all fall into the category of “in-the-moment” moments because they’re focused on that specific action at that specific time. The micro aspect comes into play in these instances because they are so specific — your moment of searching for a review may be only a few short seconds long.
Here are three micro-moments you need to know as a marketer:
I Want To Go Moments
You may have heard the term “showrooming.” It is one of those classic inbound marketing terms that refer to a consumer using a store’s search and comparison capabilities for product selection, viewing online pricing, and then purchasing the selected product from an online retailer. This is an example of when you want I-want-to-go moments to occur. What happens, though, when consumers don’t bother comparing your business to others? You have lost out on another potential sale.
Many times, consumers begin their online journey seeking a one-of-a-kind solution to a problem or issue. “I want to go” moments are opportunities for businesses to turn a customer’s interest into an online transaction. These are specific searches where consumers are seeking a location or near-term solution. For example, if you are trying to sell vacation travel packages, you can use an ad that reads: “I want to go …” with an arrow pointing down below the ad, then have another box pop up enticing them with details about your travel package and a link labeled “click here to get started.” The key to taking advantage of these moments is to convert warm leads into customers.
I Want To Know Moments
What is an “I want to know” moment? We all have them, those “I want to know” moments. An “I want to know” moment is a moment when someone doing something on the web is thinking, “I want to know…” at that time. Usually, it’s something they are currently curious about or interested in, and something they wouldn’t be able to find out unless they did a search at that very moment. Whether you’re searching for directions or buying new shoes, you want to know the answer. And you want to know it right away. If you are unfamiliar, “I want to know” moments occur when consumers are skeptical about the information they have just read or heard and seek more information to better verify its credibility.
Nowadays, many marketing content is personalized and people feel empowered to check its reliability. I-want-to-know moments are important in marketing because they help you view your customer as more than a name and address. Information discovery leads to new insights, new perspectives, and, ultimately, new decisions — often to buy something. These moments can be used to bind someone to your brand and get to know them as people rather than just customers. This will allow you to create better content as well because it’s not one size fits all but instead tailored to individual audiences.
I Want To Buy Moments
How do you keep your customer from losing interest right before they go through with a purchase? It’s not an easy task. After all, you only get one chance to make the sale, and if you blow it, your customer could end up doing business with the competition. Consider this: If you were searching for a specific product on Amazon during Black Friday weekend, what would make you abandon that item in search of a better deal?
With brands targeting their ads and offers to what users are searching for, it is more important than ever to have some type of understanding of the“I want to buy” moments. There’s an old saying that’s been around for quite some time—the customer is always right. And while that may be true, the truth behind it is that there is a lot of value in a customer who is about to make a purchase. In fact, if your goal as a marketer is to get your consumers to end up buying products and services from you, then figuring out how to reach them during the “I want to buy moments” is crucial. Beyond just being able to do so, we also want them to feel confident while doing so.