Live in the Micro-Moment: How small moments lead to big marketing successes
We need answers, and we need them now! No, not the answer to “what is the meaning of life.” We’re talking about simpler answers than that. With smartphones and search engines at our fingertips, it’s easier and faster than ever to get the information we need when we need it. For the vast majority of people, this is great! Having car problems? Ask Siri, “Where can I get my car fixed?” Need a new laptop? As Google, “What are the best laptops for gamers?” You can find any info at a moment’s notice, and settle on a brand faster. For marketers, this presents a bit of a problem – if people aren’t following traditional buyer journeys anymore, how can we effectively reach potential customers (and retain our existing ones)? And that, friends, is why we need to start living in the micro-moment.
So what are micro-moments anyway? Micro-moments are those times when a consumer is asking a very specific question to get a very specific answer. Think about it this way: you and your friends decide you want pizza after a movie. So what do you do? You break out your iPhone or Android and ask Google, “who has the best cheese pizza?” Yes, we’ve all done it. THAT is the micro-moment! And believe it or not, how you market your brand to be prepared for these micro-moments can really help your brand’s success.
91% of people use their smartphone in the middle of a task to find an answer
In this digital age of instant gratification, people are looking for answers now. Not only are people looking for answers quickly, they are looking for the best of the best recommendations. These high expectations and short attention spans can really make it difficult for brands to figure out how to attract and keep people’s attention, whether it’s potential customers or existing ones. With brands constantly fighting one another to stay on top and digital trends changing everyday, how can you set your brand up for success?
The answer is simple: the sales funnel. The linear sales funnel that has been the core of all marketing and sales isn’t quite the same as it used to be. For one, buyer behavior has changed primarily because of information being so readily available. People just don’t have the patience to go through every stage of the sales funnel anymore. Instant gratification pushes them to jump towards the end. For brands, this means that you need to present that compelling sales pitch faster. And remember – you’re competing with several other brands for that customer’s attention. So whatever you say has to be attention grabbing and highly effective.
Timing is everything
Setting up your marketing efforts to cater to potential micro-moments might seem like a daunting task. The challenge that you’ll face is putting yourself in the customer’s shoes, thinking about what kinds of questions they might ask themselves to get to your product. Still very similar to the sales funnel, but you are looking for that one question that will bring them to your product or service faster. A good place to start is with this thought: most customers aren’t settled on a brand when they start their micro-moment buyer journey. If they’re asking the question, chances are they’re looking for someone to guide them towards the answers. Your goal is to be there when your customers need you. Adopting a consumer mindset will help you get ahead of (and stay in!) the competition.
Micro-moment marketing isn’t just about directly affecting your sales – it also can do wonders for your brand awareness, too. For example: maybe you don’t have a well known brand, but you understand your customers. Using your consumer mindset, you can curate your marketing to specifically answer questions your customers look for when they’re looking for products or services like yours. You can develop an SEO strategy around that, use those keyphrases so that you turn up in the search results, and bam – suddenly your brand is in front of eyes that it wasn’t before. I know what you’re thinking, That doesn’t guarantee a new customer. Well, no, it doesn’t. But the fact of the matter is when prospective customers are asking questions in these micro-moments, they aren’t quite sure what they’re looking for (remember the 91%? See above.) And your job is to get your brand in front of the right customers at the right time. The customer has to do the rest. Not to worry though – there are still a few questions you can ask yourself to use micro-moments to their fullest potential and point your customer in the right (read: in your) direction.
SEO and Brand Messaging are the keys to the Micro-Moments castle
Your marketing strategy to take advantage of micro-moments will revolve heavily around SEO and Brand Messaging. But remember: you’re thinking like a customer, not like the company, when you’re putting this strategy together. Do research so that you’re in tune with your customer’s habits. Ask yourself, “if I were looking for my product or service, what question(s) would I ask?” From this, you’ll be able to drill down and define those keywords and keyphrases that will help you rank in search results.
You’ll also want to create and deliver an incredibly compelling message. And the pressure is on! Our digitally fueled short attention spans often mean that there are only a few seconds to capture a reader’s attention, and then they move on to the next result. When crafting your messaging, make sure the message gives them a reason to choose your product or service over the others in the search results.
Still pressed for ideas? It happens. If you need better insight into what your customers are looking for, take a look at social media conversations to see what the buzz is. At best, it might confirm that you’re on the right track with your messaging. At worst, it will highlight new pain points that you weren’t aware of – and that can still help your messaging all the same. Be bold and take advantage of this information! Remember what your goals are and set your plan in motion.
SEO and Brand Messaging often go hand in hand, but they can be a game changer with micro-moments. Do you have your micro-moment strategy? Not sure how to start your SEO or brand messaging? Our Juicers can help you with that. Get in touch with us today to find out more about how we can help you nail down your perfect brand message and develop a great SEO strategy. We’ll help you make sure your micro-moment never ends. 
