Micro-Moment Marketing: The Shift in Consumer Demand

Micro-moments are “intent-rich” moments when “decisions are made and consumer preferences are shaped.” A micro-moment occurs when people look to a device, most likely a smartphone, to “act on a need to learn something, do something, discover something, watch something, or buy something.” (ThinkWithGoogle)

Consumer behavior has changed dramatically in the past couple of years. People now reflexively turn to their devices to obtain information. They consult their device to compare pricing when making a purchase, to decide what movie to watch or television show to binge, to communicate with friends and family, to read the news, etc. To grab their attention, your business needs to reach them in these moments and provide them with something substantive. These quick, intent-rich moments are when decisions are made and preferences are formed.

Media Consumption Has Changed

There are fundamental changes in the way people now consume media. Traditional marketing and advertising focused on a big picture, with buzzwords, hype and solutions that came and went. These days media is now consumed in “bursts of digital activity throughout the day.” (WSJ) 

Today’s marketing and advertising are served as snippets throughout the day and throughout a variety of mediums.

There are no more “a-ha” moments, moments where advertisers take that single opportunity to grab the attention of consumers. There are now several, sporadic a-ha moments and those moments are many. 

“Our research has uncovered a fundamental change in the way people consume media: the old days of predictable, periodic media sessions have been replaced by numerous short bursts of digital activity throughout the day. The old model was a four-course meal in the same restaurant. Today’s is a series of constant bite sized snacks all over town.”

Sridhar Ramaswamy, Sr. VP Ads & Commerce, Google

Businesses must now win that first, quick moment to keep the interest. There is no second chance.

Why Micro-Moment Marketing Matters

? 69% of people traveling for leisure search for travel ideas during spare moments, when standing in line or waiting for something.

? 50% of those travelers continue to book those ideas.

? 91% of smartphone users look up information while completing a task.

? 82% of smartphone users consult their smartphones while in a store deciding what to purchase, instead of consulting a sales associate.

? 1 out of 10 of those users end up buying a product they did not plan to buy. 

 (Data Source: ThinkWithGoogle)

77% of Americans use a smartphone, up from 35% in 2011. Users are checking the time, texting, reading email, catching up with friends and family on Facebook. This interaction with a device is very normal and common, it is also when consumers are most receptive to messages from businesses and brands. 

Moments, Moments, Moments

Moments are broken down into several categories, including moments where people want to do, want to go, want to see, want to hear, want to watch, want to buy, and want to know. Businesses need to understand that the variety of moments are what matter, it is no longer about the big overall message in a few moments. The new way to reach consumers is through the various moments where they are most accessible. 

If you aren’t reaching your consumers in these moments, your competitors are likely reaching them. 

Additionally, these little computers we all carry around in our pocket have trained consumers to “expect” that businesses deliver exactly what they want to see at the exact moment they want to see it. 69% of online consumers say that quality, timing, and relevance of a company’s message influences their brand perception.

Live in the Moment

Businesses now need to understand the moments and focus on providing the information the consumers want in those moments. They will need to reach consumers how they want to be reached, in the way they want to be reached. 

To succeed businesses will need to meet these new consumer demands.