Micro is Massive

Remember when we all looked for the big opportunity
to reach a massive audience with a single brand
message? We searched for the Super Bowl ad
opportunity that would engage the masses and guide them to
our products and services. It was the big bang theory of our
brand universe. Well, like most things in the marketing and
advertising world, that’s all changed. Now it’s just as important
for our brands to be engaged in what Google has dubbed,
“micro-moments”. Now micro is massive.

Micro-moments are those intent-driven impulse actions we
now take because we can. Mobile has changed our lives and
our expectations of brands. When we find ourselves wanting to
know something, needing something, going someplace,
or experiencing some activity, we are now equipped for instant
gratification. Brands must understand this and strategize to
capitalize in the moment. The consumer journey is now a
series of intent-driven micro-moments, and we act
on impulse.

When consumers find themselves in the moment, they take
immediate action no matter where they are or what time it
may be. Smartphones allow us to act on any impulse at any
time. We take immediate action whenever we want to learn,
find, do or buy something. For brands to thrive in this environment,
they need to plan.

Brands that take the likely scenarios in which consumers
will need them into account, will win with mobile. Anticipating
need and following a planned strategy to meet people
where they are with useful content in meaningful situations
guides keywords, influencer relationships, search
strategies, mobile user experience, simplified ecommerce
experiences and more.

When we act on our needs in a micro-moment, our expectations
are high and our patience is low – quality, relevance,
and usefulness of marketing are more important than
ever. Rethinking where and how your brand can be found
is fundamental, and having the right thing to say can be
complicated. Your message, your content, and your level of
helpfulness must all be calculated to provide your brand the
best chance to be selected in a micro-moment.

As consumers, the micro-moments we experience and
the brands that accommodate our “in the moment” needs
shape our preferences and purchases. Ultimately, the
brands that do the best job of addressing our needs will
win. This has always been true; however, the rules of the
game have changed and the pace of interaction is now
lightning fast.

The time it takes for a consumer to go through the purchase
funnel has also increased. A shortened sales cycle is
good news.

Take a hard look at your products and services, and map out
the moments in all phases of the consumer journey
where micro-moments may occur. When would consumers
want to find inspiration from or about your products, make a
quick purchase, or follow your lead?

Use the context of time and location to deliver experiences
in real-time that seem like they are perfect for the moment
your consumer is experiencing. Tell them about the free
appetizer at lunchtime as they’re walking past your restaurant
at noon.

Use analytics to measure the performance of your brand
on mobile. Micro-moment engagement is not always easily
measurable, but you can use your moment map to identify
indicators of usage in the moment. From that work information,
credible estimates can be made to indicate return
on investment.