When Facebook (and its sister sites) were all offline at the beginning of this month, did you find yourself reaching for your device, only to be reminded that some of your favourite apps were all down, and then only minutes later try to access those apps again? And then only 30 seconds later to check again… and then again in 2 minutes…  and so on? Yeah, you’re not alone. This muscle-memory twitch that we all seem to have when it comes to our smart phones got me thinking about how our relationship with our devices has changed, and how smart phones have become an essential part of our daily life. 

As our reliance on smart phones increases (research suggests1 that the average user interacts with their phone a personally startling 80 times per day), marketeers are starting to witness a fundamental shift in the way people consume and interact with media. What used to be more predictable and consistent daily sessions, has now been replaced with ‘micro-moments’; hundreds of fragmented, real-time, intent-driven interactions.  

What Are Micro Moments? 

‘Micro-moments’, a term coined by Google2, occur when people turn to their device on reflex, with a need to either learn something, discover something, do something, or buy something. These are intent-rich moments where users make decisions and shape their preference about the brand. When users act on their needs in the moment, they’re expecting high quality and relevant content and will not stick around if the experience fails to meet their expectations. This means that the quality, usefulness, and relevance of the marketing is more important than ever. These micro-moments are a game changer for both consumers and brands.  

Should You Be Focussing On Harnessing Micro-Moments? 

Since our perceptions and purchases are shaped in these micro-moments, it’s now essential that brands have an understanding and a strategy to meet their consumer’s needs. Brands that do this well, notably on mobile, will have the competitive edge.  

Google conducted research which found that: 

• 69% of people searching for leisure travel ideas will do so during spare moments, like when they’re standing in line or waiting for public transport. Nearly half of those travellers go on to book their choices through an entirely separate channel. 
• 91% of smart phone users look up information on their devices while in the middle of a task.  
• Smart phone users are 50% more likely to expect to purchase something immediately while using their device. 
• 69% of online consumers agree that the quality, timing, or relevance of a company’s message influences their perception of a brand.  

So, by ‘being there’ during these crucial moments, your brand will have the chance to address the needs of the consumer and to help move them along their decision journey. A decision that ends with a conversion with your brand.  

Want To Think About This Together? 

It’s a whole new world out there, and trends are changing faster than ever before. If you’re unsure where to start or how to figure out where your customers will reach you in these micro-moments, we can help. Whether that’s thinking through a strategy to help get in front of consumers at these crucial moments, making sure your content is useful and relevant and on the right channels, or by helping you spruce up your website so that mobile users have a brilliant experience, we can help at every step of the journey. 

Get in touch with us today!