Instead of sitting down to a dedicated online session on our laptops or desktops, we can now use our mobile devices to quickly check in and out of our email and social media accounts, navigation and online shopping apps, news sites and other online services. We can also slot these short digital experiences into our busy schedules – in between meetings, while we’re standing in the check-out queue and even while we’re waiting for the kettle to boil.
This has given rise to a new type of online consumer behaviour – a trend that Google has termed “micro moments”. Essentially, this term describes a more fragmented, spontaneous and snappy way of interacting with online content and services. Micro moments happen when people instinctively reach for their phones to check facts, find answers, access directions, book experiences, seek advice or make a quick purchase.
What does this mean for digital marketers?
With more consumers spending micro moments online, brands need to offer more efficient, bite-sized digital experiences. As the owner of a website or online shop, or as a brand that networks with consumers on social media, you may need to rethink the way you write and present content or design your user experience. A slow-to-load and difficult-to-navigate website, for example, is no longer going to cut it.
In short: any brand offering products, services and solutions online needs to cater for users who want their digital interactions to be quick, easy and satisfying.
How to create micro moments
On your social media platforms
Most consumers suffer from content fatigue. There’s just so much information directed at people from so many angles that it’s difficult to take it all in. That said, consumers have also grown used to instant access to information – and they expect their digital resources to continue meeting this need in smarter, more relevant ways.
To cater for micro moments, it’s advisable to keep your social media content punchy, to-the-point and useful. Rather than focusing on your brand, focus on the customer. What wisdom, insight, humour, inspiration, advice or value can your brand platform offer your target audience – in bite-sized chunks?
Also, research shows that 71% of consumers who are satisfied with your service, will recommend it to others via social media. If you receive positive comments on your brand’s social platforms, take advantage of these micro moments by responding quickly (instantly if possible) and acknowledging the support and loyalty. This will make your consumers feel more connected to your brand. Take the same approach to negative comments – not all micro moments begin as positive moments, but you can do your best to turn these around.
On your website
To create and harness the full potential of micro moments online, the quality of your website user experience is critical. Ask yourself:
- Is content easy to digest and navigate?
- Can products be purchased in a few simple steps?
- Are your forms concise?
- Are your sites quick to load?
- And importantly – have you taken a mobile-first approach to your web development and design so that your site works perfectly on any device?
Ultimately, modern user experiences should not focus on leading consumers from page to page, but rather on providing users with the content or interactions they’re looking for in that moment, swiftly and easily. Through market research and analysis of online behaviour, you can gain an understanding of the types of micro moments that your users may be looking for – and offer them on your site.