How to Capture Real-Time, Intent-Driven Consumers During Micro-Moments

Reputation Staff Writer

When you wake up, what’s one of the first things you do? If you’re like most people, you’ll seek out your smartphone to check a few apps such as email, weather and social media. It’s no shock that today’s consumers have become incredibly reliant on the more than 30 billion connected smart devices now in use.

Consumers, now more than ever, are instinctively turning to those same devices when they have a strong intent to discover something, do something, watch something or buy something. You can be a part of this customer journey by capturing micro-moments.

(Download the 2020 Retail Reputation Report to learn more about what major retailers are doing to boost their online reputation and create memorable customer experiences in micro-moments and beyond.)

Micro-Moments: A Quick Definition

A few years ago, Google announced a new mobile-first initiative it wanted marketers and web designers to make a priority. When a consumer instinctively picks up their mobile device for a quick search, it’s generally for one of four reasons:

  1. “I want to know…”
  2. “I want to do…”
  3. “I want to go…”
  4. “I want to buy…”

Most of us perform these searches daily in our own customer journey. We just don’t label them as “micro-moments.” When you search for a “plumber near me,” want to know who has dinner reservations open for tonight or need a delicious chicken recipe, these are all micro-moments.

Man sitting in the backseat of a car looking at his phone.

Consumers today use smart devices for quick searches and purchasing decisions on the fly.

How to Use Micro-Moments to Capture Customers

According to Google, 82% of customers will consult their smartphones in a store to assist with purchases, and 66% of smartphone users will use their devices to research something they saw in an ad. Further, “how-to” searches on YouTube are growing 70% year-over-year.

Micro-moments provide your business with an incredible opportunity, but the online real estate is limited, particularly on mobile devices. It’s essential to capitalize on every opportunity to gain new customers through micro-moments. Some of the ways you can do this include:

  • Be there: Your business can’t participate in a micro-moment if it doesn’t show up in the search results. You can increase your visibility in a variety of ways. Optimize your business website and keep it loaded with fresh and engaging content. Claim and optimize your Google My Business listing and encourage customers to post reviews. Stay active on social media platforms to boost the visibility and credibility of your brand.
  • Be valuable: If you’re going to satisfy the needs of smartphone users, you’ll have to anticipate their questions. You can use experience and analytics to uncover the intent of your typical or ideal customer and then create content that is relevant to their needs.
  • Be responsive: Mobile users don’t have a lot of patience. According to Google, over one-third of mobile searchers are in a time crunch when searching for a local business. You can provide instant answers to questions such as business hours, address and phone number on the front page of your business listings. Beyond this, be responsive to inquiries and online reviews from customers by using a real-time monitoring system.
Two women outside looking at a phone together.

The right strategy can help your business increase its visibility through micro-moments.

Capture the Moment to Seize the Day

As consumers become more trusting and reliant on their mobile devices, micro-moments open up new opportunities for businesses. By focusing on consumers that are in a more purchase intent mindset, you can improve the customer experience as well as boost your brand’s visibility.

To accomplish this, you’ll need a set of robust tools that can help you earn the attention of searchers through a strong online reputation and social proof. Download the Complete Guide to Reputation Score and Online Reputation Management to learn more about our market-leading solutions.

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