Brands supporting customers’ micro-moments are winning

People now turn to their phones or tablets to solve immediate problems, and they expect brands to deliver them with immediate answers.

It is these “How do I”, “Where do I go”, “I want to do”, and “I want to buy” micro-moments that now dictate our purchase decisions and preferences.

You need to become your customers’ go to source for solving problems with content.

For example, when choosing what to cook for their evening meal, research has found that while people over 35 are more likely to print out a recipe, 59% of 25- to 34-year-olds cook with either their smartphones or tablets handy.

Additionally…

  • 91% of smartphone users turn to their devices for ideas while completing a task.
  • Nearly one in three millennials say they’ve purchased a product as a result of watching a how-to video.
  • 82% of smartphone users turn to their phone to influence a purchase decision while in a store.

Source

“Mobile has forever changed the way we live, and it’s forever changed what we expect of brands. It has fractured the consumer journey into hundreds of real-time, intent-driven micro-moments. Each one is a critical opportunity for brands to shape our decisions and preferences.”

Source: https://www.thinkwithgoogle.com/micromoments

Micro-moments are the new battleground

Micro-moments are there for you to take advantage of, with only 2% of businesses acknowledging they have a strategy in place.

The key is to identify which medium your customers use to discover and consume this information on their mobile devices.

These are typically…

  • YouTube videos
  • Step by step written guides
  • Map search

None of these are exclusive to big brands.

For example, if you have a device to capture film and audio (most smart phones are good enough for this) and a YouTube account, you should be taking advantage of this huge opportunity.

Creating your micro-moment content

Rather than dive straight in and start producing content you hope find an audience, you will have a lot more success if you create a content and promotion plan.

Step 1: Defining the content

Get your head out of this being a sales pitch for your products. People will see straight through that within seconds and stop reading your ‘guide’ or watching your video.

what-brands-stand-for-what-audiences-care-about-venn-diagram

People are looking for genuinely useful content that solves their immediate problem. First and foremost the content you create has to be:

  • Relevant to your business
  • As short and succinct as possible
  • Focused on solving the problem
  • Information-led content, not sales

Here are some great examples of this in action from YouTube:

Getfitfastsupplements.com have produced fitness videos, “How do I get fit fast?”

Home Depot have created videos to help me with my DIY, “How do I change my thermostat?”

Shopping channel QVC have targeted searches for recipe ideas to help sell their cooking appliances. “How do I cook a pot roast in the oven?”

Step 2: Researching the “How to” moments that matter to your customers

What are the questions and concerns people have that you can answer with your products? The easiest place to to start for any research is with your customers.

Send them a survey asking them what they would like to know more about, or regular challenges they face in their day to day lives that you can help them with.

Going back to the Getfitfastsupplements.com example above, I would have asked their customers questions along the lines of…

What is preventing you from working out?

What areas of fitness interest you the most?

This may lead to me finding out that time is a big issue, and I would then create a video tailored to maximum results in a short space of time.

Additionally you can ask your website visitors these questions using services such as HotJar’s free account to run a simple poll from your website.

Other sources of information include:

  • Industry forums – What are the most read threads/topics?
  • Existing YouTube videos – Which are the most watched videos?
  • Yahoo Answers/ Quora – Which are the most viewed/liked Q&A’s?

Step 3: Producing your content

Video

If you decide to create a video series, the first few seconds of your video are the most important.

Clearly explain the problem you are solving in the video before you begin. Do not waste this valuable time with a sales pitch for your business!

There are some great articles on how to create effective YouTube videos here:

Step 4:  Promote, promote, promote

Having great content is one thing, getting people to read/watch and share it is another matter.

To help drive views and shares, consider…

  • Add a dedicated “Helpful resources” section to your website, linked to from your main navigation
  • Email your customer base inviting them to view and share
  • Actively advertise your YouTube account/ resources via paid media
  • Integrate your content with social media

I personally would put your content right at the centre of all your marketing, and even at the heart of your brand.

In summary

Interruption marketing is slowly decaying. Consumers not expect to be invited to consume content, rather than having it forced in front of them.

You are in a unique position to understand your customers, and be their primary source of information to help make their lives better.

There aren’t many ways of developing brand loyalty and repeat business that are more effective than that!


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