Life is about Moments, So is the Market.
“The Internet is becoming the town square for the global village of tomorrow.” -Bill Gates
Consider two irrefutable aspects of human lives that materialize every day:
1. The first is about the human element. We all know some way or the other that life is all about moments. It is lived in moments and moments are what define the existence of any individual.
2. The second pertains to mobile technology. Much has been said about the incredible ways in which smartphones have changed the forms in which humans interact with the outside world. We are spending a significant proportion of our days’ time in the virtual world dealing with real life entities. And interacting with the social circle is merely a part of it. There is a lot out there on the web waiting to be discovered.
What happens when both these aspects concur? We get what Google is now calling ‘Micro-Moments’.
Micro-Moments are “intent-driven” moments when people turn to a mobile platform to find what they need. Internet sessions of a day are basically a sum of these countless mini-sessions of “I-want-to-know, I-want-to-buy, I-want-to-go, and I-want-to-do” moments.
“Future is mobile computing — smartphones and tablets are just elements of it. The industry is on the verge of a whole new paradigm.” — Thorsten Heins
· Of smartphone users, 91% turn to their cellphones for some information while doing any task.
(Source: Consumers in the Micro-Moment, Google/Ipsos, U.S., March 2015, n=5,398, based on internet users.)
· 62% of smartphone users are more likely to take action right away toward solving an unexpected problem or new task because they have a smartphone.
It’s all about these micro-moments. By doing a series of surveys Google has identified how these small moments are critical in defining the flow of taste and capital in the consumer market.
So the question arises, is your brand there when the curiosity of a person about the latest cellphone takes them to the doors of the web? Or during the eleventh-hour shopping when it becomes hard to decide what product to choose and why? Showing up in immediate searches can be very valuable for you, as it not only makes your brand seen but also gives you a powerful chance to expand your customer base.
· 82% of smartphone users consult their phones while they’re in a store deciding which product to buy. One in ten of them end up buying a different product than they originally planned.
(Source: Consumers in the Micro-Moment, Google/Ipsos, U.S., March 2015, n=5,398, based on internet users.)
The one-way broadcast marketing is a thing of past. In the times of need, people don’t care for the brand as much as they care for quenching the thirst of the hour. So no matter how much you are popular because of TV commercials, and how much quality you offer, when it matters you have to be there.
· 69% of online consumers agree that the quality, timing, or relevance of a company’s message has an impact on how they perceive the brand.
(Source: 22. Consumers in the Micro-Moment, Google/Ipsos, U.S., March 2015, n=5,398, based on internet usersGoogle/TNS/Ogilvy, U.S., June 201
Here are a few ways which you can take care of to build on your mobile marketing strategy.
1. Show UP
Realize your micro-moments and BE THERE. Be present in those micro-moments when anyone turns to web to search anything related to your brand. A market survey and SEO are the keys here.
Google talks about how FIAT marked a bellowing return to the US market after 28 years with their small and efficient FIAT 500. The market was in need of such a product and when anyone Googled anything related to small, city cars, FIAT was there to regain trust and promise efficiency.
2. Keep a phone nearby
When anyone finds your brand in those little hours of need, chances are they might want to gain more details. The best way to do this is by keeping a clear channel of communication ready 24X7.
3. Be Swift and Suitable
If things are happening in micro-moments you cannot afford to waste time on irrelevant details. You cannot always anticipate what the users are going to want. So, expand your list of micro-moments and show up every time.
These three form the very basic of steps that can be done to ensure a stronger mobile marketing. Obviously, when they have enough time, people will focus specifically on the brands that they already have on their mind. But what if they are looking for something new? Or when there is some urgency? Or something in which people are stepping in for the first time? In moments as these, consumers will be open to be influenced by any brand that can promise to be worthwhile. These are the moments which lay out a fine ground for you to cement your name in the market. So why not be there, ready to make the moment yours?
