Micro-moments occur when people reflexively turn to a device—increasingly a smartphone—to act on a need to learn something, do something, discover something, watch something, or buy something.
Whether we know it or not, our daily lives, as consumers, are shaped by micro-moments. Those ‘what’s the name of that actor?’, or ‘how many x’s in an x’ type actions. These are moments of need that drive online behaviour and, as such, create the opportunity for interaction with a brand. In a 2015 article on the Think With Google blog, Sridhar Ramaswamy defined them as ‘intent-driven moments of decision-making and preference-shaping that occur throughout the entire consumer journey’.
Whether we know it or not, our daily lives, as consumers, are shaped by micro-moments.
And the customer journey, these days, is far from linear. It’s a series of interactions and experiences across multiple channels and multiple devices. To understand and predict a customer’s journey, you must first understand their intent. Micro-moments are the perfect way to do that.
Understanding micro-moments
Micro-moments can be categorised into four groups:
1. ‘I want to know’ moments trigger searches for facts and information
2. ‘I want to do’ moments signal a need for help or guidance with a task
3. ‘I want to go’ moments typically lead to searches about places and events
4. ‘I want to buy’ moments occur when people are interested in buying a product or service
All these moments have an underlying need and something that triggered awareness of that need.
Identifying and understanding relevant needs through research helps to shape a sound SEO strategy.
The trigger leads to the seeking of the solution. For example, ‘I’m hungry’ triggers ‘where’s the nearest café’. With search, a lot of the triggers could be external, like a conversation with a friend or greater interest in a trending topic.
Identifying and understanding relevant needs through research helps to shape a sound SEO strategy. Micro-moments are intent-rich. They’re when preferences and decisions are made and shaped and, as such, provide unique insight into the need states of your audience.
When it comes to keyword research – a cornerstone of any effective SEO strategy – micro-moments can provide a good jumping-off point for fully understanding the user journey. Considering search as part of the broader customer experience provides a stronger context and a deeper understanding of where keywords fit into this bigger picture.
Using data to understand micro-moments
How do we identify these micro-moments and make sense of them? Through data.
How do we identify these micro-moments and make sense of them? Through data.
Data is required for us to know what our audience are searching for, in what context, and with what intention. We can trace queries back to need states and the micro-moments that they triggered. This, in turn, drives content creation.
Reviewing the journeys informs strategy as you continue to analyze search data and create content to help your audience reach their destination. Providing content, solutions and better ways to meet people’s needs builds authority and visibility – not to mention brand loyalty.
SEO is evolving at a rapid pace, driven by new technologies and increasing consumer demand for hyper-relevant and customised experiences. Micro-moments are just one of many ways to harness data for a better understanding of the customer’s needs and expectations.
Photo by lalo Hernandez on Unsplash