A New Recipe: Navigating the New Buyer’s Journey
I recently bought the Thug Kitchen cookbook (a great resource for all you timid cooks out there). If I had been shopping 15 years ago, I might have walked to the bookstore, browsed the cooking section, recalled an ad I’d seen in a magazine, found the cookbook, and made a purchase.
However, that’s rarely how purchases go down today. Instead, the story went something like this; I was hosting a dinner party and needed a recipe that would cater to my vegetarian friends. I did a quick Google search and found some great recipes on the Thug Kitchen blog. After receiving a ton of compliments on my culinary talents, I subscribed to the cookbook’s Instagram feed so I could stay updated on new recipes. After trying a few more, I jumped on Amazon and bought the book.
This story is not uncommon. There are hundreds of moments throughout the day when we turn to the internet for answers, only to stumble on a new product or brand. The goal is to make sure that your business is getting noticed in these moments of need.
We are now fully immersed in a post-Mad Men, mobile-centric world, and this demands a radically new approach to advertising. The digital sphere is no longer focused on being the loudest voice, but the most helpful one.
Last year Think With Google started exploring a new concept - “micro-moments” - which refers to “the intent-driven moments of decision-making and preference-shaping that occur throughout the entire consumer journey.” Their video does a pretty good job of describing the shifting habits of consumers:
This in-the-moment marketing is especially pertinent as mobile searches surpassed desktop searches in 2015. “With more computing power in our pockets than most of us had on our desks just a few years ago, our expectations have been massively raised. We expect everything right, and we expect it right away,” says Lisa Gevelber, Vice President of Marketing at Google.
In a nutshell, meaningful and relevant content is more valuable to marketers than billboards and banner ads because they do something more than simply promote products. Great content informs and assists, forging an engaged relationship with the audience.
Be A Good Host: Why Should You Care About Micro-Moments?
If it isn’t obvious already, the term “micro-moments” almost functions as a synonym for content marketing. Both concepts share the same goal - to replace interruption-based advertising with valuable content.
Whether you call it a “micro-moment” or a content marketing strategy, this push by marketers to provide meaningful content instead of traditional ads indicates an important shift in the marketing sphere. The rise of Adblock, the increasing dangers of Ad fraud, the rise of mobile, and evolving consumer behaviours are changing the way the audience perceives and consumes advertising. Winning these micro-moments is now essential to any marketing strategy, and even more crucial if you’re trying to keep up with your competitors and win the shift to mobile.
Brands need to be present in those instances where people are searching for answers, entertainment, or the resources to get something done. Be there, be useful, and be swift so that you can help your target audience complete their task efficiently.
Don’t wait for your audience, meet them in the moment.
