Google defines micro-moments as occurring<\/a>, \u201cwhen people reflexively turn to a device \u2013increasingly a smartphone \u2013 to act on a need to learn something, do something, discover something, watch something, or buy something. They are intent-rich moments when decisions are made and preferences shaped.\u201d<\/p>\n Instead of the \u201cpredictable, daily sessions online\u201d that shaped the consumer behaviors of the past, these \u201cmany fragmented interactions that now occur instantaneously\u201d are the way forward.<\/p>\n Google calls micro-moments, \u201cthe I want-to-know moments, I want-to-go moments, I want-to-do moments, and I want-to-buy moments\u201d and says that they\u2019re \u201cgame changers for both consumers and brands.\u201d<\/p>\n Source<\/a><\/p>\n Any successful marketing strategy today needs to take into account the micro-moments that make-up so much of a customer\u2019s journey. There are over 2.5 billion<\/a>\u00a0smartphone users worldwide, meaning there are around 2.5 billion people that likely engage in micro-moments throughout their days.<\/p>\n It is also an area of marketing that has largely been left unexplored by the majority of businesses. Micro-moments provide an exciting opportunity for businesses to gain the upper hand on their competitors if they make the effort to capitalize on these behaviors.<\/p>\n Businesses should be utilizing micro-moments with a thorough and thoughtful marketing strategy. By putting the right steps in place, your business can be more present for its customers and reap the benefits that come along with that (like increased word of mouth<\/a>). The following are some tips to keep in mind for the most comprehensive, micro-moment-inclusive strategy.<\/p>\n Over\u00a082% of smartphone users<\/a>\u00a0consult their phones while in-store, for help with purchasing decisions. Targeting customers while they\u2019re in your brick-and-mortar establishments will cater to their micro-movements and will result in a rise in sales. Beacon technology<\/a> allows businesses to transmit data to customers in the area (usually ads or special offers) through Bluetooth, provided the customers have installed the required apps.<\/p>\n This means that brands can offer their customers an extra level of personalization<\/a>, which will help them close the sale. A 2014 study<\/a>\u00a0found that \u201cover 70% of shoppers who received beacon-triggered content and offers on their smartphone said it increased their likelihood to make a purchase during a store visit.\u201d\u00a0Sounds like a smart idea to us!<\/p>\n Part of what will make you successful in conquering the world of consumer micro-moments is just being there, at the right times, as much as possible. This means catching consumers on their platforms of choice and being readily available to facilitate their spur-of-the-moment desires.<\/p>\n Integrating your sales process with social media<\/a>\u00a0and messaging platforms (via social commerce<\/a>\u00a0and chat-bots)\u00a0are great ways to make your business more accessible to consumers. Reaching them on their preferred channels means you\u2019re already one step closer to closing the sale.<\/p>\n Source<\/a><\/p>\n With voice assistants such as Siri, Echo, Google Home, and Cortana, micro-moments are happening using voice search more and more. In fact, by 2020. it\u2019s expected<\/a>\u00a0that half of all mobile searches will be made via voice. Currently,\u00a041% of adults and 55% of teens are using voice search daily.<\/p>\n If you\u2019re in the kitchen and suddenly get a craving for something sweet, how much simpler is it to just ask your Echo for a quick hot chocolate recipe rather than typing it out? This growing type of search means it\u2019s vital that you optimize your content for voice assistant software. Use conversational phrases for your keywords and within your content, and create a FAQ page on your website that focuses on these long-tail phrases.<\/p>\n Though voice SEO is increasing in importance, text SEO remains paramount to a successful campaign. The higher your rank, the more your links will be seen\u00a0and clicked on from within the SERPs. A great SEO strategy is especially important when considering micro-moments, because consumers want fast access to information, products, or services, and won\u2019t have the patience to go combing through pages of results to get it.<\/p>\n Applying geo\/location targeting to your marketing campaign will help ensure your ads are only shown to people within certain predefined\u00a0locations. This is especially important for businesses like restaurants or mechanics, where customers will need to be locally based. If you\u2019re one of these types of businesses, you don\u2019t want waste\u00a0time and money targeting consumers that have no potential of turning into paying customers. Therefore, geo-targeting is essential.<\/p>\n Micro-moments are gaining in popularity, so it\u2019s time for businesses to take them seriously. Integrating these behaviors into a comprehensive marketing strategy will ensure your brand remains current<\/a>\u00a0and competitive in today\u2019s digital world.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n![\"google](\"https:\/\/referralrock.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/google-micro-moments-1024x411.jpg\" "\\"\\"")
<\/p>\nWhy are micro-moments important for your business?<\/h2>\n
How can your business take advantage of micro-moments?<\/h2>\n
Use beacon technology in-store<\/h3>\n
Invest in social commerce and chat-bots<\/h3>\n
![\"chatbot](\"https:\/\/referralrock.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/chatbot-infograph.jpeg\" "\\"\\"")
<\/p>\nOptimize for voice search<\/h3>\n
Keep working on SEO<\/h3>\n
Geo-target with your ads<\/h3>\n
Now you know<\/h2>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/referralrock.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/Ellan-New-Headshot-225x300.jpg\" "\\"\\"")
Ellan Dineen is the Marketing Associate at