With the many technological advancements in the last decade, the list of digital possibilities feels vast and endless. Yet, one of the greatest advancements is one that often feels like second nature—a world of information at the palm of your hand. A question arises, and you turn to your phone out of reflex to conduct a quick Google search. You need to repurchase an item on Amazon, thus your phone is at the ready for a transaction. These are all quick instances, or micro-moments, that allow the user to achieve a specific need or goal.
Micro-moments take place when people turn to a device, such as a mobile device, to achieve one or more of the four moments:
I-want-to-know moment
I-want-to-go moment
I-want-to-do moment
I-want-to-buy moment
The concept of micro-moments has been increasingly relevant in digital marketing, as it captures the instances when consumers turn to a device to act on a need to learn something, do something, discover something, watch something, or buy something. These moments are critical touchpoints within today’s consumer journey, and they can shape preferences and decisions.
“I Want to Know” Moment
This micro-moment occurs when a user is trying to learn more about something or is researching a topic. Typically with this moment in the user journey, the user isn’t necessarily in purchase mode, but rather is simply seeking information, clarification, and more. For example, this could be a user searching “Best Foods for Healthy Diet” and will gather information to learn more about this topic. Additionally, the research can help inspire a future purchase down the road. A person considering buying a new laptop might start by searching for “best laptops for college students” to get an overview of what’s available, what fits their needs, and what’s within their budget, without necessarily looking to purchase immediately.
“I Want to Go” Moment
Have you ever Googled a restaurant that you wanted to try out for directions, or perhaps you looked up a certain store nearby? Then you have undergone an I-want-to-go moment. This is a quick moment in which a user will look up a location they want to go to and rely on their device to offer them a litany of options. This creates a quick and easy user journey that helps users reach their end goal quickly and without hurdles. Users are likely looking for opening hours, and maybe the ambiance of the place based on reviews and photos.
“I Want to Do” Moment
We’ve all had questions or wanted guidance on how to complete a task, and turned to a quick Google search for verification. This is known as an I-want-to-do moment and occurs when a user needs help completing a task or trying something new. Often, these are “how-to” searches or content consumption moments. For example, say a user is planning to cook a meal for their family when they search “How to make home-made lasagna” to find step-by-step instructions, video tutorials, and a list of necessary ingredients, a micro-moment begins.
“I Want to Buy” Moment
eCommerce has greatly shifted into quicker, much more accessible checkout processes through responsive and mobile interactions. When a user is ready to make a purchase or is on the go and needs to quickly buy a product online, an I-want-to-buy moment ensues. Like other micro-moments, this can be a variety of instances such as comparing prices, immediate purchasing, finding a good deal, and more. This is one of the most critical moments for marketing purposes because it is an immediate pathway that could lead to conversions from interested buyers.
What This Means for User Experience
Micro-moments are a great glimpse into user behavior, as they allow stakeholders, marketing leaders, and brands to better understand how users are potentially finding their websites or digital platforms. Following this user pathway trail can help better optimize SEO practices as well as prioritize a user experience that is quick and easy to navigate. For businesses and marketers, understanding and optimizing for these micro-moments is crucial for connecting with consumers by providing the right information at the right time through the appropriate channels.
Your Digital Platform Should Be Intuitive
In the height of the attention economy, in which time is a valuable resource, your website should be optimized for high expectations for users with low patience. Your website should be intuitive to satisfy users’ needs quickly as possible, without making them delve into a plethora of information to find what they are looking for. Realistically, users will opt out and find an alternative site that will quickly offer them answers, therefore, to ensure conversions, your website’s visual hierarchy and user journey navigation should be clear and quick. Additionally, streamlining your website’s speed to avoid prolonged loading times is also a great way to ensure that your users are staying on your website or converting.
Mobile Ready
Micro-moments occur most on mobile devices, as it is a quick moment in which a user is seeking gratification in the moment. In these moments, the ability of a website to load quickly and display content effectively on a small screen can make or break the user’s decision to stay or leave. A mobile-ready website ensures that regardless of the device being used, the content is accessible, legible, and easy to navigate, thereby improving user engagement and satisfaction. This responsiveness caters to the immediate needs of users in their moment of decision and significantly enhances the overall user experience, leading to higher conversion rates and customer loyalty. You want to also be sure that your responsive website is integrated with the latest check-out systems and APIs such as Apple Pay or Samsung Pay for easier checkouts and more.
Micro-moments are fleeting instances in time that can lead to lasting results.