When Micro-moments Deliver Big ROI

Today, we glance, gawk and stare at our smartphones all day — from the moment we wake up to the time we fall asleep. Whether we’re checking the news our Instagram, or the weather, we look at our phones 30 times a day, while Millennials look upwards of 150 times each day. And in these brief, but frequent, interactions with our mobile devices — also known as “micro-moments” — we make lots of little decisions about what we want to know, see or buy. That means brands that want to stand out will need to seize these individual micro-moments — and fast. When they do, they’ll capture their audience’s attention and deliver valuable, engaging and timely experiences at every micro-moment. Adopt a 'Near Me' Strategy Back in 2015, Google reported that searches featuring the words “near me” or “nearby” had doubled in a single year. Now, it seems consumers are dropping these location-based descriptions. But this isn’t a sign that location no longer matters; instead, it suggests that consumers now assume that their search results will be automatically tailored to where they are. That’s why today, having a “near me” marketing strategy isn’t just useful — it’s imperative. When consumers pick up their mobile devices to find a nearby bar or the closest grocery store, brands need to be ready to respond. With a location-based marketing strategy, advertisers can speak directly to consumers searching for the products or services they offer just around the corner. They can even get creative with their ads to encourage consumers in the neighborhood to stop by. A QSR brand, for example, can target a hungry consumer looking for some lunch by sending him a picture of that day’s special. The brand can even give the consumer a practical map that shows him how to get there as quickly as possible. Help Out in a Moment of Need One harsh winter, hotel chain Red Roof Inn discovered that between 2 and 3 percent of flights were getting cancelled, leaving some 90,000 passengers stranded at airports. With locations near airports across the country, the brand decided to capitalize on each micro-moment — the instant a stranded traveler reached for the phone to find a place to sleep — by inviting them to book a room nearby. The result? A 60 percent increase in bookings across non-brand campaigns. What can brands learn from Red Roof Inn? Understanding where consumers are reveals valuable insights into what they need. And today, customers care more about convenience than brand loyalty. So when they reach for the phone to look something up, brands can use location data to offer a hand — and make a sale. And being helpful won’t just lead to more conversions. It will also help a brand appear supportive and accommodating — which is a fantastic reputation to have. Capture the Consumer in the Aisle Consumers like to make well-informed purchase decisions. And today, with information just a Google search away at any given moment, they always can. So it’s no wonder 90 percent of consumers use their phones while shopping in stores — comparing prices, reading user reviews, or simply catching up on a Whatsapp group chat. To capitalize on in-store micro-moments, brands can turn to micro-location data—that is, data that pinpoints consumers down to a specific location. Thanks to beacon technology in retailers across the country, brands can find out when a consumer steps into a certain part of the store, such as the women’s section or the haircare aisle. And this micro-level location data is enabling precision-level targeting. For example, using their knowledge of a consumer’s exact location in a supermarket, brands can make a product suggestion or offer some assistance. If a consumer is looking at a tacos recipe online, a brand that sells Mexican food can point her in the direction of the World Foods aisle, perhaps suggesting he add some of guacamole to his recipe — which happens to be in-stock in aisle four. By making the most of in-store micro-moments, brands can help make sure consumers are reaching for their products on the shelf — and even encourage them to pick up a few more items in the process. For brands wanting to reach consumers in hundreds of crucial micro-moments each day, location data is key. When they adopt location-based tactics, they’ll influence consumers at the most critical moments of decision-making — and encourage them to seal the deal. And if it’s done right, brands will see greater engagement rates and higher conversions. They’ll also show consumers that a brand can be more than just a place to shop: it can also be a source of guidance, assistance and service.

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When Micro-moments Deliver Big ROI

Gil Larsen

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Gil Larsen