Public Relations & Social Marketing Insight

There is no doubt that smartphones, social media, and the always-connected digital world have changed consumer behavior. The buyer’s journey has become more immediate, with consumers expecting brands to meet their needs whenever and wherever they are. And Google has given a name to this real-time trend: Micro-moments.

Micro-moments are those in-the-moment times where a consumer turns to Google or social media to solve a problem or address something immediate. They are the “I want to learn…”, “Is it worth the price…”, “How do I fix…” moments. And they are becoming a significant part of how consumers make purchase decisions.

AdAge describes the new connected consumer, who frequently engages in these micro-moments, as having extremely high expectations of brands:“They want to take instant action and they want instant gratification based on personal agendas and goals. Their movements are comprised of mini-moments and their decisions at each is more unscripted and unpredictable than ever.”

The brands that will continue to win consumers’ hearts and minds are those that can respond to this demand for immediacy and personalization, taking real-time marketing to its pinnacle....