Sharing in a Micro-Moment, Part 1: How to Make the Most of Search Intent

Contrary to how it may sound, micro-moments do not refer to that time you and your barista fleetingly met eyes as she passed you your latte. Instead, “micro-moments” refers to instances where people turn to their mobile devices for help.

As more and more people utilize internet-enabled smartphones and similar devices, the urge to find out something right now is becoming harder to resist. Friends may be disagreeing on the color of Jon Snow’s eyes (they’re dark grey, although Kit Harrington’s are dark brown), or how to properly pet a cat’s tummy (you don’t), and they can find out with just a few swipes. At this point, Siri may have even be listening in to offer a few pointers.

We experience these micro-moments of need in our own lives, but when it comes to optimizing content for SEO, we forget about these intent-based searches. Instead, we dream up posts, videos and content that we think will help “sell” our product. Sometimes these posts can work into intent, but other times they fall short of searcher expectations.

So how can you keep up? Imagine micro-moments as they happen, and consider how your brand can swoop in to save the day with the perfect answer to a micro need.

The Road to Inbound Is Paved with Search Intentions

According to Google, our increasing reliance on mobile devices have “fractured the consumer journey into hundreds of real-time, intent-driven micro-moments,” where “each is a critical opportunity for brands to shape our decisions and preferences.”

In other words, brands that offer the best answer to a searcher’s intent have a unique opportunity to tilt the discussion in their favor. A perfect example would be an auto dealership offering a 3-minute video on how to change your tire. Stranded searchers can find the video, get their car fixed and thank Ashley Schaeffer Kia for their part in the picture. Who knows, maybe the viewer could be interested in letting the Schaeffer service department check on their alignment for afterwards? Maybe they become interested in a new model?

As you can see, considering intent allows customers to walk right into your sales pipeline without having to force the issue. Google identifies four such intents that lead to micro-moments content creators can capitalize on:

• I want to know… — How many inches in a meter? What does a swollen ankle look like? Searches like these look for quick facts, either for posterity or practical purposes.

• I want to go… — To nearby BBQ joints, to the best parks for a picnic or to laundromats open past midnight; searches like these are looking for quick, convenient answers close by

• I want to do… — Whether baking cookies from scratch or learning how to trim your cat’s claws without getting scratched, “how to” searches are so popular that 100 million hours of related video was watched on Youtube in the first half of 2015 alone.

• I want to buy… — Buying searches can be practical or pure flights of fancy, but they always signal intent.

Making the Most of Search Intent

Now that you have familiarized yourself with types of search intent and how a brand could use intent to provide audience-winning content, you can begin to master the concepts. Part II will outline how video, blog content and other mediums can make the most of search intent and micro-moments to create new customer leads.

If you need help getting an intent-optimized SEO strategy off the ground or have any questions about digital marketing whatsoever, do not hesitate to contact the EverSpark Interactive team. Our experts know how to make sure you get found, no matter the product or services you offer.