The four new mobile moments unpacked

The mobile revolution has been absolute in its dominance. Almost all of our interactions are done with the help of smartphones, either directly or indirectly. These mobile devices have indeed become our remote controls to the world as we always turn to them with intent and expect them to provide immediate solutions.

So what are the four mobile moments? Google classifies them as: I want to know, I want to go, I want to do and I want to buy moments.

I want to know

The 'I want to know' moment represents that scenario when we use our smartphones to look for information. We have come to appreciate and rely on the ability of the internet to provide us instantly with the specific feedback that satisfies our information needs at any given moment.
Statistics back this revelation. According to Google, "65% of online consumers look up more information online versus a few years ago".

Additionally, the research claims that 66% of consumers use their mobile devices to get more details about a product or service they saw advertised on a TV commercial.

It is imperative therefore for brand-sponsored content to be available during the 'I want to know' moment, as it improves the chances of acquiring new customers. Failure to provide useful content as a marketing tactic is akin to a death wish for any brand in the long term.

© Natthapong Khromkrathok – 123RF.com

I want to go

The 'I want to go' moment is all about local marketing, a strategy used by businesses to target consumers in their neighbourhood. 82% of consumers are using their smartphones a lot to conduct a local business search and it's a trend that has caught on.

Search engines have evolved to the point where they can tap into the location identification capacities of smartphones. Through GPS technologies, search engines like Google are able to display accurately the local business listings on their search results pages. The results include the map, business name, contact phone numbers and reviews.

There are reports that the search engine is testing an additional functionality that displays logos. Great stuff!

Listing a business on Google, done via a simple process, is an imperative in the new world order.

I want to do

The third mobile moment is 'I want to do'. I am eternally grateful for the internet as on countless times I have turned to search engines to look for "how to" information when stuck with a task. We all do this and data shows that over 3.5 billion searches are made on Google every day and over 100 million videos on "how to" content has been watched to date in 2015.

This represents a perfect opportunity for businesses to provide unique "how to" guides that unlock great value for their customers or simply solve their biggest pain points. Provide useful and actionable content is the latest gateway to the customers' wallets.

I want to buy

Finally, Google says that the customers always turn to their smartphones when making purchase decisions. It calls this the 'I want to buy' moment. It is a no-brainer therefore that businesses that have a compelling online presence benefit from these moments more than those who are technology-shy.

Businesses should develop the strategies and tactics that match the needs of their customers in these new four mobile moments. The customers' expectations have changed and are underpinned by immediacy and context.