If you are not familiar with the term “micromoments” and I asked you to guess what it means, you might think of those small moments when your customer watches their dog enjoying a new treat or their cat enthusiastically playing with a new toy.
Wonderful moments! But in marketing, micromoments are not about that. They are about what happens before the customer walks into your pet shop or buys from your e-shop. Read on and discover how you can turn these small moments into big opportunities for your business.
A little history
Around 2014–2015, just over ten years before this article was written (although it feels more like a hundred), searches made by users on mobile phones surpassed desktop searches for the first time. The mobile revolution was in full swing, and Google (who else?) introduced the concept of micromoments.
The term
In marketing, micromoments are those brief but highly intent-driven moments when consumers instinctively turn to their smartphone or tablet to satisfy an immediate need. Have you ever noticed someone next to you on the metro or in a café suddenly grabbing their phone and looking at it as if their life depended on it? They are probably experiencing a micromoment. And don’t laugh, because you do it too!
For pet shop owners, these moments can be particularly important. Your customer may suddenly need information about a pet food, want to find a particular product, look for a nearby pet shop or be ready to make an immediate purchase. At that precise moment, the question is simple: will they find your business?
The four categories
Micromoments fall into four categories, all of which are relevant to your business. Let’s adapt them to the pet retail market to make things clearer.
1. I want to know
Which food is suitable for my dog? What is the difference between these two brands? Which treats should I choose? Which shampoo is right for my pet’s coat? Is a premium food really worth the extra money?
2. I want to go
Where is the nearest pet shop? Which pet shop is open right now? Where can I find this particular brand of food? Is there a pet shop in my area that offers delivery? Can I find the product I need nearby?
3. I want to do
How can I teach my dog not to pull on the lead? How do I use this product correctly? How do I choose the right harness size? How should I introduce a new food without upsetting my pet’s stomach?
4. I want to buy
Who has this food in stock? Where can I find the best price? Is there a larger pack that offers better value? Can I have it delivered today? Do I get free delivery if I order more?
How to take advantage of micromoments
For a pet shop, every one of these searches represents a small business opportunity. At that moment, the customer already has a need. Your job is not to create that need, but to make sure your business is the one they find when they start looking for the solution.
Because of their nature, the vast majority of micromoments happen on mobile devices, which are always within reach. If a customer suddenly realises that they are running out of dog food or urgently need a new lead, they are unlikely to walk over to their desktop computer and start searching. They will simply grab their phone.
So, here are some practical ways to make sure your pet shop is ready for that moment.
Mobile-First Design
For presentation purposes, web design companies will often show you the desktop version of your new website first, where everything looks big, impressive and “wow”.
But the majority of consumers today — and consequently an even greater proportion of micromoments — will discover your business through their mobile phone.
When creating or redesigning your website, ask for a Mobile-First approach. Look at your website on your phone first, as if no other version existed, because that is how many of your customers will experience it.
Can customers quickly find the product they are looking for? Can they see whether it is available? Can they locate your store? Can they easily complete a purchase?
If the experience is good, you have a much better chance of winning that micromoment.
Instant Loading
You have probably noticed this in your own behaviour. When you suddenly think of, want or need something, you grab your phone at lightning speed — sometimes simply because you do not want to forget what you were about to search for.
If your website provides the answer to your customer’s micromoment but takes too long to load, you have already lost a large part of the opportunity. Make sure your website is optimised to load as quickly as possible, particularly on mobile devices.
Social Proof
Have you noticed how, immediately after finding a product, shop or service that interests you, you start looking at reviews?
Social proof has enormous power in reinforcing micromoments. And in the pet market, it can be even more important because consumers are not simply buying something for themselves; they are making a choice for an animal they care about.
Product reviews, store ratings and real experiences from other pet owners can significantly influence the final decision. Do not be afraid of real-time reviews and ratings of your business. On the contrary, make them part of the customer journey.
Content
Content is king in micromoments too!
Short videos with useful advice, real customer experiences, photos of pets using your products, how-to content and other forms of user-generated content can add authenticity to your business and make it feel more approachable.
Pet retailers have an important advantage here: pet owners are constantly searching for information and advice about nutrition, care, training and everyday life with their pets.
The right content at the right moment can provide exactly the answer your customer is looking for — and turn a small micromoment into a valuable opportunity for connection and, ultimately, a sale.