"Go" Content

It’s 6 a.m. on a Tuesday. You’re tired, but need to get to work. Maybe you are traveling, and you’re in an unfamiliar city. Maybe you’re in your hometown, but too tired to think. You’re groggy, foggy and you need a boost. So you ask, “Where is the closest coffee shop near me?” 

If you’ve ever asked yourself this question, and then immediately reached for your phone for an answer, you’ve had an “I-want-to-go” micro-moment. “Go” moments happen when a consumer is considering patronizing a physical place of business. Increasingly, consumers are making purchase decisions on the fly, based on their location. Consider this: According to Google, search interest in "near me" has increased 34X since 2011. As marketers, being ready for “go” moments for our audience is as essential as that morning cup of joe. Here are some quick tips for “go” content success:

1. Update your Google business profile - A completed business profile serves your audience essential details like hours and address instantly, which builds instant trust. Unfortunately, the opposite is also true - it’s reported that 73% of consumers lose trust in a business when its online information isn’t updated. Many “go” moments happen in Google Maps, where business profiles are prominently shown after a search, so it’s critical to be complete, or a potential customer may just click to the next search listing.

2. Mobile-optimize your web site - Google reports that 70% of customers visit a store based on information found online. To remove any barriers for potential visitors, be sure your site renders beautifully on mobile, with information such as directions and pricing featured prominently.

3. Nail the timing  - A key to being ready for “go” moments as a brand is to identify the likely times a consumer might be looking for you in the course of a week or day. One way to do this is to create a customer journey map. Then ask yourself, how can my brand “be there” at these times? The answer may have implications for your ad purchasing decisions, social media strategies, your customer service staffing schedules, or even your core service offerings. For instance, if a coffee shop notices an uptick in search-originated web traffic on Tuesday mornings, it might consider offering customers who actually come in and purchase on Tuesday a special “come-back” discount if they also make a purchase Wednesday-Friday. The shop might tout this special on its homepage, and eventually notice increased foot traffic on Tuesdays and the later weekdays because of their special offer. 

There’s no one-solution-fits-all when it comes to “go” content, but these are some good starting points to better connect with your audience. If you’re ready to “go” :) to the next level, read on for tips that make successful “know”, “do” and "buy" micro-content.