Practical Triggers That Engage People to Start a Search
To grab their audience's attention, businesses need to understand what drives people to start a search. Google has done extensive research on this and identified four key moments, called Google Key Customer Moments, that trigger searches. Each moment has a different level of urgency, giving businesses valuable insights into user behavior and helping them adjust their strategies accordingly.
This article will explore the four types of practical triggers and how to align them with a brand or service.
The "I Want to Know" Moment
This moment is driven by general curiosity and the need for meaningful information. It includes scenarios where individuals seek knowledge for school papers, work reports, or even in emergencies, such as looking up symptoms for a medical condition. For instance, a student might search for "best sources for history paper," or a person might urgently look up "symptoms of a heart attack."
Examples of “I Want to Know”
- Research for a project: "Best sources for history paper"
- Knowledge emergency: "symptoms of a heart attack"
The "I Want to Do" Moment
The "I want to do" moment arises from the desire to learn new skills or solve immediate problems. This can range from looking up tutorials for new hobbies to finding quick solutions for household issues. A person might search "how to play guitar" out of general curiosity or "how to stop wine from staining the carpet" in an emergency.
Examples of "I Want to Do":
- New hobbies: "how to play guitar"
- Immediate solutions: "How to stop wine from staining the carpet"
The "I Want to Go" Moment
This moment pertains to location-based searches, often influenced by travel or local exploration. The urgency can vary from leisurely daydreaming about potential travel destinations to urgent bookings for travel. Someone might casually search for "best winery in Santa Monica" or urgently look for "cheap flights to Italy."
Examples of "I Want to Go"
- Daydreaming: "Best winery in Santa Monica"
- Committed browsing: "cheap flights to Italy"
The "I Want to Buy" Moment
The "I want to buy" moment captures the consumer's intent to make a purchase. This can range from passive browsing for potential future purchases to urgent buying needs. An individual might casually look up "latest smartphones" or urgently search for "best laptop deals today."
Examples of "I Want to Buy"
- Passive browsing: "latest smartphones"
- Urgent purchase: "Best laptop deals today"
Applying These Moments to Your Business
To effectively engage with their audience, users should consider how their product or service fits within these four moments. Assess the urgency of their offerings and think about how potential customers might search for them. This alignment will help to create targeted content and marketing strategies that resonate with the audience's needs.
Practical Trigger Identification Exercise
1. Identify which of the four moments the product or service aligns with.
2. Determine the urgency level of the typical searches related to the offerings.
3. Create examples of potential search queries the audience might use.
By understanding and leveraging these practical triggers, businesses can enhance their online presence, meet customer needs more effectively, and drive more engagement and conversions.
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