When was the last time you checked out your own website using a desktop computer, tablet, and smartphone?
By Susan Saldibar
When was the last time you checked out your own website using a desktop computer, tablet, and smartphone?
Back in my days as a marketing/sales exec for a software company, I would get so caught up in the so-called “higher level” stuff, that I often forgot to conduct random checks of our website. Then, I’d hear from a client or, worse yet, a prospective client that something wasn’t loading properly, or there was a broken link. Not good. But I learned, ever after, to spot check.
Of course, now the need to spot check is more important than ever. Because, now we have to deal with, what Google has coined “micro-moments”; those intent-driven moments throughout the prospect’s online journey that influence decisions and define preferences. That description is, by the way, courtesy of G5 (a Senior Housing Forum partner). They not only understand micro-moments but know how to leverage them to maximize website stickiness and conversion power.
Hopefully, you’re still with me here, because this is important to know. Here are some numbers, courtesy of G5, that you may find unsettling (I did!):
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2 seconds: The time you have for a prospect to find you through search.
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5 seconds: The time your website has to load before a prospect gives up and moves on.
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10-15 seconds: The time within which a prospect expects to get to your floor plans (they would be 3D, by the way) and view interior and exterior photos of your building.
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30 seconds: The time during which the prospect will make the decision to fill out a form to get more information or move on to your competitor.
I asked Celena Canode, Marketing Campaign Manager for G5, about what goes through the prospect’s mind during these micro-moments. She told me that there are four “buckets” the micro-moments fit into:
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I want to know (this is the exploration and research stage).
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I want to go (this is the moment when they explore senior living communities near them and, hopefully, find yours).
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I want to do (this is the “take action” moment; they are ready to provide personal information in efforts to either download an article or speak with someone in your community).
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I want to buy (now they are wholly engaged with your community and are taking steps towards a move-in decision).
And all this happens really fast. Now I can see why the ability to manage those micro-moments is so critical. Here, in a nutshell, are a few steps G5 recommends to take to get in front of your prospects’ micro-moments:
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Understand their micro-moment motivators. Do you have appropriate messaging to keep prospects engaged for each “I want” micro-moment?
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Use appropriate keywords; it’s critical. Are your keywords and phrases the same ones prospects will use to find you?
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Advertise. This is becoming more important as senior living communities strive to stand out among competition. That’s the case for doing social media well. Building an audience organically is fine, but it must be supported by well-placed, compelling advertising.
It’s pretty amazing to think that we now have to be fine-tuning our messaging to fit each micro-moment of a prospect’s online journey to find us. But that is the “instant access, zero patience” world we live in today. And, as the senior living market continues to heat up, I would think that smart marketers will gain a clear advantage by weaving their messaging into these micro-moments in creative ways that bring more leads through their doors.
G5 has more on this topic. They’ve published a blog which you can access here. They also have a great checklist which helps you ensure that your digital presence hits all the marks to be found during those micro-moments.
For more information on G5 and their services, you are welcome to visit their website.
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