All of these actions – clicking on the Facebook photo, visiting your website, browsing inventory, and requesting information – are what Google calls “micro-moments”.

As more and more shoppers go mobile, adjusting your digital marketing strategy to embrace micro-moments will be key to staying competitive. According to Google, 70% of smartphone owners who bought something in a store first turned to their devices for information relevant to that purchase. If you aren’t connecting with shoppers in these micro-moments or if they can’t find you from their mobile devices, you run the risk of losing their business.

So how can you ensure you’re meeting shoppers’ needs? Here are three steps you can take to make sure you’re not missing out on micro-moment-inspired shoppers.

• Get mobile. More and more often, the device shoppers reach for when they want to learn more about a product or research a business is their smartphone, and they do it with intent to buy. In fact,  92% of shoppers who searched for information on their phone made a related purchase. If your website doesn’t deliver a mobile-friendly experience, shoppers are likely to go back to the search results page and click on your nearest competitor instead. Make sure your website displays well on mobile devices, is easy to navigate and that calls-to-action (like “Call Now” or “Make an Offer”) can be easily clicked on touchscreens.
• Be where your shoppers are. Think about the many locations a shopper might start their experience with your business besides your website: social media, third-party sales channels, local directory sites … the list goes on and on. Include links to your website on all of these channels, and link to relevant inventory pages on social media posts or third-party sales listings to make it as easy as possible for shoppers to find the information they’re looking for.
• Make decisions easy. A shopper who makes a spur-of-the-moment search for a specific type of product or dealership is going to want instant gratification, so make it as easy as possible for them to find information and make the decision to shop with you. Create video walk-around tours of your most popular units to give searchers an up-close look at the models you’re selling, share product information on social media and always include a convenient way for shoppers to take the next step, whether it’s a link to an inventory page on your website or a call-to-action to visit or call you to learn more.

Micro-moments have a lot of influence over your customers’ shopping behavior. They can persuade them to continue down the path to make a purchase with your dealership, or they can cause them to change direction to work with your competition. Stay ahead of the competition by embracing micro-moments as part of your digital marketing strategy.