Use the Zero Moment of Truth to Benefit your Social Media Marketing

In one of our previous articles – entitled What is a customer buying cycle? – we discussed the journey that a customer of your business takes when deciding whether or not to buy your product. In this article, we look at the Zero Moment of Truth, which is a concept that Google has developed in order to describe the purchase decision-making process that consumers go through, online, when deciding whether or not to make a purchase. As a social media marketer if you understand and apply this concept in your digital marketing strategy, you will add a new dimension to your social media marketing efforts that you never knew existed!

What is the Zero Moment of Truth?

The pace of life these days is becoming exponentially quicker. The Fourth Industrial Revolution – which we are going through as we speak – has brought computers and artificial intelligence into our daily lives. Apps like Google Maps – which have become indispensable to our daily driving activities – have subtly permeated our daily lives and are good examples of how we interact with technology.

This means that when making a purchasing decision, your customers will turn to Google as opposed to other forms of research. This is because they have instant access to it via their laptops or smartphones. This gives them instantaneous answers whereas other research methods may take a lot longer. They are using Google to fulfil their immediate needs. When the consumer inputs their search parameters into Google, this is what the tech giant has termed the Zero Moment of Truth”.

Here is the definition that Google provides of the Zero Moment of Truth:

“Whether we’re shopping for corn flakes, concert tickets or a honeymoon in Paris, the Internet has changed how we decide what to buy. At Google, we call this online decision-making moment the Zero Moment of Truth, or simply, ZMOT. The ZMOT refers to the moment in the buying process when the consumer researches a product prior to purchase.”

Can the Zero Moment of Truth assist in social media marketing?

Absolutely, it can!

As the ZMOT hinges on a customer’s need, knowing what these moments are in relation to what you are selling can help you craft a social media marketing strategy to make sure that you attract the people who are searching for your product.

So how does this work in practice?

Well, say for instance that you have just opened up an online clothing outlet which specialises in wedding dresses as well as bridesmaids dresses. You want to find out what searches people – who are interested in wedding dresses – are making so that you can get yourself into these searches.

Google Trends is a great tool to assist any social media marketer in finding out what people – who have a particular interest – are searching for. So, to carry on with the wedding theme, you would input wedding dresses and you’ll see what search queries people are making in relation to wedding dresses. You can also drill down into – for example – various regions and time periods. (As an aside, Google Trends is a very valuable tool to use when you perform keyword research. On our Digital Copywriting and Content Marketing Course, you’ll learn – among many other things – the ins and outs of how to perform this essential process. Follow this link to find out more.)

Once you’ve found out what people are searching for – and are thus interested in – regarding your product, you can create social media marketing promotions that will appeal to your target market and will engage them in your brand’s story.

Get in touch with the Digital School of Marketing

Social media marketing is a vital cog of your digital marketing strategy. Learning how to harness the power of the ZMOT – in your particular business – is just a small piece of this pie. During the Digital School of Marketing’s Social Media Marketing Course – which is South Africa’s premier digital marketing course – you’ll learn the ins and outs of what it takes to succeed in social media and will become a social media marketer who is in hot demand! Learn more about this digital marketing certificate here.