The Zero Moment of Truth

With easy access to thousands upon thousands of products on the internet, consumers are now doing their own bit of research online before purchasing just about anything. This moment of searching products online has been coined as “the zero moment of truth” (ZMOT) by Google in their 2011 study of consumer behavior. Now, ZMOT is the new moment that has made its way into what was a three-step buying process and it sits between stimulus (seeing an ad) and the “first moment of truth” (the moment a potential customer experiences the product on store shelf, whether that be physical or digital). Ever scour the internet for the best price on a new gadget and read reviews in the process? Yup, you were in the ZMOT right then.

What does this mean for brands?

Consumers now have information right at their fingertips about not only one specific product or brand, but all the products and brands in that category. Therefore, consumers will have questions and brands now must have and deliver the answers before even being asked the questions. The ZMOT also means that brands now must optimize their content for both desktop and mobile. In fact, the Google ZMOT study indicated that 79 percent of consumers use a smartphone to help with shopping, so get those sites optimized for mobile devices, folks.

The ZMOT is an important part of all shopping experiences, whether you’re picking a shampoo or picking a company to get the supplies you need to build a new pier, like with Decks & Docks Lumber Co. A consumer’s ZMOT when searching for the resources for their big deck build or renovation will require Decks and Docks Lumber Co. to have the answers to any questions a potential customer would have. On top of that, the brand should also be prepared in illustrating why they would be the best choice compared to other similar brands in the vast store shelf that is the internet.

What does it mean for me?

As someone who wants to work in the world of social media, ZMOT is especially important to me. Social media provides a place where consumers can easily share their own opinions and recommendations about products and brands. So, the ZMOT to me means being on my social media A-game for whatever brand or product I work for.

What was your last zero moment of truth that you can think of? Mine was when I was in Target yesterday scrolling through Amazon reviews of a conditioner I was looking at.