Okay, for all of us trying to rewrite the conversion funnel, reshape it into some semblance of a Dr. Seuss flugelhorn,  (Check out this attempt — I know I saw this in the Grinch Who Stole Christmas!),

Google introduces…actual research!

Here’s the link to Google’s report : http://google-zmot.appspot.com/google-zmot.pdf

And here’s what you’ll find out:

Google partnered with Shopper Sciences http://www.shoppersciences.com to research 5000 shoppers and figure out when they use online resources – websites, reviews, and recommendations – in their purchase decisions.

 

Follow along:

“Stimulus” in classic parlance, is that first exposure that makes you want a product – a Saturday morning commercial, let’s say.

The “First Moment of Truth” is the classic in-store moment.  You’re standing in the cereal aisle, you grab the Cap’n Crunch, read the label, decide high fructose corn syrup is okay, and take it home.

The “Second Moment of Truth” is when you try it and love it.

So Google’s study identifies the “Zero Moment of Truth” (because it comes before the first.  And there’s no ordinal for “zero”), or ZMOT.

 

This is their name for the research consumers do before they go to the store.

For big purchases, like cars, it’s always been extensive.  For consumer products, like cereal, not so much.  Until now. Apparently because they build it, we’re coming.

People are researching more online before they purchase – in every product category.  So yes, Cap’n Crunch may get a nutrition check or just a coupon search, but shoppers are going to look for it before they are standing in the aisle. (I’d love to see how mom’s mobile phone nutrition facts play against that kid-magnet packaging, but that’s not in this study.)

Then Google came up with the “second” ZMOT (which really should be the third, but let’s not quibble) which is when consumers like a product and go back online to say so.We’ve all been calling this engagement, but Google is Google so they get to rename it if they want to.

As a multi-channel marketer, I was happy to see that television and print are still big awareness media (excuse me, “stimulus” media) outranking online ads.  We’re constantly arguing here at TEMPO about online vs. real world. Sometimes it’s a question of budget, sometimes it’s about targeting, but I still think “not everything that can be measured is valuable, and not everything that’s valuable can be measured.” But that’s another blog for another day.

Check out the study, there’s a good bit of meat in it, including some interesting research/purchase timing studies.  And let us know what you figure out.

At TEMPO Strategic we consult with our clients on business strategy and engaging with your target audience.

 

UPDATE: Check out this section for much more detail https://www.thinkwithgoogle.com/collections/zero-moment-truth.html