What is the Google “Zero Moment of Truth”?

Consumer ways have completely changed following the increased development of social media and the use of search engines. Indeed, before making a purchase, we can now access information online. To define this behaviour, Google modified the purchasing process by adding a step called “ZMOT” (Zero Moment Of Truth).

This is the new first connection between a consumer and your company.

A traditional purchasing process is divided into several stages:

The “stimulus”
The interest of the future consumer is stimulated by means of TV advertising / Poster campaigns, print advertisements in target magazines, etc…

The “First Moment Of Truth”
The consumer then orders and buys your product. It is the FMOT “First Moment Of Truth”, a term that appeared in 2005 with the American multinational, “Procter & Gamble”.

The “Second Moment Of Truth”
The experience. The consumer brings the product home and experiences it. Whether his experience is good or bad, he will now necessarily share it with others.

Because the Internet allows access to a lot of information, a new stage called ZMOT “Zero Moment Of Truth” was introduced.

In 2010, Google bounced back on the traditional approach and adapted it to the digital age by introducing “the new mental model of marketing”: ZMOT – that is to say – the Zero Moment of Truth. This particular “moment” slips between the first and second stages.

Before purchasing, the consumer will seek information about your business through social media and search engines. The information and opinions he will find about your product or service are important elements that should not be overlooked.

The loop on the diagram indicates that the satisfaction or disappointment of your customers strongly influences the ZMOT. After testing the product (during SMOT), the consumer will make his opinion known around him, including on the web and social networks, where he will post glowing or critical comments.

When a new consumer searches for your business, their Zero Moment Of Truth will be influenced by the experiences of other consumers before them.

This change in consumer behaviour means that your presence on the web and the image you reflect is crucial to converting your prospects into gaining customers. There are at least three areas to work on if you want your consumers to be seduced from their first contact with your company:

Visibility
You must be present on the internet but also have a site that can be viewed from mobile phones or tablets. You must also be well-positioned in search engine results for your consumers to find you easily in the search e. This involves working on your web referencing and regularly supplying your site with content.

User Experience
If you want your target audience to have a positive a priori towards your brand, you must pay attention to the ease of navigation on your site, its loading time, how your offer is presented on the internet, etc.

Reputation
Your reputation is of paramount importance to consumers. You must, therefore, do everything you can to enhance your expertise.

Another essential point: Meet your customers on social networks to start a dialogue to arouse their commitment to your brand. You will collect, by applying this activity, rewarding testimonials and will be able to react immediately in the unfortunate event of a complaint from a consumer towards your brand or your products. By facilitating conversation around your offer, you will also help Internet users who are looking for information about you regarding your offer, and by obtaining it, you will gain trust and credibility.

• Stimulus: discovery of the product or service by the consumer; birth of a need
• ZMOT: search for product information
• FMOT: contact with the product + purchase decision
• SMOT: purchase
• TMOT: sharing of experience with other consumers

The Zero Moment of Truth has completely changed the way we consume. It is time to let it change the way we target our customers.