7 - 11 - 4 and Google ZMOT

Google conducted a study on consumer behavior and coined the term Zero Moment Of Truth.

It's the moment when a consumer decides to buy something or not. 

Google found that buyers need to have 7 hours of interaction across 11 touch points and 4 locations for a consumer to be ready to buy.

A touch point could be a social media post, an email, a video, a blog post, and so on. Location refers to the channel the consumer receives these touchpoints. These include social media platforms, a website, email, or in-person.

The actual number of hours, touchpoints, and locations may vary.  

But here's the thing.

If your buyers see you only once or twice, you leave opportunities on the table.

Instead, adopt a strategy to publish high-value content on multiple channels over long periods of time.

Questions to ponder:

How many locations/channels are you reaching your buyers on?

Are you consistently publishing high-value content, or just once in a while?

CQ

What is the Zero Moment Of Truth?

A term coined by Google describing the moment a consumer decides whether or not to buy something. It's the culmination of all the touchpoints and exposure that happened before that decision point.

How much interaction does Google's research suggest buyers actually need before purchasing?

Roughly 7 hours of interaction across 11 touchpoints and 4 locations, though the exact numbers can vary. The key takeaway is that meaningful buyer readiness takes far more exposure than a single interaction.

What counts as a "touchpoint" in this context?

Anything a buyer might encounter, a social media post, an email, a video, a blog post. Each one contributes to the accumulated interaction needed before someone is ready to decide.

What does "location" mean as it relates to touchpoints?

The channel through which a touchpoint is received, social media, a website, email, or in-person. Reaching buyers across multiple locations matters as much as the number of touchpoints itself.

What happens if buyers only see a brand once or twice?

Opportunity gets left on the table. Without enough accumulated touchpoints across multiple channels over time, buyers likely aren't reaching the level of familiarity needed to actually decide to buy.