Facebook's Guide to Reaching Users at Important Times

Facebook has issued a report entitled 'Moments That Bring People Closer Together,' and in this report the authors claim that people are connecting and interacting in the modern era in ways which are drastically different from prior times, and this is not just from the standpoint of technology usage. According to assertions made in the report, people now engage with each other via different celebration and events, and this is a trend which marketers would do well to take note of.The report states that we are in an age presently where people anticipate greater relevance and more personalized experiences for all the events and situations they're involved with. This means that agencies and marketers cannot simply adopt a calendar-based approach nor a one-size-fits-all mentality to planning their events. There's a great deal more complexity than that for advertisers to be aware of, but this also means that there are greater opportunities for creating meaningful contacts between people and between brands, all centered around relevant events.

Celebration of small events

One of the fundamental aspects of this new Facebook report is that modern tools and apps have made it more likely that smaller events can now be celebrated, in addition to the major moments that people go through. Within each of these smaller events, you can now as a marketer, target your campaigns more specifically to reach out to your intended audience, thus appealing to their assumed perspective on each of those events.This is yet another thrust on the part of Facebook's business team along the lines of the Moments That Matter initiative, which has been a major focus of the team for at least two years now. The present report issued by the platform offers an overview of some of the specific target audience celebrations and events which users are now taking into account.

Specific events being celebrated

As defined by Facebook, the key moments celebrated by users fall into three specific categories. The first of these categories includes the once a day moments, and even everyday activities have now become causes for social connection. Evening meal preparation time can be an opportunity to share discoveries with foodies you might be connected to, either in groups or around the world. A morning jog can provide an opportunity to compete with a friend located half a world away.

Once a year moments include those times such as holidays and other special events, where the anticipation of that special day causes the impact of them to mushroom, and their effects tend to linger on long after the event has passed. This could be planning for a birthday, or a noteworthy three day weekend, or even planning for a family Christmas celebration, but in any case, these moments offer plenty of opportunities to connect individuals before the event, while it's happening, and afterward.Occasional moments are those where specific significant events serve as milestones, and create lasting memories for the individuals involved. Typically such events bring together large numbers of people who have a common interest, or they might be situations where an individual is going through a significant life stage situation, for instance becoming a parent. In such situations, users tend to share the joy experienced during the moment, and they also tend to reach out to friends and contacts for advice and possible recommendations.Each of these different kinds of moments brings its own opportunity for brand connection, assuming that you're in tune with your audience's interests. If you can tap into these events, it will help you to establish a greater connection with your target audience, based on some of the most important elements of the events they're interested in. In Facebook's new report, there are a number of specific examples provided for various events which might comprise each important moment, including notes on the relevance and significance of each moment.

Finding meaning in smaller moments

Facebook suggests that it is not only possible to find significant meaning in smaller moments, but highly advisable for marketers, because it provides an opportunity to connect on a different level with users. As an example, sipping coffee in the morning can be loaded with meaning, and is one of those seemingly innocuous events that may be part of a larger moment, but can have importance all on its own.A marketing campaign which focuses on very familiar activities such as drinking coffee in the morning, can resonate powerfully with a large number of viewers, and it can have a huge impact because it's so relatable. Facebook takes several examples like this and describes how even smaller moments can be used to advantage by marketers because they resonate so well with users.

Importance to marketers

There are several reasons why the smaller moments should have special importance to marketers, and why they should be incorporated into any marketing initiatives. Once a day moments are predictable and highly regular, and they're usually things that just about everyone can relate to. If you can understand the everyday signals that people pick up on, you can reach users at entry points where association converts into usage, all throughout the day.By combining these insights based on significant moments with marketing knowledge of the customer's journey, any brand should be able to inject itself into user thinking and become a resource for decision-making. In situations like these, brands have an ideal opportunity to connect people every day of the week, and all you have to consider is whether you wish to add value by becoming champion of a particular cause or by becoming a community ally.To have the very best chance of reaching your audience, you need to connect with people as they go through their daily routines, which means you need to optimize your campaigns for several different types of platforms. As opposed to delivering your message on a single platform, you'll reach a much wider audience, and you'll meet your intended potential customers right where they happen to be, on any given day of the week.