Think back to how you consumed media ten years ago. Five years ago. Three years ago.

Even since last year, new habits have crept in to your daily routine. As you watched less "real" television, your digital video consumption swelled to fill its place.

[tweetthis]In 2011- average American adult watched 21 min of digital video. In 2015 -average of 76 min per day.@NRMediaGroup[/tweetthis]

Forty of those seventy-six projected minutes will be spent on mobile alone.

Marketing movers and shakers have been generating a steady hum around how rapidly evolving media consumption habits should be accounted for in media strategy. Here are some thoughts on how to optimize your marketing campaigns by appealing to consumers' innate desire for instant gratification in the micro-moments of the decision-making process.

The Psychology of Instant Gratification - Neil Patel

We've covered millennials' increasing demand for more! now! - in posts about tech, such as the new Amazon Dash Button. With companies considering drones for drop-deliveries, this is only the beginning of the redefinition of convenience.

What drives impulse buys, shops, and shares? Instant gratification - the momentary rush of endorphins when your needs and expectations are met.

If you can give your audience something they will truly value, now, then tell them about it! Draw them in with small wins - trust-building transactions are short-term (instant if possible) promises you make and then keep - and these in turn generate loyalty.

Patel covers this in a 2014 article for Entrepreneur, "The Psychology of Instant Gratification and How it Will Revolutionize Your Marketing Approach".

Patel cites the constant information exchange occurring through media across the variety of devices today.

Specific examples of opportunities for instant gratification by brands cited by Patel in his article for Entrepreneur include:

• Using "now" messaging - presenting sought-after information that is truly beneficial right now (more on this next)
• Providing instant answers with live support via phone or a chat application
• Shortening the time and effort required to purchase as much as possible (e.g. the Amazon Dash Button mentioned above)
• Set up an auto-email response to subscriptions, inquiries, or even complaints
• Provide downloadable resources

A more substantial read I can't stop raving about related to marketing psychology is on behavioral economics, Daniel Kahneman's Thinking Fast and Slow. Digest it slowly - you'll find his insights into "System 1 thinking" particularly valuable to marketers.

Micro-Moments - Google

Instantaneous media marketing is Google's forte. They make a bunch of cash queuing up content tailored to each search, by both context and user.

Google's newest campaign gives a face lift to their previous mission: to reach consumers at the "Zero Moment of Truth", or ZMOT. They focused on reaching people swiftly in the midst of their decision-making process, and sought to inform advertisers about the benefits of doing so. Their micro-moments campaign is essentially an extension of that message.

Google's senior vice president of ads and commerce Sridhar Ramaswamy wrote an Outside Voice's piece for The Wall Street Journal on micro-targeting opportunities. He cited, "69% of online consumers agree that the quality, timing, or relevance of a company’s message influences their perception of a brand".

The video below demonstrates many different micro-moment marketing successes.

This is the continuation of a long shift in how we seek out goods and services. These micro-moments only multiply as wearable devices become more ubiquitous. Information flows among brands and consumers in a steady stream, where previously it was a lock-step transaction.

On the consumer side, seeking and consuming media is now nearly seamlessly integrated into our every day stream of consciousness. On the business side, advanced analytics such as those provided by Google are the catalyst to optimizing these opportunities. Marketers today need to create a cycle of analysis and production based on these facts.

Read the full article, How Micro-Moments Are Changing the Rules, on Think with Google.

Media Strategy Today is a Dynamic Art and Science

Knowing how to balance the art and science of micro-marketing, among all of today's media options, in order to deliver the greatest ROI, is truly a full time job.

What message does your brand present? Are you building brand relationships, or getting lost in the din? A digital media strategy can help your company be heard. It is important to form a measurable action plan to reach qualified buyers and build loyalty.

In short, these trends in media marketing demonstrate that connecting with consumers on an individual level has never been easier, if you know where to begin. From the first statistic we mentioned on increasing mobile media consumption, videos are a great place to begin for companies looking to foster a long-term relationship.

As always, it is best to consider your audience's persona first, and proceed accordingly. Everyone, however, can benefit from beginning with the end goal of reaching consumers by capturing micro-moments that matter most.

What do you think? Micro-targeting can also be more literal - with location-generated purchase incentives becoming more commonplace. Do you appreciate this as a consumer, or find it invasive? Let us know in the comments.