We've built entire systems to capture user behavior. We optimize for the last ad clicked, the most recent product viewed, or the page a user bounced from. And we call that performance.
But what if we're tracking the wrong moment?
Behavior ≠ Intent
Just because someone visited a page doesn't mean they were ready to convert. Just because they bounced doesn't mean they weren't interested.
Traditional AdTech assumes that what happened most recently is what matters most.
That's lazy.
The Truth Is: Timing > Targeting
We've been so obsessed with "who" the user is, we forgot to ask "when" they're ready.
The signals are all there; time of day, frequency of visits, even price-checking behavior. But most platforms ignore them, choosing broad reach over precision timing.
Journeys Are Non-Linear
Users don't wake up, see an ad, and buy. They check, compare, pause, revisit, forget, rediscover.
The actual moment that matters is often subtle:
- A second visit at an odd hour.
- A repeated view of the same product.
- A drop-off right before checkout then a reappearance 4 days later.
These are signals. And we should be listening.
Smarter Marketing Starts Before the Scroll
The future of performance isn't about flooding feeds or retargeting endlessly. It's about predicting patterns and acting before intent fades.
That means:
- Modeling session rhythms, not just events.
- Scoring micro-intents, not just conversions.
- Designing journey-aware creatives, not just generic CTAs.
Show Up at the Right Moment
The brands that will win in 2025 aren't the loudest. They're the ones that quietly show up right when the user is ready.
Because marketing isn't about following people around. It's about showing up at the exact moment they're about to decide.
Let's stop reacting.
Let's start sensing.
