Social media platforms have become professional dashboards for brands. Its evolving nature brings up different features every now and then. Some of its features that have surfaced and are doing really well are stories. The content shared in these stories is classified as ephemeral content as it disappears after 24 hours.
In this article, we will delve into the value it can provide and how to implement it in your content strategy.
Table of contents
What Is Ephemeral Content?
This buzzword has been trending all over social media, mainly introduced by Snapchat. Ephemeral content is rich in material and is available for a maximum of 24 hours on your feed. You can create this content on Snapchat, Facebook, and Instagram in the form of snaps, stories and reels.
The snaps on Snapchat can be shared, and the recipient can view them once or twice. Ephemeral content can be shared with a group of people and posted publicly. All it does is disappear after 24 hours.
The purpose of ephemeral content is to generate curiosity and urgency so as not to miss out before it disappears. Brands use this content for product demos and announcements and to engage audiences.
Why Is Ephemeral Content Important?
We have understood what ephemeral content is. This type of content is also commonly known as stories, which are different from actual feeds. Stories across all social media channels, e.g., Snapchat, Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, are all ephemeral.
So why are these stories important for brands to share? Learn about its usefulness and importance below.
Easy Way To Interact With Audiences
People are usually found scrolling through their feeds and story sections on social media. Ephemeral content helps brands engage and interact with their audience. If you offer something actionable, they might click your content and see what’s being offered. This content is also used by brands for quizzes and contests in which customers can participate. People participate to receive exciting rewards.
Boost Sales
Brands use ephemeral content to embed shoppable links in their content. Instagram reels usually have swipe-up and embedded link options to boost sales. The link is temporarily available, which creates a sense of ‘fear of missing out’ in people. Similarly, Snap Ads are also found with shoppable links that drive audiences to the product page.
Engage Audiences
Not just restricted to stories, ephemeral content is something you add filters to for a limited time. For example, Coca-Cola introduced its Football World Cup filter on Snapchat for 24 hours. People were seen using that geofilter after Belgium’s match.
Those who have used the filter on Snapchat have to post on different social media platforms. The brands offered exciting prizes for the best snap or picture taken using that filter. This makes it evident that ephemeral content increases engagement.
Broader Reach
Almost every other person uses social media. This is the reason that brands are inclined to market their products and services on social media. Everyone or anyone can reach content irrespective of barriers of age, gender, and location. This makes ephemeral content useful for attracting a large audience.
Why Should Brands Use Ephemeral Content?
There are many good yet effective reasons to use ephemeral content in your content strategy. If you want to know how it works for different platforms, learn the statistics first. You must know the average user base and average daily views of different platforms.
- Snapchat has over 190 million active users around the world.
- The average daily active user of Instagram stories is 500 million.
- Combined, these two platforms generate 690 million daily views of ephemeral content.
- 50% of active Snapchat and Instagram users are under the age of 34.
- It is expected that Millennials and Gen Z’s spending power will flourish and surpass $3 trillion in the coming years.
Types of Ephemeral Content
Snaps
Driving the buzz phrase ‘ephemeral content’ from Snapchat makes it a pioneer of this content. Snaps are the most common form of short-term content. The origin of disappearing content comes from Snapchat, and that is where it all started. Considering its rising popularity, other platforms did not stay behind. They followed this trend quickly.
Advertisers also use Snap Ads to send to groups or individuals to market their products.
Instagram Stories
Just like Snapchat, Instagram stories are where people share short video clips or images that disappear after 24 hours. Reels are also similar to stories but usually consist of 15-second multi-clip videos with audio. People can share them with friends or anyone else on Instagram. This is the new format for short video clips.
Facebook Stories
Similar to Instagram, Facebook stories are also temporarily available on your story feed. You can share your Instagram reel or story directly from the platform to Facebook. People can tap on your profile picture and view your story.
Tips for Making Profitable Ephemeral Content
Create and Outline Rather Than Script
You need to have a clear outline of the content before you start. Make an outline around the actual message you want to deliver to your audience. Keep the flow and be fluent. Whatever comes to your mind, it’s okay to get a little off-topic to keep the content organic. Keep your videos short and interesting. People have a short attention span; you must not drag your video to another world.
Leave Behind Old-School Ads
Ephemeral content lets businesses create content that is engaging and grabs the attention of audiences. People might scroll past your content if they don’t find it interactive.
Brands use live streaming and Q&A sessions with influencers and celebrities to keep the audience engaged with the content. Some other ways you can create more interactive content include:
- Using filters
- Polls
- Hashtag Contests
- Live Stream
Stick to Your Niche
Identifying your niche is important to attract audiences from around the globe. People will not respond to a random piece of content.If you have a specific niche, e.g., travel, beauty, food, or others, Stick to it to drive more audience. Be consistent in posting content and align your content with your brand name and values. The content should be fresh, unique, and consistent.
Right Hashtags Are Great To Reach A Larger Audience
People often create random hashtags for their content without reviewing them first. Using tags can be a great way to attract a wider audience. There are some things you need to consider when using hashtags in your ephemeral content.
- Geo Tags
Using geotags is becoming more popular to appear on the Instagram Explore page. You can inform your audience about your geolocation and attract their attention to learn more about your location.
- Hashtags
Getting listed in a specific hashtag search is a big deal. You need to create unique hashtags in order to reach a wider audience searching for a specific hashtag. You can add stickers to your hashtag to make it unique from others. For example, #OOTD is too general and commonly used by bloggers every day. Instead, you can try #OOTD👗 to make it unique.
Play More
Keep your creative juices flowing and find ways to catch users attention. Break the barriers of limitation and imagine more possibilities. You can review and research brands that have succeeded in making the most of their ephemeral content.
Why Ephemeral Content Is Here to Stay?
Ephemeral content holds huge marketing potential. It can be used to create a sense of FOMO (fear of missing out) or urgency. The purpose of the content is to raise awareness, establish authenticity, and foster relationships. You can make ephemeral content profitable by linking each one of your offers to a landing page.
Considering the massive engagement rate of Snapchat and Instagram, this content can be used multiple times in a day. Millennials and Gen Z absolutely love ephemeral content. Initially, you will make mistakes in posting the right content. However, eventually, with planning and a creative mindset, you will be able to capitalize on it for your business.
Featured Image: Strike Social
