Ideally defined as a type of rich media, Ephemeral Content is primarily comprised of fantastic visuals, including images and videos, to grab the attention of viewers. However, it is only visible for a brief period of time, which makes it a temporary content that is specifically designed to provoke a desired response from the user.
As such, ephemeral content due to its temporary nature is often viewed with excitement by social media fanatics.
According to a recent study by Medium show that 86% of digital users crave authenticity more than ever, with 80% of shoppers often making impulsive purchases online.
This makes ephemeral content more than capable of driving attention, considering that social media platforms like Snapchat and Instagram derive their success from more than 400 million daily users.
In light of this information, let’s take a quick look at some of the ways ephemeral content is attracting the attention of social media maniacs.
1. Advertising & Promotional Content
Ephemeral content is able to engage customers on a more personal level with a brand than other forms of advertising, which is why it is able to offer an interactive element that can boost customer activity surrounding the post.
Furthermore, they can gain additional traction from specified audiences using features like tagging and geo-tagging to make the activity from familiar with locals.
Due to its temporary nature, where the content lasts only for 24 hours, brands and companies can run promotional content and advertisements, making them more exclusive. This naturally puts the customer on the nerve that if they do not figure out whether to buy or not to buy a product in the given time, they might never get the same opportunity again.
2. Build Engagements
Another way ephemeral content is able to besiege online users is through its tremendous ability to be socially preferable. Many users online consider this type of content as one of the primary sources to build credibility for brands and companies.
This is why it can prove to be quite fruitful for brands and companies as this type of content has the ability to give their lead nurturing an incredible boost.
Furthermore, it is proven by countless studies in recent times that visual content on social media is inevitably more likely to grasp user attention, be shared by social media users, and garnish all the likes and comments that one brand could possibly dream about.
3. FOMO
We live in a world where people are constantly comparing themselves with others. Am I more successful than my peers? Is my colleague living a better life than me?
Surely some do not even bother to ask these questions and get by their lives without a worry in the world, however with the rise of social media, the ‘fear of missing out’ has only grown and gained more prominence than ever.
This is what ephemeral content is able to implement in such a brilliant way where normally any individual would become anxious and start question their next move. People nowadays are more interested in banking on an offer rather than let things pass by, which is why FOMO is a successful marketing tactic for brands.
4. Launch a Limited Time Contest
The vast majority of people nowadays want to be a part of the bigger picture, and these days it doesn’t get any bigger than winning a contest on social media. Winners not only have to get their ‘fifteen minutes of fame’ by having their names announced and made public, but they are also provided with a tangible reward for their efforts and invested time.
Social media contests are thus a thing to be experienced, which is why ephemeral content is a great way to launch a limited-time contest. Since brands have only 24 hours before the content disappears, a lot of hype can be built around the contest by days and even weeks before the actual event.
5. Interact with Audiences
Social media platforms are all about interactions where people share ideas, notions, posts, visuals, and stories to interact with other people. Take live chats and live stream as an example, where logged-in users get to experience exclusive content which they can view at a given time slot.
This makes the whole thing even more exclusive, and since no one is forcing them to view the content, they can join the list of viewers and leave whenever they feel like and according to their own choice.
This choice is what makes users feel empowered and privileged. The same goes for ephemeral content, where the decision is placed in the user’s hand. However, when interactions do happen, brands can experience a tremendous boost as audiences generally go all out to interact and share their views in an open environment.
6. Run Once in a Lifetime Discount Offers
Have you got limited stock to sell? Is there a discount that customers can avail of, but it doesn’t last for long? Are some of your inventories running out of stock? Ephemeral content is the answer to all of these and other similar questions.
Brands can step out and give a shout out to their communities by running such type of content to get their attention towards particular items or discounts that users would love to become a part of almost instantly. It’s almost like a scripted movie scene where you have 24 hours to sell products and services, how do you go about? By going ephemeral!
7. Social Media Stories
Storytelling is an art, and brands are continuously deploying social media stories to give their marketing strategies an indefinite boost. This is why ephemeral content is the best way to implement social media stories since they appear outside of the regular feed and can be organized to cater to customer needs and requirements to a great effect.
They have certainly changed the landscape of social media platforms as they bring in a lot of excitement, especially for those who are addicts of social media. Stories have something in store for users that is new, waiting for them, which makes it all the more exciting to log in and see what’s happening in current time.
Conclusion
With their short-lived lifespan, ephemeral content is what is making people hooked on to brands and businesses. This makes them an opportune feature to deliver brand messages without being overwhelming for users.
Furthermore, the content is also perfect for mobile users, and it doesn’t clog up the main feed of users. Stories have taken over social media and which is why they certainly have a resounding impact on how businesses think and interact with their targeted audiences.
They derive a lot of attention and interactions from users, which makes them potent for a range of promotional and advertisement material. For more questions regarding the topic, feel free to share your queries in the comment section below.
