Ephemeral content. You may not be familiar with the term, but you’ve definitely seen examples of it littered across social media. Ephemeral content refers to media, typically images and videos, that are only viewable for a short period of time (usually 24 hours). You can find ephemeral content on almost any social media platform, including Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat to name a few. When used correctly, stories can be a great marketing tool for local businesses to attract consumer awareness to sales, events, or special promotions.
How You Can Use Ephemeral Content To Your Advantage
The Search Engine Journal highlights two goals of using ephemeral media, to increase engagement and elicit immediate responses. Generally, stories are used for promotions and events happening in the near future. Posting ephemeral content encourages users to respond to your post with questions and comments. As a result of the nature of ephemeral content, publishers are expected to answer followers in a timely manner. However, quick response turnaround is a great way to connect with fans and generate more new business.
Include Links
To add even more interaction and engagement, businesses should consider including links in their social media stories. Stories have evolved over time and they now allow content creators to include links to accompany an image or video. This is a great tool for businesses who are looking to advertise a promotion or sale that can be found on their website. For example, a car dealership looking to promote a special on certain models can include some details of the offer in the story image or video, while also linking to a search results page within the content. The story itself alerts fans of the savings, while also opening an avenue for questions and inquiries. When linked, the users can see which vehicles qualify for the offer and view more details about the promotion.
Reach a Wider Audience
Another reason for the success of short term content is that stories are likely to reach a wider audience. Ephemeral content is different from the traditional method of posting and can increase the reach of a business’s content. As Post Planner highlights, Facebook organic post reach has been on the decline for years. Ephemeral content allows users a way around the Facebook algorithm that decides who to show your page posts to. For any social media site with stories, your content will be included in the queue of images and videos that users are tapping through on a regular basis. If users like a businesses’ page, or if the content is a paid promotion, stories will show up directly next to content posted by family and friends. For any social media site, the latest stories are usually positioned at the top of the app or website for users to see first. This visibility, combined with the casual feel of ephemeral content, is partly what makes it so popular among social media creators.
The social media team at Aronson Advertising has followed the rise of ephemeral content since its inception, as well as how to leverage other trends. For more information on how we can revitalize your social media strategy, contact the Aronson Advertising team today. To see how they’re implementing the latest strategies find Aronson Advertising on Facebook, Instagram (@AronsonAdvertising), and Twitter (@AronsonAds) or contact us directly at (847) 297-1700.
