So what exactly is micro-content and how does it apply to your brand? These are short-form social advertisements geared towards mobile marketing to share information or present a brand to consumers. Micro-content lives on sites like Instagram, Vine, Twitter and Snapchat. Therefore, this content can range from videos to photos to short quips of text. Content is quick, engaging and easy to digest, honing in on the fast-paced lifestyle and short attention spans of today’s world.
Some companies may write off micro social platforms as a waste of time, money and energy. But on the contrary, with the average American now spending more time on social media than any other major Internet activity, including email, micro social offers a major opportunity to connect with consumers. By creating interesting content and generating open conversations with personality and a clear voice, brands can be in closer contact with their consumers than ever before.
Not only can you reach users in a more intimate way, but the ROI in social media is also highly valuable. Based on research conducted by WebDAM, it’s estimated that US Social Media Ad revenues are expected to reach $11 billion by 2017. So if you haven’t explored mobile marketing, now is the time.
So the next question is, how to leverage advertising on these platforms to benefit your business. It’s one thing to join the networks, but it’s quite another to succeed in the space. Your company must create a fun, interactive and engaging personality online.
- Be excited about what you are sharing with consumers. Ask yourself if you would find the content relevant if you were on the receiving end. Your social content should serve your audience, giving them information or offers that cannot be found anywhere else.
- Give your brand a persona, a humanizing voice that users can connect with. You must know your target consumer and craft a personality that aligns with the brand and the audience. For example, if your audience is mostly female and has interests in healthy living, family and food, then your content should be a direct reflection of those interests, tapping into things like family recipes, cooking tips and general wellness information.
- Always remember to have a clear message to convey. While more fun, frivolous posts may be enjoyable to create, you need to remember you are a brand trying to get information across to your consumers. Every piece of content does not need to force an action. Instead try to use some tweets or posts that link back or include an offer. Additionally, your profiles should be an easy to digest overview of what your brand is and why users should care. Make sure to include your website link to make it easy for users to find more information about your company.
Before jumping into all of these social platforms, remember that each one should be crafted as an individual social sphere. Note the strength/weakness of various platforms. Decide which platforms are best for your message. Create content with a specific platform in mind. One size does not fit all, even when it comes to micro-content.
The bottom line – Micro-content advertising will only continue to grow as more people spend their time on mobile. Utilize this opportunity and develop a brand personality on social that is witty, personable and interesting to engage with. Developing these platforms properly in the long run can help your brand build a strong base of users who are loyal to your products, actively seeking information about them and acting as brand ambassadors to other people.