This type of content, considered by marketing professionals as one of the social media trends already in 2019, is essential today in a brand's content strategy .
What is fast content in digital marketing?
Literally translated from English, fast contest is fast content. A brief, ephemeral audiovisual content . It can be a video, a gif, an image or an infographic. Brevity refers to the viewing time, which barely lasts a blink of an eye, and sometimes also to the time spent online. If we talk about Instagram stories, for example, we are talking about content that expires because it is only kept for 24 hours.
Although the concept of this type of content on social networks was created in 2011 when Snapchat was born under the name Picaboo , it was not until years later that it became massively popular. The perishable content was captivating and managed to grow Snapchat from 46 million active users at the beginning of 2014 to 186 million users at the end of 2018.
Soon other social networks realized the effectiveness of ephemeral content and did not hesitate to include sections for their users to make use of the fast content created by Snapchat. This is how Instagram Stories, Facebook Stories and even WhatsApp statuses were born.
This fleeting nature of content was born from a change in users' consumption habits, and short content was ideal for covering this new way of receiving information. It loads faster, is quicker to consume, and generates greater engagement than other content.
Types of fast content
Snapchat Snaps
Snapchat 's so-called "snaps" are time-limited photos and videos that users send and receive and that disappear after 24 hours. It's the ultimate fast content.
Instagram Stories, Facebook Stories and Whatsapp statuses
Instagram stories are posts that last 24 hours unless you set them as featured on your Instagram profile. They are ideal for interaction and are currently used more than feed posts. They are currently the easiest way to create fast content and include it in any brand's content strategy.
Just like Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp gambling data japan phone number have a built-in feature that allows you to post stories that disappear after 24 hours, Facebook Stories and the so-called WhatsApp statuses.
Bumper Ads
These are ads lasting no more than 6 seconds that appear before a YouTube video. They are usually microvideos and another option for including a brand's fast content.
Live broadcasts
You can do it from Instagram, Facebook or YouTube and it is content that is broadcast live and is only available at a certain time, although the social networks where it is made allow you to save it later in video form if you wish.
They are particularly effective for interacting with followers and bring a touch of freshness that plays with the idea of spontaneity, which doesn't mean that they can't be prepared in advance. Imagine it like a live TV show: write a short script, prepare the space that will be seen in the live broadcast and work on it like any scheduled post.
Keys to achieving effective fast content
- Be brief. Some say that if something is short, it is twice as good, and in the case of fast content, this must be the case. It must be content that is consumed quickly, as its name suggests.
- Aim to make an impact . The goal of fast content is to capture the user's attention from the first second. You only have 15 seconds to capture your audience's attention, so what you publish must make an immediate impact on the person who receives it.
- Keep it simple . In any social media content, simplicity is always necessary to avoid overwhelming the user and diverting their attention from us. Although it must be engaging content, always remember the premise of less is more.
- Don't forget about creativity . Just because it's fleeting content doesn't mean it shouldn't be well-crafted content. Creativity is key to engaging a user who receives new information every few seconds. If you do the same as everyone else, you'll go unnoticed.
- Give it an emotional touch . One of the keys to capturing a user's attention is to touch their emotions. Make sure your content appeals to emotions.
- Summarize . Good fast content should be able to tell a story in the shortest time possible. An image that says a lot in just a glance, a story that hooks in a couple of seconds. Use storytelling to your advantage so that the user stays and remembers you, but be as brief as possible.
- Focus on your target . Before doing anything, create a social media strategy for your brand that includes a study of the competition, objectives to meet and an analysis of your audience. Don't try to reach 100% of the population and focus your attention on your target audience.
How to integrate it into your content strategy
The answer to this question is simple: treat it as just another piece of content. The best way to integrate fast content into your social media strategy is to work with it like you do with the rest of your posts, with planning.
It is true that, since it is ephemeral content, you can use it to make it more related to current events, since the time to prepare it is usually less. Fast content is ideal for working with the immediacy of the present, but also for taking advantage of all your tools and including content planned in advance.
Fast content can change your relationship with your audience, improve your reach and engagement figures. But if you are looking for maximum effectiveness, it is essential to have a team of experts to accompany you in your steps. If you have any questions, write to us , we will be happy to walk the path with you.
