Ever since you were a child, you have heard the marketing terms ‘for a limited time only’ or ‘hurry, time is running out.’
Whether we admit it or not, this sense of urgency works.
We feel like if something is going to disappear, we better take action. Even Amazon uses this trick by telling us there are a limited number of items available in stock.
Thanks to a new trend in social media, we now have a whole new category of content that is applying this same principle. It drives engagement, and keeps us coming back more often than ever before.
Ephemeral content is one of the biggest content marketing buzzwords of the past few years.
But before you change your whole marketing strategy, it’s crucial to understand how and why it’s affecting marketing and online social behavior.
What Is Ephemeral Content?
Let’s get technical first. David Trounce from Search Engine Journal gives this definition:
‘Ephemeral content is rich media, primarily images and videos, that are only accessible for a brief period.’
Now let’s get basic.
Ephemeral content is any picture or video that as shared as an Instagram Stories, Snapchat Stories, and Snaps, Facebook Stories, or Youtube Stories. These pieces of content typically last for 24 hours and are limited in length for videos.
On Snapchat in 2019, there are over 3 Billion Snaps (Photos and Videos) shared each day.
On Instagram, in 2019, there are over 500 Million Instagram Stories shared per day.
How is Ephemeral Content Different?
Similar to the ‘limited time’ tactic in advertising, the temporary nature triggers urgency and the fear of missing out (FOMO) if a story or snap is not viewed within 24 hours.
Because of the temporary nature of ephemeral content, it changes the focus for the creator as well.
As a content creator, when something lasts forever on your profile, you tend to want to present a more polished image.
However, when sharing something that you know will disappear, you are more likely, to be honest, funny, and current.
Instagram Stories for many users have now become a record of daily activity.
They are more personal and direct in nature. Even though they are of lower quality, a lot of the time, they are more believable and engaging.
In a way, Instagram Stories and Snapchat Stories now act like a visual diary that helps people know what you’re up and what you’re feeling today.
Who Invented Ephemeral Content?
It seems that Snapchat can lay claim to inventing (or at least popularizing) ephemeral content.
When Snapchat emerged on the scene in 2011, it was confusing, to say the least. Every ‘snap’ (another name for a private message) you received vanished after viewing.
For people who had grown up with permanent messaging, this made little sense. But to the younger users on the platform, it meant that the receiving snaps were more exciting. You had to be using the app constantly, and your snaps to each other were more honest.
Slowly but surely, this began to change the way people shared and connected online.
When Instagram copied Snapchat stories in August 2016, at first, they were derided. But the popularity increased quickly. Instagram as a platform had become a place for content curation, and the addition of stories breathed new life into the user experience.
Today, ephemeral stories are growing in user engagement at 15X the rate of posts.
According to Josh Constine, writing for TechCrunch, ‘The repercussions of this medium shift are vast. Users now consider how every moment could be glorified and added to the narrative of their day.’
How To Adapt Your Marketing for Ephemeral Content
As a brand marketing in 2019, it’s essential to see the enormous potential upside of embracing a more ephemeral approach to marketing,
As well as sharing more behind the scenes content, it can also be an excellent way to share offers and insights with customers in a more casual way.
Also, remember that there is less need to be highly curated in your story content. Simple video blogs from team members, or sharing funny/clever/entertaining ideas can be very engaging.
Finally, it may be worth looking into running advertisements in the ephemeral format.
Both Snapchat and Instagram currently offer the option to sponsor and advertise directly in the story sections of the apps. In some cases, the cost can be impression and lead can be quite worthwhile.
As ephemeral content becomes more mainstream, it may even replace the conventional news feeds and posts we are familiar with. With so much content online today, having temporary access to it may actually make us more interested in seeing it.