Ephemeral content is something that only lasts for a specified amount of time before disappearing, and increasing numbers of social media outlets have been using it in recent months. Some examples of ephemeral content are livestreamed videos and stories, which feature videos and pictures from a user’s day that disappear after 24 hours. Many people, especially younger people, find ephemeral content more engaging and more novel than traditional marketing and advertisements. Therefore, the use of ephemeral content will encourage customers to engage with your brand.

1. Authenticity

One benefit of using ephemeral content is it conveys authenticity to the customer. Rather than a traditional, polished advertisement or marketing campaign, ephemeral content, such as works in progress and clips that seem more organic can create a sense of individual engagement between the brand and the customer. That can nurture a feeling of trust and excitement so that the customer feels more inclined to follow and interact with branded content.

2. Capitalize on the FOMO Effect

Ephemeral content can also capitalize on the fear of missing out that some people have. Since ephemeral content disappears after a certain amount of time, that sense of having missed out can encourage customers to interact more actively with branded content. For example, an exclusive video that shows some behind-the-scenes aspect of your business that’s available for a week, a few days, or even a few hours creates a greater sense of excitement and a higher probability of customers tuning in regularly. That requires some creativity, however, because, unlike traditional ad campaigns, ephemeral content is not recyclable.

3. Deeper Knowledge of Brand

In the same vein, behind the scenes content can encourage customers not only to interact with the advertisement but also to interact with the brand. Interaction with the brand can mimic a feeling of friendship, which encourages the customer to interact more often. For example, promoting a movie or book with a campaign that asks customers to send in pictures or videos of themselves doing something related to that book or movie. Each day, the objective of the pictures or videos would be different, giving the campaign a scavenger hunt feel and contributing to the ephemeral quality.

4. Mobile Focused

Advertisements utilizing ephemeral content need only be as complicated as smartphones deem necessary. With the multitude of smartphones, it’s easy to use smartphones to take video and pictures. It’s also easy to produce a QR code, perhaps printed on small flyers or posted on a social media page, with which fans can access exclusive content. Customers can scan the QR code to gain access.

5. Increased Customer Engagement

Furthermore, visual content is more likely to be shared on social media than any other kind of material. Therefore, using pictures and video leads to a higher engagement than using text or audio advertisements. However, it’s also possible to use audio content to create a sense of exclusivity or secrecy that can entice customers. Be sure to know your audience and what they would respond most to.

To make the most use of ephemeral content, be sure to have an account on a service that offers ephemeral content. Furthermore, decide what kinds of content suit your brand the best. A musician would be better served with exclusive content and audio, while an artist or influencer might fare well with images and video. It might also be worthwhile to start with the material that seems to match your brand the best and expand to other types. It’s also important to post with regularity so that there’s a lot of content with which your customers can interact. Use trial and error to see what times and how often works best for your brand. Finally, be creative and have fun. The more authentic the impression you give, the more customers will feel a personal connection with your brand.