Fast Content: The trend that will give your brand the exposure you always wanted
In order to keep up with our audience, we must understand what concepts like Fast Content are. Users nowadays look for quick and summarized information. This is why it has become so “fashionable” to be objective and to only communicate what’s necessary.
Fast and short content marketing is becoming increasingly popular at a fast rate, allowing advertisers to take advantage of it to reach more consumers through micro-moments.
How it began
The first time we saw this kind of content was on the Snapchat platform in 2011 and it aimed to create a community for quick exchange of short content. Sometime later in 2016, Instagram joined this trend, creating its own Stories, which caused Snapchat to lose prominence.
Therefore, nowadays social networks such as Facebook, WhatsApp, or YouTube also provide the option of sharing short stories quickly. This is very spontaneous and is used for any occasion. Thus, it isn’t only necessary to know what this method is, but you also have to take advantage of it.
A problem that goes hand in hand with this method is the saturation of it. This makes it extremely difficult to stand out from the crowd. However, the keys to success remain to be innovative and creative.
What does it comprise?
The definition of this term can give you clues about what it is. However, what you could initially understand, doesn’t completely define it. The most complete answer would be: It’s short, concrete, and good quality content. Likewise, it makes use of new technologies and builds a connection with users.
Another key factor is that it mainly produces content in video format, to then get distributed toward a specific audience. This audience takes part in the development of real-time trends. When we use platforms that allow creating Fast Content through videos. We create a great segmentation of users. This makes it easier to reach our target more efficiently.
However, for this to happen, we must interactively present this content to generate engagement with our users. Only then we will capture the interest of people.
Fast content goals
Knowing what this method is, implies being aware of its two key objectives. These are:
- Provoking an action by the user, including subscribing to their daily newsletter, visit their website regularly, following their Instagram account, among others.
- Generate engagement, invite the consumer to follow the content published by your brand, and make them an enthusiastic follower.
On the other hand, this isn’t just a passing trend. It was a trend in 2019 due to the ease of reaching consumers, the good results it provides, and how attractive it is.
Advantages
Among the multiple advantages of this method, the following stand out:
- It can generate a large commitment from users, thanks to the speed of its content.
- It’s a highly interactive format and its main objective is to get a response from the user.
- Since your means of transmission are social media, this method allows you to position yourself within the digital world, which represents a great advantage when directing social media campaigns to current or potential clients, from whom we expect a good response.
- Quality content becomes good advertising. It’s no coincidence that personalized content published on all platforms and in local languages quickly and safely has transformed the communication industry. Marketing departments use this type of content for large advertising campaigns. This is because the content is more relevant to advertising than any of its elements.
So, if we add to these advantages, the large sales that this method produces today, how can we not dare to use it? Don’t wait for your competition to do it first. Knowing what fast content is, drives you to innovate and gain new clients or future followers. As a well-known (Mexican) saying goes: “do it and if you are afraid, do it with fear.”
These kinds of sayings have become mantras for companies where staff turnover is high and competition is volatile. However, will it be a mantra applicable to fast content if we consider that it has to be of quality? Of course! Never be afraid to grow your business.
How to apply marketing with fast content
This method is intended for interactions generated through cell phones or smart devices. It’s very likely that even you already handle the type of content that works best on these devices.
Therefore, in addition to knowing in depth what fast content is, you must take into account SEO (Search Engine Optimization), as well as other factors to reach your target.
Also, remember the ideal format for this content, which is videos whose duration should be between 5 to 10 seconds.
This is the attention span that most people dedicate to this type of content.
What types of content are fast content?
Ads for YouTube
The mandatory ads that precede YouTube videos, known as bumper ads, are the perfect example of fast content.
These ads, which are very original and of good quality, manage to capture the public’s attention in less than 6 seconds.
Stories
You surely have some idea of what “Stories” are. With more than 1,000 million users using this method, Stories are one of the ideal channels for this method. This format is preferred by both large companies and small entrepreneurs. This is because the short content of Stories has positioned itself among the main marketing trends. After the arrival of Stories and its potential, this option is emerging as one of the big trends in social media.
Therefore, companies face the daily challenge of innovating and presenting spontaneous content that will help them appear more humane. This, in turn, demands that their content must be fresh and the less elaborate the better. Images or videos must speak for themselves. This way you could transmit messages that motivate users and the public you want to reach.
Micro campaigns
The fast content trend has also reached big companies, transforming the way they run their campaigns.
Now, the bet goes towards creating micro-campaigns, short actions, or short content to boost their brands.
In these micro-campaigns, micro-influencers are used, and any good strategy to attract users.
How to develop fast content
You probably already know what fast content is. Now, do you consider it relevant to your business? If so, here are some key elements.
Having light and advanced enough technology is key. You can even use your high-tech smartphone.
- Creativity: companies must use their creativity to capture the attention of consumers. So don’t go the easy route by making content that has nothing to contribute. How can you stand out without creativity in a space where there is a lot of information, brands, and users?
- Show your ability to synthesize: This is a fundamental aspect so that the message can reach the public. For this, it’s important to have copywriting knowledge that can help you in more than one occasion. If you don’t already have a copywriting expert in your company, it’s best to hire one right away.
- Shocking content: You know that what you do won’t last, but this feature isn’t an excuse to do things just to do them. On the contrary, make an impact with all your publications on the audience, which also mobilizes at top speed. Remember that once you neglect yourself, your audience will stay away from you.
- Make mobilizing calls to action: as they are essential to facilitate the user to deepen their brand.
Is this trend noticed?
You have earned what it is, what it comprises, how to carry it out, and what it’s more important, now you know how to do it well. Companies like Kraft Foods and Facebook have embraced this successful trend for several types of businesses. Yours may be one of them.
So, take advantage of mastering this content strategy in the market.
This will bring you many benefits such as gaining followers and attract the attention of brands that may want to advertise with you.
What is the most important social network for fast content?
Although the birth of fast content has its origin with the launch of Snapchat, it’s Instagram with its Stories that have won the battle.
This is the social network that has grown the most in users and the frequency of visits in recent years.
62% of Instagram users admit having become more interested in a brand or a product after seeing them in Stories.
Then the following concern arises:
Should you invest all your efforts on Instagram?
In recent years we have become an audiovisual consumer society, with videos being the kind of content that records the best interaction and traffic data.
To introduce yourself to this content, we recommend finding allies in micro-video, and on social networks. They are the ones who have the most experience integrating this strategy into their advertising formats, as with YouTube with bumper ads.
If your target audience is Generation Z, you could also explore the culture of tiktokers (TikTok users), because, after its launch in America, TikTok has become the favorite micro-video social network for young people and the third most visited, ahead of YouTube.
A tip to design and integrate fast content
The great challenge of those who are influencers or who offer a service or product through their account on Instagram, Facebook, or TikTok is to capture the attention of users who, although they are more selective when searching for content, do so due to the great exposure of publicity they receive.
The audience knows what they like, how they like it, and when they like it. The truth is that they won’t interact with it if it doesn’t meet their expectations. They won’t follow or seek it for anything, it won’t exist for them.
Therefore, dealing with this micro campaign requires a lot of creativity, analytical skills, and many hours of brainstorming, planning, and production. But don’t panic, below, we will give you some tips to carry it out.
Less is more
Fast Content isn’t just publishing Stories as if there is no tomorrow.
In fact, there is little to no content with a high creative component, in the right format, segmented to the right audience and disseminated.
If you do everything mentioned above, you will generate more linkage, traffic, and sales.
Thus, you should adapt the message to each channel, both to the audience and to the target. The correct way to attract followers isn’t by telling stories, but in the way, you tell them.
For example, Burger King’s “Onion Blackout” campaign, adapted to Instagram Stories (from the standard video ad to the streaming format), achieved 60% more user interactions.
In addition, we should note that 89% of the audience of a video maintains all their attention during the first 10 seconds and when it reaches the minute, their attention drops to 46%.
Another example of how to apply this method in a YouTube bumper ad of just 6 seconds, is the Chipsmore brand.
Use complementary apps
You can find a lot of applications for the generation of content.
They could help us make our Stories more original and creative.
So when defining your strategy, try incorporating influencer marketing strategies.
Finally, integrating this method into your content strategy is essential, as it represents a significant advantage to attract new customers without the need to invest large amounts of resources.
Conclusion
Now that you know everything there’s to know about fast content. We recommend using this method in your marketing plans. If you find that you’re struggling, don’t worry! We are here to help you.
Questions? Comments? Leave them below! We’re happy to read and answer them.
Don’t forget to subscribe to our newsletter and to follow us on our social media. That way you will keep up to date with the new marketing trends.
We’re BluCactus. Our purpose as a marketing agency is to solve all your problems. Trust us!
Leave a Reply
Want to join the discussion?Feel free to contribute!