Did you know that humans’ attention span is getting shorter and shorter? Our global collective attention span is getting shorter every day. According to a study from the Technical University of Denmark, our attention span is getting shorter because of the constant inundation of information we are facing in our day-to-day lives. (Do we still have your attention? Good.) Our short attention spans, in addition to the rise of social media, has led to the popularity of micro content. But what is micro content? In this article, we will discuss the definition of micro content, how you can use micro content as part of your overall content marketing strategy, and answer the rest of your questions on this topic.
Table of Contents
Definition of Micro Content
Micro content (also sometimes spelled as micro-content or even microcontent) is text, images, or videos that can be read or seen in their entirety in between ten and 30 seconds (or fewer.) While the term micro content might be new to you, you have seen micro content in action before. Where? On social media. Much of the content you see (think tweets or five-second videos) are actually forms of micro content.
Oftentimes, the purpose of micro content is to answer a specific question or solve a problem for your target audience, in a very short amount of time and space. Microcontent is almost always consumed via an app on someone’s mobile device. It is bite-sized content that is made specifically for social media and smartphones.
MicroContent vs. Short-Form Content
Sometimes, micro content is confused with short-form content. However, the two are very different. Micro content is much shorter than even short-form content. While micro content can be read in 30 seconds or less, short-form content is any written copy up to 1,000 words.
Examples of Micro Content
The following are just a few examples of different formats you can use for micro content creation:
- Infographics;
- Short videos (under 30 seconds);
- Visuals like photos, images, and illustrations;
- Short blurbs of text;
- Memes;
- White paper abstracts;
- Short listicles;
- Tips shared on social media;
- Graphs or tables (think Google Snippets);
- Gifs; and
- Statistics.
Micro Videos
Micro videos are one form of microcontent. These are short videos, between six and 15 seconds in duration, that are often posted on Instagram or Snapchat.
How is Micro Content Used Online?
Micro content is best used on social media. You only have someone’s attention for a short span of time while they are scrolling through the latest posts on their feeds. Here are a few options of different social media platforms that are best for micro-content:
Instagram is a photo and video-sharing app. It is ideal for micro content because you can share a photo or a short video and write another short caption to accompany it.
Snapchat
Snapchat is a photo and video-based instant messaging app. It is also ideal for micro content because quick, shareable content works best on this app.
While you may not even realize it, all tweets are basically micro content! (Except maybe those long threads.)
Benefits of Micro Content
It’s Easy to Produce
The nature of micro content makes it extremely easy to produce. Just write a tweet, create a gif, or design an infographic, and you’re done! The idea of micro content is that you are going for a quick hit. It shouldn’t take forever to create.
Quick to Upload
In addition to being easy to create and produce, micro content is also easy to upload. You won’t have to wait hours for your short clip film to upload to Instagram (or whichever social platform you choose.)
It’s Attention-Grabbing
Micro content is meant to grab your audience’s attention and make them hungry for more.
How Do I Use Micro-Content?
The best way to use micro content is as a short way of grabbing your audience’s attention in order to promote a longer or larger piece of content. Micro content doesn’t (and shouldn’t) exist in a vacuum. It can be used to drive traffic to another type of content, most likely a piece of long form content.
For example, if Netflix is promoting a TV show, they might use a gif from that TV show to promote it on social media.
Or, on a more serious note, maybe your company published a giant case study. You can use an infographic to promote it, but link to the larger case study for those who might be interested.
Ideas for Micro-Content
Here are a few creative ideas for how you can use microcontent:
Utilize Themes
Perhaps you can post a tip related to your industry that would be helpful to your audience on Twitter every Tuesday. You can even call it and hashtag it #TwitterTipTuesday. You can use a Twitter card and in just a few words, share a tip. This ensures that you post regularly and your followers will come to expect this content from you!
Create a Pinterest-Specific Image
If you have a blog post you want to promote, try creating an image specifically for Pinterest to promote your blog post. Then, create a social sharing button on the blog post that links to Pinterest so someone can automatically pin the blog to their board if they liked it!
Create a Meme
For an ultra quick-hit on social media, use a meme generator to create a meme. You never know – it might even go viral!
Create a Gif
Take a short (a few seconds) clip from a longer video and use it to create a gif to put on social media. Boom, you’ve made your own micro social media content.
Tips for Creating Micro Content
The best microcontent will capture your audience’s attention. Here are some tips for creating micro content:
- Make it compelling and attention-grabbing;
- Keep it short and to the point;
- Make it attractive and tantalizing; and
- Keep it easily digestible.
Don’t feel like you have to jump into micro-content all in right away. You can start slowly and choose one platform to start with, whether it’s Instagram, Twitter, or Snapchat. Do keep in mind that once you start posting, it’s best to be consistent. If you want your micro content to be successful, it’s best to post on a regular basis. Posting three times a week is ideal if you are trying to grow your following! Don’t forget to engage with anyone who likes or shares your content, too.
Start Creating Micro-Content Today!
Creating micro content shouldn’t take up a lot of your time. The perfect way to use micro content is to promote your larger and longer content. If you need help creating micro content for your social media networks, contact SEO Design Chicago today!
FAQs about Micro Content:
- What is micro content creation?
- Are micro content and short-form content the same thing?
- What are micro videos?
- How do I make a meme?
- What are some examples of microcontent?
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