In the kingdom of online marketing, there have been many a king recently.

Once upon a time blogging was ruling, then it was community, and at some point even Twitter and Facebook were pronounced as ultimate rulers. Many others tried to establish supremacy, and their followers and visionaries did their best to promote their power. And then came micro-content.

While all the rest tried to “rule them all,” micro-content is not a jealous king. It’s happy to go hand in hand with other rulers, and there lies its greatest strength.

We’ve already explored what a brand story is and why storytelling matters, but the micro-story seems to have a truly special place in today’s innovative marketing. Want to know more about the new royalty? Let’s dive into its tale.

 

Taking the micro approach

Don’t get me wrong – the universe still loves extensive, in-depth content. It’s just that regular folks are a tiny bit busier than back in the day and are often opting for something they can munch on in-between important other tasks. They are also using mobile devices much more than ever before, which means smaller screens and less desire for scrolling.

So brands stumble upon a problem: how to engage people with a steady stream of content which does not overwhelm and can be consumed across devices?

Then comes its imminence micro-content, which provides a viable solution and does not push brands to sacrifice on quality. And what’s awesome is that it actually can extend the lifecycle of longer content and generally refresh any brand’s content marketing efforts. I told you, micro-content is not envious. It’s actually great at promoting more extensive pieces through short snippets of information that entice and delight.

How? Well, when you have this awesome long article that took weeks of research or a great visual piece, you can share it across social media channels by using a brief and funky text, a single awesome visual or a cool Vine video. And you can keep reposting and repackaging for as many audiences and communication channels as you want.

 

Reduce to impress

But now, let’s get serious with a definition. What is micro-content and who said it’s the new ruler?

Back in the day, micro-content was also a much-liked advertising tool but it lacked a proper title. Businesses and individuals promoted their products and brand name through short visual and written snippets, which ranged from trade and sports cards through gum wrappers and wall signs. While they might seem a bit dorky from today’s perspective, these first attempts at micro-content were still able to hook customers and develop in them a special link to the brand.

The thing is, micro-content in the modern marketing world has also been around for some time, but its power and the need for it were rediscovered only recently. In practical terms, micro-content spans anything from status updates on social media, Tweets, Instagram photos, Vine videos, and any other short bit of written, visual and audio content. And even with such forms of brief content, research shows that the shorter the Tweet or Facebook update, the more likely it is that you’ll reach people effectively.

Once you embrace the awesomeness of succinctness, the sky is the limit in terms of creative possibilities. Micro-content can be used practically everywhere and even with new online platforms appearing constantly, the new royalty is flexible enough to fit them all.

 

And some micro inspiration for your viewing pleasure

Brands from all sizes and fields are already riding the micro-content wave because it’s fun, engaging and… it works. Vine videos are already a favorite tool for big names such as Gap, Burberry, Puma, Dove and what not. The same goes for Instagram, where brands like Red Bull and Go Pro are showing off quite successfully.

But some of Edgar’s favorites are…

The UK Royal Mail on Twitter – They surely know how to break the concept of the stiff British gentleman

Samsung’s Vines are a recipe for viral

Lancôme’s project #bareselfie was a huge success in 2013, as it inspired Instagram users to post their selfies with no make-up. Good lesson in user engagement!

 

Your micro-story

Do you know what we love more than stories here at Edgar? Micro-stories.

Let us craft your tiny visual and poetic jewels that you can share across social media and leave people wanting more. and see how the new royalty, micro-content, can do miracles for your brand.