This week’s Four on Friday examines how to grab attention with mobile content that packs a serious punch.
Why is this important? Because attention spans have dropped. Down to 8 seconds in 2012 from 12 in 2000. Traditional media are closing their doors while new online and mobile platforms are launching with greater frequency. More than 50 percent of mobile users now share or recommend news from their smartphone or tablet. While some still enjoy reading their morning paper cover-to-cover, many more now “snack” on information via mobile devices, taking small bites of detail every time they log on.
This shift has influenced how communicators should develop campaigns by creating new ways to disseminate information to the media but also directly to audiences. To tap into this opportunity, content needs to be carefully crafted so that it conveys the most information as clearly and concisely as possible. Each bite of data needs to be maximized, ensuring that it contains valuable information and isn’t just empty calories. Four things to consider to make the most of your digital content.
- Lure your audience in with a nugget of information, but direct them to more expansive information elsewhere. Twitter may limit you to 140 characters but adding a shortened url through bitly or Tiny URL redirects your audience to additional content. This not only allows you to tell a more complete story, but it helps you track your success.
- Create a short-form trailer to drive traffic to online videos. Micro videos on Vine, Instagram and Tout may only be a few seconds but can pack a big punch when done well. You can tease the content of the longer video, and reach new audiences by using a variation of the same medium across multiple channels by simply repurposing existing content.
- Turn your images into a storyboard. It may be difficult to capture a complex message in a single photo or graphic. Be clear in what you are trying to communicate and keep your images focused on a single theme or idea. Show progress overtime with compelling images that grab attention. Each image should stand on its own, but together they create a compelling story.
- Add animation. Not only can you add animation to an infographic, but Apps like Flixel and Kinoptic let you play around in an emerging category between photo and video. These apps allow you to animate part of a photo. Think of a still photo with running water, or an item blowing in the breeze. You will definitely get a second look!
In creating memorable, mobile content, not only do you provide meaningful data to your online community, but that community will in turn help you reach a broader, more engaged audience. We must rethink how we strategize, develop and implement mobile technology into our campaigns, and in determining what is relevant and what resonates in the process, we will ensure success for everyone involved.
