Why Using Micro Content Can Bring Huge Benefits?

It is not a groundbreaking fact that the average human attention span  is decreasing more than never before.

This poses a serious problem for businesses, regardless of industry and size: How are they supposed to grab the attention of users, and encourage them to become customers?

People rarely look at something for more than 8 seconds without getting distracted by something else (yes, we’re looking at you, put that phone down).

The answer is simple – create content that can be consumed with seconds, and will capture people’s attention. This is also known as micro content.

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What Is Micro Content?

Micro content is a short form of content that aims to involve users, typically in less than 30 seconds, and encourages them to further engage with said content.

In the endless sea of social information, we receive on a daily basis, like emails, blog posts, social media, videos, and so on, it is very easy to get overwhelmed or suffer from information overload.

Using micro content can be extremely helpful, since it does not require the same amount of attention that long form content does.

Think about it. Why do you think that websites like 9gag, 4chan, and uberHumor are successful?

Quite simply, because they require little to no effort from users – you can just scroll, look at the images, GIFs, memes, and so forth, and divide your attention as much as you want.

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Types of Micro Content

Luckily, there are many types of micro content for marketers to choose from, so that they can keep things interesting for users. Micro content examples include:

1. Infographics. Great to present a lot of information in a colorful way.
2. Email subject lines. If the subject line of an email is not captivating, the message will probably not be read.
3. Images. Users typically stop scrolling to look at images more than to read text.
4. Memes. A nice, funny meme has a higher chance of being noticed.
5. Short videos (less than 60 seconds). Instagram Reels, YouTube Shorts, TikToks – short videos are perhaps the most popular form of content today.
6. Short lists. Listicles are easily digestible, and provide better readability.
7. GIFs. GIFs are relatable, since they commonly use pop culture references.
8. Charts and tables. Charts, graphs, and tables help to better summarize and communicate complex data.
9. Short audio. Podcasts teasers that can encourage users to watch/listen to the long-form content.
10. Page titles. The title of the page is micro content of its own. A boring title will lose readers before they even read the content of the page.
11. Google featured snippets. Featured snippets are a quick way to provide answers to user questions. If the snippet is informative enough, users will likely not even click to read the whole article.
12. Headers. Readers that skim through your headers can quickly decide what your content is about and figure out whether they are interested in reading the text.
13. Social media posts. Most social media sites have character limits. If there is any longer-form content linked to a post, it is the goal of these shorter posts to grab the attention and motivate users to click the link.

These are not even all the types of micro content. In fact, even a URL can be used as such, since it provides general information about a page.

The point is that you should never miss an opportunity to capture the attention of users. Even the smallest piece of information could be a do-or-die decider towards the success of your online marketing efforts.

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How to Create Micro Content That Works?

1. Keep It Short and Concise
2. Make Every Word Count
3. Know Your Audience
4. Craft It to Be Evergreen
5. Use Appealing Visuals

1. Keep It Short and Concise

The first and most important rule to follow when creating micro content is to remember that it should be short and to the point. There are other forms of content that will allow you to be descriptive and explanatory.

Let us remind you that here, the goal is to make users stop scrolling, which would be much harder with a long, drawn-out post.

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2. Make Every Word Count

Writing micro content means that you have limited space, and need to make every word count. So, no fluff is needed, every word you use should be powerful and convey your message, call your readers to action, etc.

Think carefully about the words you use, avoid confusing phrases, and try to craft the most impactful message. Once you think you are ready, double-check your content, even send it to someone else to review, just to get a second opinion.

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3. Know Your Audience

You decide to share a funny meme, but as it turns out it is funny only to you. Who are these people, why are they not laughing and loving your brand?

Well, that is for you to figure out, ideally way before you start posting micro content. Only then will you know what your audience finds funny, what type of content they prefer – images, memes, infographics, etc.

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4. Craft It to Be Evergreen

Evergreen content is the best content. It stays relevant for a long time, and keeps engaging users even after months and years have passed.

Perhaps you know about evergreen long-form content, like blog posts, and the like, but no one said micro content cannot be evergreen. In fact, it is the way to go, since you won’t need to rephrase your messages time and time again.

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5. Use Appealing Visuals

Visualization matters. Some people comprehend and learn information easier this way, others are more likely to be engaged by them. All in all, everyone would agree that it is better to have visuals than to not have them.

Plain text can be boring, and people can get lost in the infinite scrolling, while an appealing image, GIF, infographic, chart, and so on, has a higher chance of being noticed, especially on mobile devices.

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Summary

Micro content can be a great and creative way to attract attention, improve customer engagement, and bring more traffic to your website.

Still, keep in mind that you cannot rely solely on micro content – long-form content is still king. Think of micro content as the noble servants that can nurture and direct the followers to the royal court.