Micro-content is to Aperitif as Article is to Entree: Why Social Micro-Content is Key to Effective Marketing and Sales

When most people think of content marketing, they instantly think of blog posts. Some may think of visuals, such as infographics and videos, but most don’t think of micro-content. It’s unfortunate, because they should. Micro-content is vital because it is the stimulating aperitif to a delicious content entree. It can be an interesting headline, an amazing image or a thought-provoking tweet… whatever whets your audience’s appetite to click and consume more.

Think about it, without compelling social micro-content, how will your audience get to the “meat” of your content.

Micro-content is one of the most valuable components of a successful marketing strategy

As a matter of fact, I feel that there is a strong correlation between micro-content and sales. I was in sales at a software company for many years. And I did really well. I won several awards and multiple all-expense-paid trips for being a top producer. Today, as I reflect on that time, I realize that my successful sales background has contributed tremendously to the various forms of content I write today–especially micro-content for social. It’s the hook. An interesting, inviting introduction to learn more about XYZ.

When you boil it down, it’s really about engagement. I’ve always engaged with people in a progressive, meaningful way. I say progressive because, upon introduction, I didn’t immediately go into a long diatribe about the software I was selling, pulling out all my aces in hopes that one would resonate. Why? Because I know they would lose interest fast. In the same way, if you post a long blog article without any kind of compelling introduction, very few will take the time to dive in and read the whole thing.

Social media is content.

You know you don’t have a second chance to make a first impression, so you’ve got to make that introduction count. Your micro-content IS that introduction. It’s your short, punchy yet powerful social media posts that garner interest and pull your audience in.

Jay Baer says it best in myth eight of his “11 Big Myths About Social Media and Content Marketing”. That myth states that “content marketing and social media are separate initiatives.” Jay says it’s quite the contrary:

“Content is fire. Social media is gasoline. Use social to drive awareness  of your content more so than awareness of your company. Like social and email, content and social should be working VERY closely together.” -Jay Baer, Convince and Convert

He’s right! And beyond that, it was found that people now have an attention span of eight seconds. EIGHT! If you don’t grab their attention in those first few precious seconds, then they’ve already moved on to someone or something else more intriguing.

So, maybe your marketing strategy is already laid out. You’ve got your target audience defined. You’ve interpreted and established your buying personas. You’ve created your content calendar. But have you determined what interesting micro-content (the “hook”) you’ll use to introduce that content? If not, we can bridge that gap. We know content marketing and we know that social media IS content. Social is a part of selling. So, if you’re ready to create micro-content that better engages with your target audience give us a call