While in-feed content is more for gaining reach, ephemeral content is for engaging with your followers.
Most platforms have a variety of interactive features unique to ephemeral nurse database content. These include asking questions, running polls or adding specific call-to-actions.
An Instagram story posted by Sprout Social promoting a report about the most engaging types of in-feed social content.
Brands can easily use these features to generate the kind of interactions they want from their audience, whether it’s building brand awareness or driving sales.
Another reason why ephemeral content brings more engagement is because of its “low pressure.” As they are only available for a short period of time, users can engage with the content without feeling the need to carefully consider their response. So users who are too self-conscious to comment on a post or DM may be more willing to engage, because their response isn’t automatically recorded within in-feed content.
3 examples of brands that drive engagement with ephemeral content
Here are three brands that use ephemeral content in different ways to drive engagement.
Nike
Nike uses Instagram Stories to build a buzz around their new product launches with short videos. This particular story covers the launch of the Nike React Infinity 3 running shoes introduced in June 2022.
One of Nike's Instagram Stories that features the React Infinity 3.
Similarly, if you’re hosting an event like a conference or convention, covering it with ephemeral content is a great way to generate engagement, both for attendees and those tuning in virtually. You can then repurpose these short snippets into other formats.