An effective content strategy consists of multiple types of content, such as blogging, video, and social media. All of these content types can expand your audience and strengthen your relationships with your current audience.
One content form you may not have added to your content strategy yet (but should) is microblogging, a shortened form of blogging that is stubby in words but big in engagement.
What is Microblogging?
Microblogging is short-form blogging. It’s most recognizable on the platforms where it became super popular, like Tumblr and Twitter. News-focused websites, where posts might only be a couple of paragraphs long, also use the tactic. However, a microblog can also define a word or phrase, share quick company news, promote a new video, or share a highlight from an interview, study, or report.
While typical blog posts are very in-depth and can reach over 1,000 words (sometimes, over 10,000 words!), microblogs are about 300 words or less — or, on social media, usually 100 words or less. They’re written to be very concise and easy to digest, giving readers the exact information they’re looking for while provoking engagement.
You can share microblogs on your own website, but social media platforms are excellent spaces for microblogging. Twitter and Facebook are prime examples because they prioritize short written content (along with other content such as images and videos). However, some people also write Instagram captions in microblog format to tell a quick story. Pinterest has also climbed the ranks as a popular microblogging platform, with descriptions acting as space for quick information.
How to Use Microblogging for Business Promotion
A significant benefit of microblogging is that it encourages engagement. When people who only have a few minutes to spare can quickly read your content and respond to it, they’re more likely to do so. That’s what makes social media platforms so engaging.
Here are a few tips to make microblogging work for you and your business:
- Create a microblog on your site. In addition to your regular company blog, you can add a microblog. Visitors can head there when they want short tidbits of information, like a fun tip on how to use a product or a rundown of your latest service update.
- Choose two of your favorite microblogging platforms. Set up an account on just two microblogging platforms, like Twitter and LinkedIn, to use routinely. Having more than that to start can be overwhelming. You can always expand later as you build out your content team.
- Repurpose content. Use microblogs as another type of content to repurpose. For instance, you can take one of your microblogs and turn it into a podcast or video topic. Break down longer content into a series of microblogs to maximize the lifespan of your content.
- Share deals and promotions. Microblogging works wonders for sharing promotions and exclusive deals with your readers. Use a few sentences to introduce new offers.
- Build relationships with your audience. Ask your audience questions and allow them to share their opinions through microblog prompts. This is a great way to learn exactly what your potential customers need and want to help you improve your products or services.
4 Examples of Microblogging
Let’s look at a few examples of business microblogging in action:
A Kids Company About (LinkedIn)
A Kids Company About shares podcasts, books, and apps for kids that talk about important subjects, like racism, leadership, and body image. The company is very active on LinkedIn, routinely sharing microblogs like the one above, which promotes its books relating to mental health for Mental Health Awareness Month.
Beyond Meat (Twitter)
Beyond Meat does an excellent job at incorporating humor in its Twitter microblogs. The company shares various posts, including quick news tidbits and product photos. But its snappy, witty posts like the one above tend to get good engagement with likes, comments, and retweets.
General Electric (Tumblr)
General Electric’s Tumblr page has many microblogs showing how the company powers things we see and use every day, from trains and airplanes to gas and wind turbines. General Electric also invites its audience to interact with posts by submitting ideas and projects based on prompts.
Vivense London (Pinterest)
Vivense London is a furniture and home decor brand that uses Pinterest as a microblogging platform. Rather than adding details to Pin descriptions, it uses Story Pins to create quick tip-filled stories for viewers to enjoy. This one is a tip from its “Spring Home Refresh Hacks” Story Pin.
One of the biggest benefits of microblogging is that these short snippets are easy to digest, making them super-shareable. Get more exposure for all your carefully crafted content by installing social media share buttons on your blog or website. With a single click, your visitors can share your products, blog posts, or pages with their networks — boosting your brand visibility and bringing more traffic to your website.
