It seems like I can’t go a Sunday morning without seeing a Boomerang of clinking mimosas on Instagram.
As much as I love mimosas, this bothers me.
Look, I’m not here to rain on the basic bitch parade — if you’re on social media to have fun and cheers to living your best life, I support that. But if you are a person or brand that actually wants to be compelling, Boomerangs aren’t doing you any favors.
If you’re not familiar with Boomerangs, they are soundless, mini videos that play forward and backward. The animation adds a little bit of visual interest, but we could do better.
Here are three reasons why Boomerangs are not serving you or your audience.
Boomerangs have no context.
If you want your followers to think your content is interesting, you have to go a little further and give them details. Clinking glasses is boring, but if you tell me you’re drinking wine that has been aged fifteen years, that you’re celebrating your best friend’s engagement, or that you’re having dinner at one of the city’s best restaurants that I should try, now you’ve provided context. There’s a small storyline to get behind.
This same logic applies to businesses. Let’s say you run a boutique clothing store and you have new arrivals. Don’t just hold them on a hanger and create a dancing Boomerang. Instead, give your audience the details.
- How much are these new arrivals?
- Are they part of a seasonal trend I should know about?
- Do they come in other colors?
- What can you mix and match them with?
- Can I buy them online?
As fun as Boomerangs are, it’s unlikely that they are compelling enough to inspire your audience to take action and do their own research. Adding some details will not only make their lives easier but will help them convert faster.
Boomerangs add little to no value.
One of my favorite authors, Sally Hogshead, always says “If you’re not adding value, you’re taking up space.”
Well, so many people are taking up space on social media, to the point where their content is just wallpaper.
With everything you post, you should ask yourself what is in it for your audience.
Can you entertain, educate, or inspire them with a more dynamic piece of content? Can you help them solve a problem?
Here are some alternative content ideas that can facilitate more value:
- Do a live Q&A
- Ask a question with the questions feature and share responses
- Conduct a poll
- Tell a story in your Stories (so obvious, right?)
- Interview someone
- Narrate a behind-the-scenes peek
All of these content ideas could engage and help your audience, rather than simply create social media clutter.
Boomerangs are a bad content shortcut.
Everyone knows that to win the content game, you have to post frequently. In fact, I encourage people and brands to post every single day.
BUT
Posting just to post actually works against you.
Boomerangs are bad content in disguise. They’re animated, fun, and relieve the pressure of what the heck to post for the day. But without context or value, they are a waste of your followers’ time and attention. Not to mention, they require hardly any effort on your part, and it shows.
You have to post GREAT, VALUABLE content, otherwise your audience will eventually tune you out.
Don’t lean on Boomerangs as a quick way to fill up your content calendar when you’re out of ideas. Instead, take your role as a content creator seriously and plan awesome content ahead of time. Be a person or brand that you’d want to follow.
FREEBIE! To add value for your audience, you first have to know who they are and what they need! Download my free empathy map template to help jumpstart your audience research.
