Boost Your Ad Game with Disappearing Content

Want your ads to leave a lasting impression? Make your content vanish.

New research shows people pay more attention to content they can only see once, compared to traditional posts that can be seen again. Platforms like Snapchat and Facebook have popularized the concept of disappearing content, such as Snaps or Instagram Stories that are available for only 24 hours.

🧙 The Magic of Disappearing Content

The study found that incorporating this temporary format into your brand’s organic content — or ads — can increase its effectiveness. Consumers are more likely to:

• Pay more attention to it
• Remember it better
• Watch it longer
• Like it more

💡 Why it Works

The study’s researchers suggest this is because disappearing content triggers FOMO (fear of missing out) among consumers as the concept of one-time viewing generates urgency and captures attention. As a result, when consumers are aware content is scarce and time-limited, they pay more attention to the message.

The study was first published in the Journal of Marketing Research. It’s called “The Effects of Content Ephermerality on Information Processing”.

Image: Canva / Abercrombie & Fitch

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