Megan Arevalo, Websitebuilder.orgUsing Finite and Real-time Content For Killer Instagram MarketingFinite and real-time content is the latest craze on the social media. On Instagram, this is found via live streaming and ‘stories’ which expire after 24 hours. Marketers are quickly learning that to create an impact with their audience, marketing posts don’t have to stay forever. When this is the case it is known as ephemeral marketing. These short-lasting formats provide a different type of engagement. Stories create intrigue and urgency (“what could the story be? I better click it before it disappears”). Live streaming helps build a personal relationship with followers, as they get to see who you are outside of the typical image posts.If you have a broad audience, Instagram with its 500 million monthly active users is one of the best platforms to launch ephemeral marketing content because the user-base is global. In fact, over 80% are located outside of the United Sates.Compared to rival Snaphat (where the story concept was taken), Instagram also has an older user base and higher per-post engagement. In fact, Instagram users are more likely to engage with your posts than users on Facebook and Twitter as well.Here are some top tips for moving forward with your Instagram marketing strategy.Create an action planJust like any other marketing strategy, you should start out with a well-defined action plan for ephemeral marketing. This is especially true for live video, where there is little margin for error. If you mess up or don’t know what to say or film, you have wasted you and your viewers’ time. If you plan to live stream store events, for example, streamline the event steps so that there is no confusion while shooting the event. You can also create quirky videos during large industry events if you know the right place to look for interesting content.Experiment with different types of contentLive video marketing is exceptionally new to the digital marketing industry and it is difficult to get it right every time. When some of your ephemeral marketing videos don’t convert, there is no need to lose hope. With numerous filters, drawing and text tools on Instagram, you can explore your creativity to create interesting Stories. Only timely content is suitable for ephemeral marketing because it should be one-of-a-kind thing at the real moment. Every Story or live video you share on Instagram should be monitored actively to find out the preferences of your audience.Promote your other social media accountsWhile Instagram is one of the best places for ephemeral marketing, it doesn’t mean you have to ignore other social media accounts. When you have a plan for live videos or Instagram stories, inform your audience through an Instagram post. Use the same hashtag on other platforms such as Facebook and twitter to create a buzz about your live video content. You can download the Instagram stories to your phone which can be later uploaded to Youtube for those who are not active on Instagram. This will expose your video content to a much larger audience.Instagram Stories and Live videos are useful for creative marketers. It brings the audience closer to the brands as they can connect with the business on a personal level.