The average attention span for a video on social media is 1.7 seconds. So if your content isn't watchable or feels like a scripted ad – your audience will skip it. 

Influencer content is the best way to engage audiences, and when you give influencers ultimate creative control, you’ll win the hearts and minds of your consumers. 

A basic ad read just wont do if you truly want to captivate your audience. They will simply scroll on by if they can immediately tell that the content their watching is a scripted ad. 

The brands stopping the skip 

There are plenty of culturally relevant brands engaging their audiences authentically with influencer content, and it’s only when you see the disclosure in the caption that it’s clear its an ad. 

TALA, the active wear brand, has mastered their paid activity strategy. With a devoted following among Gen Z and millennial women, TALA has captured hearts through its influencer founder, Grace Beverley, and its commitment to sustainable, mid-priced athleisure wear.

With paid ad placements across Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok, TALA’s target audience become gripped when they see an influencer they admire gasping in awe about the way their new gymwear fits them like a glove, and has filled them with confidence in the gym. For athleisure loving young women, content that capture this reaction is bound to stop the scroll! This shows how well TALA know their audience, and what will make them tick. 

That can’t be real!

As well as deeply understanding your consumer and their desires, brands are also stopping the skip by making their audience rewind, and do a double take on what they have just witnessed. 

Don’t be fooled, you really did just see a snail deliver a miniature DoorDash order in a miniature car. Delivery service DoorDash are constantly pushing boundaries with their influencer content on socials, and this content from @slimetownusa is certainly no exception. 

Sure, your DoorDash order may not actually be delivered by a snail, but seeing this on your TikTok feed would certainly make you stop in your tracks, and gain a greater understanding of what the brand represents. 

It’s time to take action 

So what do you need to know to stop the skip? 

• Capture Attention in Seconds: Work with influencers who understand their audience's preferences and can create captivating content. Brands can ensure that their social media content is engaging from the outset, reducing the likelihood of viewers skipping it.
• Authentic Influencer Engagement: Brands can leverage influencers' deep connections with their followers to create content that resonates on a personal level, driving genuine engagement.
• Creativity Wins Consumers' Hearts: Giving influencers creative freedom enables them to produce content that aligns seamlessly with their personal brand and resonates with their audience. 

Ready to learn more? If you’re heading to SXSW, join our CEO Jenny Quigley-Jones, Senior Director of Content Marketing and Social Media at DoorDash, Nicole Sia, and influencer Michelle Amoré for a panel that will dive deeper into the nitty gritty. 

📍UK House at Downright Austin

📅 Mar 11, 2024

⏰ 10:00am – 11:00am CT

More info here.