In traditional terms, the boomerang is a curved throwing stick that was created sometime between 25,000 and 50,000 years ago. A popular version is known as the “returning boomerang” and this stick is curved, flattened, and designed to return to the thrower.
The Boomerang app, on the other hand, creates fun mini-videos you can share online. Many brands are using Boomerang to connect, engage, and drive brand awareness.
So, how can you get started using this tool? More importantly, how do you create content that will give you an edge over your competitors? Before we answer those questions, let’s first go over what the Boomerang app is.
What Is the Boomerang App?
Boomerang is a standalone app that was created in 2015 by Instagram. This app will create a video loop that plays forward and in reverse, repeating over and over again. The video is continuously returning to the start (just like a traditional boomerang returns to the thrower).
How long is the video loop?
Just. One. Second.
It is common for marketers to easily dismiss the app or shy away from using it. You might be thinking how can you get a message across in just one second? Well let’s look at just how easy it can be to create content that’s only a second long but leaves a lasting impression.
Now before we get there, it’s important to mention that Boomerang content is intended to be fun! This is not a platform used to communicate complicated or profound messages. You only have one second so you want to make the message obvious and visual.
So when it comes to creating videos on the Boomerang app, think light, fun, and exciting content your audience will love to see and share.
How Does the Boomerang App Work?
According to the Apple App Store, “the app takes ten photos and stitches them together, speeds up the video and smooths out any bumps, then loops it back and forth.”
To continue updating the app and making it exciting to use, the creators introduced additional features, including SlowMo, Echo, Duo, and Trimming:
- SlowMo: With this option, videos play for two seconds forward and two seconds backward. As the name suggests, it slows down your video clip to help capture every detail.
- Echo: This feature creates a double vision effect on your Boomerang video clips.
- Duo: This option quickly rewinds to the start of the video clip (by speeding up and slowing down), which adds a glitchy feel and texturized effect.
- Trimming: This feature allows you to edit the video clip length and decide when it should start and end.
How to Get the Standalone Boomerang App:
One great perk to the Boomerang being a separate app from Instagram, is tat you don’t have to worry about having a personal or business Instagram account to download it. You can simply download the app and install it directly on your iOS or Android device.
How to Create a Boomerang Using the App
Once the app is downloaded to your phone or tablet, simply tap the white button on the bottom center of the screen.
This will allow the app to take a burst of photos and create a Boomerang video clip for you.
If you want to make some technical adjustments, then you can tap the screen four times, using four fingers. This will let you alter the resolution of the video, frame rate, frame count, and how the video replays.
Once you’re happy with the new Boomerang clip, press the “Save” button in the top right corner. After the Boomerang is saved you will then have the option to share your clip to Instagram, Facebook, or other platforms.
Why Use Boomerang?
So what makes the Boomerang app special, and why should you use it over other platforms?
1. Share-ability:
In this social media age, is it essential to create shareable content. This will help to grow your brand and get your content in front of the right people. The more time your content is being shared the more eyes are seeing it. See how that works?
So the Boomerang app is great because short videos are inherently easier to share. It is also a lot easier to get someone to commit to watching a one-second clip, rather than a longer, more detailed video.
2. Video Content Is King:
No matter how you feel about video, you can’t argue how effective it can be. 92% of marketers who use video marketing say it’s an essential part of their marketing strategy, and 83% of marketers say video marketing has helped them generate more leads. Additionally, 74% of consumers who’ve watched an explainer video about a product ended up buying it.
These numbers all point to one fact: visual content works.So with Boomerang, you can continue to create videos and give your market the visual content they enjoy.
3. Simplicity
As a busy marketer, it can be hard to find time to figure out another complicated new app. You will want to have an app that is easy to use. You should be focusing your time on creating the right content, and not the technical aspects of an app.
Boomerang ticks this box because it’s simple to use and user-friendly. In just a few seconds, you can have a viral video your market loves.
Also creating a video has never been simpler. Because the Boomerang is a one sec video you wont have to worry about any editing. The clip is quick but still as impactful as longer video. All you should focus on is the content of the Boomerang and what all you can capture in that tiny time frame.
If you haven’t created Boomerangs for your social media marketing campaigns, it’s never too late to start. It can be a fun and effective way to increase brand awareness and help you achieve your overall marketing goals.
Boomerang Marketing Uses
We’ve already highlighted how simple it is to use the Boomerang app. Now comes the fun part.
The following ideas can give you some inspiration on how to get started with creating fun Boomerang content that’s relevant to your audience.
Showcase Yourself Completing Work
All you need to do to create a Boomerang is tap a button, but pressing the record button is only a little piece of the puzzle. The tough part is finding something interesting to capture, something that will immediately get your audience’s attention, something novel.
Where do you start?
Continuously being creative about a product or service can be challenging, especially if you’ve been working on it for a while. To get started, you will want to put yourself in your consumers’ shoes and ask yourself, “What would I find interesting about this product or service?”
Completing an interesting element of your work can do the trick. Here are some examples:
- Marketing for a restaurant? How about capturing the chef adding seasoning to the dishes?
- Marketing for a clothing designer, you can show the models walking down the runway or capture the designer sketching.
- Marketing for an artist? Record that final brushstroke across a painting.
When it comes to creating a Boomerang is no right or wrong answer, but it’s important to understand that simplicity can and will help get your message across.
When putting together content ideas, think about your consumers and what would convince them to buy or at least getting excited about your product.
Show Off Your Work Culture
When thinking about content ideas, don’t just limit it to your product or service. Sometimes your audience wants to know more about what’s happening behind-the-scenes.
The Boomerang app can allow you to showcase your brands workplace culture. Are your employees having fun in the office? Does your brand have a light and fun energy that you want to share with your audience?
Capturing these moments can help you create real connections with your market as they get an in-depth look at your company.
Demonstrate Your Company’s Altruism
It’s easy to assume that you need a lot of money to make a difference, but that’s not always the case. Even if you own a small company with considerably less turnover than your competitors, you can still make an impact.
Do you feel strongly about making a difference in your community? Does your team sometimes get involved in volunteer work over the weekends? Is there a particular cause you’ve been passionate about for some time?
Whatever the case, you can create a Boomerang and show your company’s compassion.
Consider the following ideas:
- Your team arriving outside your local charity organization
- Giving food or apparel to the needy
- Any other special moment that shows your commitment to making a difference
Show Users How to Do a Task
If you recently added new features to your product, or if you have a complicated software system, why not show your users how to use it?
You consumer will appreciate seeing this, and it could be the final push to encourage people on the fence to make the purchase.
Conclusion
As you already know, when it comes to social media marketing, a lot goes into creating the right content on any platform.
In addition to planning and creating content, there’s also the element of engaging with your audience, building trust, and keeping them engaged, not to mention competing with thousands of other brands that want your market’s attention.
It’s important, therefore, to use trends to diversify your content.
Creating mini one-second videos can be a fun and exciting addition to your feed. It can also give your audience something to remember you by.
When creating Boomerang video clips, remember to always think about one idea or message you want to convey.
Keep things simple, be creative, and have fun while creating new content for your audience to consume.
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