Social media trends may come and go, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be paying attention - and engaging with them at the right time means you just might strike gold with the algorithm. The latest trend, Lo-fi content, seems to be here to stay a while - so we think it’s well worth your time to learn a bit about what it is, and how your brand can embrace it to catch a few new eyes on social media.
Let’s start with what Lo-fi content even is - short for “low fidelity”, Lo-fi refers to a style of social media content that is raw, amateur and candid. In an era of pretend ring lights and vlogging kits being sold and marketed to kids, and when spotting flaws or suspicious differences in picture-perfectly Facetuned images has become a sport, it seems like the pendulum is swinging back towards a less-refined, less-airbrushed and more “real” type of content. High-quality and professional-looking social media content is being traded in for DIY replacements, with picture-perfect social media fatigue leaving netizens bored and hungry for content that gives them something real and raw to relate to.
So now we understand the “why” behind Lo-fi’s sudden surge in popularity - but what does it mean for you as a brand owner? Only good things, really. Lo-fi content will place much less pressure on your resources to create and also allow you to more freely experiment with the tools you have available to you - all you need is your iPhone camera, and away you go.
In a more practical sense, Lo-fi content means lower production value (and, importantly, lower budget), meaning it’s not only easier but also faster to create this type of social media content. Worrying about running content through retouching apps, colour-grading apps, filter apps and more is a thing of the past; it’s all about keeping it simple and authentic. The same ethos can be applied to the type of content you’re creating, too - behind-the-scenes Reels, DIY tutorials, casual chats with the people behind your business are all great methods for strengthening the bond between you and your audience. UGC, or user-generated content is a great way to engage in Lo-fi as well - simply reposting a customer’s photo (or social video) with your product or service shows that your brand wants to be connected with its customer base, and that you care about having a two-way relationship with them.
Here are our top tips for creating Lo-fi content:
Don’t stress the small things
Little imperfections like an amateur camera angle, imperfect lighting or not-great audio are part of what adds to the authenticity of your content. Overthinking and correcting these things will be obvious in your final post, and will ultimately be a dead giveaway that your content isn’t the effortless, easy-breezy candid sort that viewers want to connect with - and we don’t want that now, do we?! Lo-fi content is all about having fun and letting creativity lead the way.
Catch those waves, and by waves, we mean trends
Viral trends, particularly as we’re seeing them these days with social video, are coming and going as the hours pass. It can feel overwhelming to think that you need to keep up with what’s hot and what’s not, and quickly figure out a way to jump on a trend and make it work for your brand’s social presence. The ease and speed of making Lo-fi content makes it possible for you to jump on these trends, have a play and experiment - and if the final social video doesn’t blow up, you can move onto the next trend without stressing over how much time or energy you poured into that last piece of social media content. No love lost.
Be unafraid to experiment
The rise of Lo-fi as a popular style of content means that viewers are prioritising what they feel are authentic expressions of creativity, opinion and thought. If you’re unsure how your audience will feel about a social media content idea, now is the time to test it out - see what resonates. You just might be surprised.
At the end of the day, we don’t watch social video to get advertised to, and it seems like we’ve reached a tipping point with how much overly-stylised and glossy content we’re caring to consume. Lo-fi content is where it’s at for 2022 - so how will you experiment with it?
Still think it’s best left to the professionals? Don’t worry, we can do Lo-fi too. Browse our content creation packages starting from $590 to supercharge your social media presence.
