Hands-on learnings from 2023 that may shape up “Content Marketing Strategy” in 2024

BuzzInContent consistently endeavours to craft informative articles at the intersection of branded content, content marketing, the creator economy, and influencer marketing. Our content not only imparts valuable information but also explores current trends, providing insights from industry leaders about the challenges they encounter in integrating content with brands.

Hence, at the onset of the year, the editorial team at BuzzInContent.com made the strategic decision to compile key learnings from 2023 into a comprehensive narrative.

Offering real, practical insights rather than mere critiques, it serves as a valuable resource in the dynamic landscape of content creation and brand integration.

These pearls of wisdom from the experts in the branded content domain can help shape future strategies and elevate the craft of creating compelling brand narratives.

Authenticity and originality triumph over social media content trends

From AP Dhillon’s ‘With you’ music reels to silent and ‘Get ready with me’ videos, people collaborating and grooving to Kaavaaala (Tamanna Bhatia) and ‘Shayari’, so often gets overwhelming for content creators and brands to keep abreast with social media trends.

To make the most of the trending music and videos, many times, we see content where the music or the content trend doesn’t even align with the brand or content creators’ objective and voice. Adding to the FOMO, there is always a piece of advice out there on the web that will tell how to capitalise on social media trends to grow the audience.

Having said that, we must not forget that brands and content creators do have the liberty to not follow social media trends. However, this decision should be based on a careful assessment of their brand identity, audience, and long-term goals. It's essential to strike a balance between staying true to your content and brand's values and adapting to changes in the social media landscape when it makes sense for your business.

Startup founders' newfound love in hosting chat shows

What’s common between Zomato, Cred, Byju’s, Zerodha, and Bombay Shaving Company other than them being startups? The answer is that their founders love hosting chat shows on their social media platforms. In these shows, startup founders are shown inviting business leaders and motivational speakers to talk about business and life matters.

Well, chat shows are not a new concept when it comes to brand building, but chat shows hosted by the company founders are a game-changer as they bring more depth, credibility and authenticity to the content format. Content concepts like these also become an inspiration for many.

Comedy genre takes centre stage in branded content

With dwindling attention spans, the comedy genre has garnered increasing interest from brands, whether it's influencer-led content or regular branded material. Humour has the unique ability to make stories more memorable and content more relatable compared to other genres like action, sci-fi, or horror. Social media, often sought for entertainment or infotainment amid life's drama, contributes significantly to the growing popularity of the comedy genre.

However, brands approach comedy branded content cautiously, acknowledging its potential edginess. Humour can be subjective, and what one person finds amusing, another may perceive as insensitive. Notably, individuals like Danish Sait, Saloni Gaur, and Bhuvan Bam have carved niches in comedy content, each displaying a unique style—some leaning towards a more subdued approach, while others embrace a slightly edgier tone.

This diversity poses a challenge for brands considering collaboration with comedy content creators, as the risk of content being humorous for some and offensive for others is inherent. To overcome this challenge, brands must carefully select creators who comprehend the subtleties of diverse cultural contexts, ensuring that the humour resonates universally. Avoiding stereotypes is crucial, and aligning with creators who navigate the delicate balance of comedy can help brands foster authentic and inclusive connections with their audiences.

Brands' growing fad for collaborating with short-lived fame creators

Instagram recently buzzed with the charm of Delhi entrepreneur Jasmeen Kaur and her viral catchphrase ‘Just looking like a wow…’. The trend extends to characters like Puneet Superstar, Mithlesh Bhati, famous for her 'Lappu sa Sachin' dialogue, the 'dancing uncle,' Sanjeev Shrivastava, a Bhopal professor. These creators not only experience viral success on social media, but brands are also quick to seize the opportunity to collaborate with them. Despite the transient nature of viral fame, brands often pursue partnerships with individuals like Jasmeen and Puneet Superstar due to their immediate reach and engagement potential.

While the fame may be fleeting, the impact on brand visibility and engagement can be substantial. However, it is imperative for brands to continue investing in creative content and long-term collaborations with creators to ensure that their narrative and ethos are effectively communicated. Short-lived success of creators can contribute to top-of-mind marketing but may not suffice for robust brand building.

Brands experiments with branded content in podcast format gaining prominence

As per the recently released EY-FICCI report for 2022 on the Indian M&E sector, the time spent on Podcasts is comparatively higher than that of broadcast radio in the APAC region.

Multiple brands have been dabbling with new-age media vehicles like audio podcasts in recent times, albeit through subtle brand placements, product reviews or even branded content. Brand associations with the audio medium have increased in the past few months owing to the spurting audience interest and the metrics they drive, industry players say. Brands are experimenting with audio content more because of various reasons such as incremental and deeper engagement, top-of-mind recall, relation building and trust, etc.

Brands increasingly utilise influencers’ content and UGC for social listening

User-generated content (UGC) and influencer marketing serve as reflections of society, consumer behavior, and pop culture. Leveraging influencers' content and UGC allows brands to tap into social media conversations, enabling the development of a highly effective content strategy.

Brands can assess the effectiveness of influencer content by analysing engagement metrics, gaining valuable insights into the types of content that generate the most engagement and traction. In an era where individuals frequently share their customer experiences on social media, UGC emerges as a valuable resource that goes beyond the limitations of conventional data. It enables brands to monitor customer sentiment, track competitors, and uncover significant keywords, providing a richer understanding of the brand's online presence.

Non-fiction branded content has become advertisers' favourite

While brands have been experimenting with various formats like web series, films, they prefer brand integrations in non-fiction content and short videos more than fictional content.

The reason for brands to collaborate more with non-fiction content is the long gestation period of fictional shows and web originals. The gestation period in fictional shows and web series adds a little bit of complexity in terms of brand integration at scale. Also, just like us, brands stay away from dramas, because that requires very specialised attention, and brand integration becomes a challenge in fictional content.

The era of content-prenuers

With the world moving towards a cohesive digital approach, the popular creators and influencers who till sometime back were building their following on social media platforms have today become a force to reckon with in the world of business, many of them have begun turning to entrepreneurship to monetise their personal brands.

This trend has allowed influencers to have more control over the products and services they offer to their audience. In fact, in the current times, influencer-owned businesses today can be found in a wide range of industries - including fashion, lifestyle, health, fitness, and wellness, amongst others.

The rise of marketing genre content creators

Recently, the creator economy has given birth to many marketing and advertising content creators, be it Dhruv Sachdeva, Aarti Samant (The Sorted Girl), Varun Duggirala,  Harshil Karia, Pranita Bajoria (Mad Ad Woman), Karthik Srinivasan.

While marketing influencers become inspiration for marketers and advertisers, most of them create content to grow their personal brands and businesses. Many brands have started approaching marketing influencers for collaborations, given that their follower base has a high disposable income.