From a platform perspective, the audience is not interested in any particular channel or a brand that has more publicity than another. In fact, what interests the audience is a wide selection of content, and the more distributed the consumption is, it works better for the brand. The whole idea of “80-20”, where 20% of the content powers 80% usage does not work, nor apply to these platforms.

Generally, it can be observed that niche categories seem to do well, but however, D2C brands are yet to master their content creation and it is of course a learning process. Different brands take different approaches and each of them will work differently with each brand.

‍For example: Brands like Jaguar are recently finding a lot of success through storytelling about each car, and this is marketed through WhatsApp via the dealers, which works really well for them.  

Building communities through telegram or WhatsApp and sharing content to those close-knit communities are also seen to be very successful. The organic growth that happens naturally through these platforms is a very cost-effective way to distribute content as well.

If you find a platform that works well for you, you can double down on that, optimize it, and make it work for you. However, if your core audience or ICP is not on the platform you are on right now, you can always experiment and identify which other platforms work better for your content, ads and targeting. As the barrier to create has also reduced significantly, anybody has the ability to create from anywhere and reach millions of audiences. This allows much more scope for content, more opinions, feedback and improved authenticity.  

However, compared to the web, social media tends to have the correct content and format, which is why it works better for the user.

At 1Bstories, they focus on democratizing the technology and the format which exists in the social media platforms and make it available for users to have it on their own platform to distribute it across the whole internet.

Decentralization of content to be the next big step for marketing and lead generation?  

It is safe to predict that there will be a happy medium between D2C and aggregation platforms. With experience it can be identified that clients prefer some tasks to be done on platforms when you are trying to build an audience or drive reach. But however, when you focus on better engagement, conversions, and clear understanding of your user, D2C proves to be more effective.

One of the challenging areas if you are a content owner is the chance that you are not tech savvy. In terms of distribution, reach and monetization, the lack of knowledge in technology can be very disadvantageous.  

For example: E-commerce sellers that use platforms like Amazon and Flipkart can be threatened by Shopify which offers the seller to have their own Amazon or Flipkart whilst also having access to the technology and tools to take better ownership over your brand.

In order for a brand to stand out, there are 2 important factors that need to be accomplished.

1. Have good content that is different and can be distinguished from the rest  
2. Utilizing the right technology that will support your brand grow

Using the right kind of technology in a decentralized way like through Shopify can be the right approach in terms of a tech stack. Nevertheless, it has also become easier to create your own brand and your space to showcase it.  

Predict and measure the effectiveness of your content

Measurement is the least understood science in all of this, as content creators are not really data focused. Especially folks who are new to digital marketing struggle with transitioning from the TV or banner-oriented world to the online world as they are challenged to work with the invisible components rather than the visible ones.

When moving to the online world, regardless of what platform you work with, it is important to have a basic funnel in mind and observe the ad views, ad clicks, views on the content, engagement, action to purchase, etc. Measure each of those individual steps as well as conduct AB testing to figure out what works for your brand and what doesn’t. ‍

Future of content creation and social media‍

‍“This online space moves so quickly, and traditional tomorrow is what is innovative today.”
‍- Anuvrat Rao, Founder & CEO of 1Bstories  

As a digital marketer, you have to stay on top of things and evolve with it. However, it has been identified that people want to consume content in certain ways, which can be identified as the 5 pillars.

1. On mobile
2. On a vertical dimension
3. People want everything to be visual – Image and video, infographic style
4. Interactive content
5. Story format  

Therefore, it is important for the content output to maintain a format that includes the above-mentioned pillars. The content you should use and what works will depend on your audience and brand, but however, utilizing this format should ideally bring you better results overall.

As you may have observed more frequently during recent times, these social media platforms keep changing their algorithms to maintain neutrality, so that all users are treated the same. Nevertheless, it is important to do the right best practices, make good content, have linkbacks, do indexing, etc. If your content is good and people like it, then the results will eventually speak for itself.  

Further, influencer marketing has also taken a seat at the main table of digital marketing and become a vital branch of content creation for most online brands. The idea of influencers works well in both ways; for creators, it is a very good monetization mechanism as brands will pay more than what they get from organic CPM revenue. And as for the brand, they want a good brand ambassador to represent their brand. The ROI from the influencers can also be easily tracked to clearly understand what the influencer contributes or doesn’t to the brand.  

‍Tips from a successful entrepreneur to another

• Growing from zero to a hundred is very difficult compared to working for a platform or brand that is already established. However, it opens you up to learning many new things.
• It is perfectly fine to make mistakes, the worst you could do as an entrepreneur is to neither learn nor make mistakes. Especially in terms of a startup, there is more to learn through mistakes than not.  
• Always think big, have a grand vision and utilize your strengths of being flexible, quick and adaptive and follow less of a hierarchy and be open and dynamic.
• Every company, entrepreneur and situation are different, and there is no general rule to follow, you just need to figure out what works for you.

• Trying to be something you are not may lead you down a very challenging path, especially with social media, people pick up on it when they see something staged or unauthentic.

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