Content Creation | Modular 4

Less than a decade ago, the idea of using video as a marketing tool online was painful. Bandwidth was still limited, getting people to watch online was a challenge, and media outlets were few. Today however that has changed. With internet speeds ever increasing, the advent of multiple outlets, devices, and platforms, video is the fastest growing ad segment on the internet. Video growth is due in part to lower production costs thanks to advances in technology, the popularity of of video capable smart phones and tablets, and better online video production values. Over the last year alone, online video use has increased by 12 percent among business to business marketers. And video is now the 6th most popular online marketing tactic. The infographic from Brainshark below has even more information about the rise of video, and it’s online potential.

Over at Flowtown there was an interesting info graphic that they put up showing the shift in content creation vs content sharing. The reason I find this interesting is what they show at the bottom of the chart. In 2007 19.1% of people created and 0.03% shared that content with others. In 2009 only 3.1% were content creators vs 29% sharing content via re-tweeting, liking, posting to your wall etc.

This paradigm shift in the way people associate with online content, is a double edged sword for advertisers and marketers. Companies know that they need to play in the social networking space. It is a fact of life in 2010. They also know that they need to appear genuine and real to the mass of people following them on social networks, but what is interesting here is the fact that less original content is being created. Instead original content is being shared and discussed, which in many ways is a plus for anyone advertising through social media channels.

If you craft your content correctly, and are willing for it to be shared and discussed by millions world wide through social media channels, then you win. Advertisers are in a position to strengthen your brand, develop a loyal following, and recruit real brand evangelists that sing the praises of what you have to offer to all of their friends and followers in the social networking world.

It’s all about shared ownership of the brand, but the voice of the brand still has to start somewhere right? With 588 million people engaging in social media activities each year, and almost 30 percent of them sharing and discussing content, it’s in your companies best interest to develop a strong social media strategy. It’s really all about how you build your strategy and play the game. As more and more media channels begin to converge this will become a deciding factor for advertising in the next decade.

So with less people actually creating content, this is a prime opportunity for advertisers to do so. It doesn’t matter if it is a Facebook Fan Page, a Twitter account, links back to a company website or any combination of forward facing content.