Dose of Prose
I recently attended a webinar called “Hollywood from Home,” where executives discussed the groundbreaking changes happening in the entertainment economy (as a result of COVID-19). The event was hosted by dot.LA, a media production company that sheds light on the startup scene in Los Angeles. If you have interest in learning about the latest happenings in the tech and venture capital world or if you’re fascinated with innovation overall and want to stay in the loop, I highly recommend checking out their events, subscribing to their newsletter and/or tuning into their podcast.
This virtual panel discussion about the evolution of entertainment featured some interesting information that I felt compelled to share on my blog; hence, the reasoning for today’s post. Content creators, bloggers, vloggers, entertainers and influencers, you’ll want to read this one. If you don’t work in entertainment, but are thinking of entering that space or if you’re just curious about the space overall, this post will benefit you as well. Let’s get into it.
Trends Happening in Entertainment (as a result of COVID-19)
Whatever field you work in or plan to work in, it’s important to follow what’s going on in the industry. I took note of some major trends happening in entertainment as discussed by the executives in the webinar. Even if you are reading this post in the future and COVID-19 is no longer a ‘thing,’ I’m sure you’ve observed that trends come in waves and history can repeat itself, so regardless, I’d say these trends are timeless and relevant to remember. As a result of COVID-19, the entertainment industry is experiencing the following:
RISE OF USER GENERATED CONTENT (UGC)
UGC is any form of content (i.e. images, videos, audio, text, etc.) created by users via online platforms such as social media and wikis. With the lockdown and social distancing measures occurring during this pandemic, individuals have more free time than ever before. These individuals are using this time to create content and consume content. TikTok isn’t the dominant video platform of the year for no reason. Businesses and brands are trying to drive traffic to their online services/products and users in general are utilizing virtual methods to fill the void of in-person human connection. Overall, there has been a change in the way that we create and consume media. UGC is on the rise.
LIMITED ABILITY TO HAVE HIGH PRODUCTION FILM/TV/COMMERCIALS
It is no surprise that numerous delays and date changes have been announced for movies and other high production projects during this time. What does this mean for the entertainment industry? Well, it could mean that networks and media companies will turn towards influencers (aka people like YOU 😉) to create/market commercials for them instead. This is not to say that your favorite actors and actresses will be out of a job either. Have you heard of Quibi? It’s a new video streaming app where you can watch movie quality shows on your mobile device. Again, what we see here is a shift in the way that media is being produced and consumed.
PEOPLE ARE FORCED TO GET CREATIVE WITHOUT GETTING TOGETHER.
I think this trend echoes the underlying theme of how UGC is transforming in front of our eyes. I personally am not affiliated with any agency or management team, so I do everything myself. I take my own pictures (thank goodness for tri-pods and self-timers), I write my blog posts, I market everything on social media, I work on the back-end to monitor my SEO and analytics, etc. However, when it comes to creating content, most of the time, it takes a village. Models work with photographers, Youtubers have their own editing team, influencers collaborate with other influencers to make content….the list goes on and on. The reality these days, is that this sort of in-person content creation collaboration simply cannot occur. As a result, creators now have to dig deep and think critically about the content they create to ensure it translates well to their audience, without having a team as their safety net.
What Businesses/Brands are Looking for in Content Creators
During these trying times, how do you (as an entertainer/creator) know what works and what doesn’t? What can you do to grow your following and gain attraction from brands organically, especially in the midst of a pandemic? Here’s what companies are looking for when selecting content creators:
Does your content tell a story?
This is a key question to ask yourself before you publish any content that you make. Brands and businesses want to work with creators who have content that tells a story and captures the attention of an audience. This is why memes and short videos (who remembers Vine?) go viral because the content is engaging enough for the consumer to be willing to share and repost it to others. Create content that makes an impact and adds value to your audience. Value meaning – your content evokes an emotional response, enables the consumer to learn something new, or makes your audience feel inspired.
Analyze your data.
The fact of the matter is…everything is a business. Whether or not you agree that everything in life should be treated like a business is another debate for another day, so I won’t go into that here. My point is, it doesn’t matter whether you have 1 follower or 1 million followers, businesses want to see results. Brands want to see metrics, numbers, analytics, etc. They want to know if you can deliver. At the end of the day, it’s not about you. It’s about your audience and what they want to see. If you are looking to partner with a brand, you need to show them why you, more importantly, your content, is worth their time. Additionally, if you’re struggling to find your niche (I’m dealing with this as well to be honest), analyze your data! See what content is doing well and make more of it. Then you’ll be on the road to getting your content monetized.
Customize your content to your platform.
Youtube, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, Facebook and TikTok are not the same and should not be treated the same. Exhibit A: the dimensions of a Youtube video differ from that of IGTV. It’s okay to post content from one platform on other (I’ve seen lots of people post Snapchats on their Instagram Stories or post their TikToks on Instagram and Twitter, etc.); however, in order to gain a following across your various social channels, you have to customize your content to the platform you’re using. Typically with brand deals, in the contract they will require you to post a certain number of posts on specific channels (For example, 1 Youtube video with 1 Instagram post + 3 Instagram stories, etc.) If you make one post and just share it across all of these platforms without making any adjustments, not only does this appear lazy and unprofessional to brands, but also, it looks like you don’t know what you’re doing. It’s so important to learn your craft. Still not convinced? I wrote a blog post about the importance of localization for businesses and why it works. Give it a read, and maybe you’ll understand why customizing your content is imperative for brand growth.
Make more “brand safe/friendly” content.
I don’t know about you, but I’ve gotten plenty of job application rejection letters staying that I wasn’t the ‘right fit’ for the position I applied for. The same logic applies when it comes to partnering with brands. It’s not necessarily that the content you’re making isn’t good, it might be that it just doesn’t fit in with the vision/mission of the brand that you’re looking to work with. Additionally, it is important to be aware that we are in a global crisis where millions of people are either sick, grieving, financially struggling and/or experiencing mental and emotional challenges during this time. As a result, most people use UGC as a means to escape from reality. Therefore, it’s important to provide content that isn’t insensitive. You have to cater to your audience and environment; brands want to see that you have this ability and awareness.
Key Takeaways
As a blogger and micro influencer myself, I’m still learning everyday about how to successfully build my following and monetize my content. It can be discouraging at times to put hours of work and effort into something that no one will see, but at the end of the day, this blog and platform that I have is one of my passions and I’ll continue to do it, whether or not anyone pays attention to it, whether or not a pandemic is occurring, whether or not I make $$$ from it….why? Because I’m comfortable. I’m comfortable with writing when no one is reading, creating when no one is consuming, putting in the hours when no one is clapping, listening, watching, etc. That’s the secret sauce. You have to keep creating. Whether you’re just getting started or are thinking about entering the entertainment/creative field, here are some reminders to keep in your back pocket:
- There will always be a need for connection/entertainment.
- Entertainment has always been “recession proof.”
- Things will get worse before they get better. But, they WILL get better.
There’s no such thing as an overnight success story folks. You have to be strategic and think long-term. I hope this post gave you a different perspective on content creation and opened your eyes to some monumental changes that are happening in the entertainment world. If you want me to make more ‘behind the scenes’ discussion based posts like this, where I give more detail about the reality of being an entertainer/content creator, let me know. Feel free to leave a comment and tell me about some adaptions you’re making in terms of creating and/or consuming content as well. I’d love to know. I’ll catch you in my next post.
-Kaamilah
