Are You Keeping Up with the Content Marketing Challenge?

In the ever-changing world of new technology, it is tempting for leaders to hang on to the familiar and play it safe – sticking to what we already know.

However, as leaders, we have a responsibility to learn continually and to understand new ways of doing business, to sell and market our company.

Consumers no longer sit around and wait for someone to call. They know what they want, they search for it online, and they expect to find it.

Whoever has the most user-friendly and easy-to-buy solution, that’s what they buy. This has put new pressure on companies and how they market and sell. Are we searchable?

Are we present on social media? Do we have good content? Do we have enough content? Do we compete for the consumers’ attention in today’s fast-paced environment? Sales, as we know it, has forever changed. Enter content marketing.

The Evolution of Traditional Media

In the past, the biggest and best ways to reach consumers were through newspapers, radio, and television. With the introduction of radio, followed by TV, the media landscape has changed dramatically, broadening the horizons for consumers and providing more options for advertisers too. Evolution in the media industry is nothing new, and traditional media is now experiencing this once again. Its impact is waning.

Consumer attention has been diverted elsewhere. We are spending more and more time with the hand-held screens in our pockets – devices with which we can make calls, take photos, listen to music, and watch movies and TV shows on-demand. Television is the latest victim, decreasing in popularity, particularly among the younger generations, with attention turning to the likes of Netflix and YouTube. Over 300 hours of video is uploaded to YouTube every single minute, and almost 5 billion videos are reportedly watched each day, while on Netflix 69,444 hours were watched every minute in 2016.

In addition, the rise of second-screening (using the second device while watching on another) also demonstrates a shift in consumer attention. Think about it, how often do you find yourself scrolling down your newsfeed to see what everybody else is saying about that latest episode of your favorite TV show, or the newest film release? In the UK, it’s reported that 93% of under 25’s are ‘second-screening,’ while for the over 50’s it’s as high as 54%.

Not only has consumer attention shifted between mediums, but attitudes to advertising have also changed. It is no coincidence that platforms like Netflix and YouTube serve adverts in an entirely different manner to Television or Radio.

Bombarding the consumer with a barrage of branded announcements back-to-back is a disruptive nuisance that is no longer just accepted. AdBlocking software is now reportedly used by over 600 million devices (the majority on mobile), and more and more brands are adopting new strategies. Businesses now have to be smarter, as the market demands. Social media has created solutions to this problem. Influencer Marketing, for example, almost replicates word-of-mouth recommendations and endorsements through highly-trusted personalities, with audiences who adore their content on social media. Adverts don’t have to feel like adverts anymore. Platforms like Facebook also enable advertisers to target consumers with greater precision than ever before. We can now know exactly who is receiving our advertising campaigns because we’ve chosen the audience individually, which also means we can personalize the content they receive.

We All Have the Tools to Create

The success of your business, large or small, will be highly dependent on your ability to create engaging content, in the right context, that documents your story and captivates your audience – in addition to the quality of your product or service. With the technology at our disposal today, every person with a smartphone can create, and social media provides the platform to reach an audience across the world. Consumers today are fascinated with content available 24/7, visible in the success of Snapchat and Instagram stories. We all have the tools in our hands, waiting for the opportunity to create a new story.

Through spaces like Facebook and YouTube, people who used to create content for fun have now forged genuine business from their bedrooms, rivaling mainstream media outlets. Traditional ways of doing business are being challenged – and by ‘the girl next door’. Consumers are now used to knowing the people behind the product and want to buy from people, not corporations. This is an enormous opportunity for companies.

Freeing time for Creativity

Most of us know by now that Content is King (if not, it’s about time you learn!) However if your content kingdom isn’t well managed, you’re inviting the competition to overthrow you and steal your throne. Over the last 20 years, there has been an exponential rise in digital content being created by companies and consumers around the world. When companies expand their media files from thousands to millions, this demands an even more significant responsibility for managing that growing amount of content well.

Creative minds need to free up time for the mundane activities of managing formats, sizes, distribution, collaboration – and focus only on the thing that they love. It is not just about being efficient, but about correctly licensing your photos while gaining the highest possible exposure. Photos, graphics, video and other creative content make up an increasing part of a company’s intellectual resources. Every team needs to possess the right, and powerful, tools to safely store, manage, find and share valuable digital content. It is also about time to market: getting the right content, in the right position, at the right time, with the correct version.

This is why FotoWare exists. This is what we do. This is what we live for every day. We help you manage the incredible content that you create. As CEO of FotoWare, I am now part of this exciting industry, at this exciting time, helping companies and teams around the world realize their full potential, and making excellent software every day. Technology changes the world, and it turns peoples’ lives. Content changes the way we communicate and do business.