We’ve evolved from the traditional ‘industrial age’ to a period characterized as the ‘information age’ This shift was initiated by rapid digital advances. And now we are in the age of ‘peak content’. We unpack the peak content age and discovered some insightful findings.
The Volume Game
It appears that the sheer volume of content available for consumption out there is becoming unsustainable. This from both a production and a consumption level. The impacts are being felt across most content-producing mediums.
For example, in 2015 a ‘Peak TV’ period was characterized by a glut of TV shows. So three years ago there were more than 370 scripted series on television. According to TV producers, the overabundance of shows created a huge challenge in the industry to find compelling original stories and the level of talent needed to sustain the stories. It also had an enormous impact on everyone’s ability to cut through the clutter and create real buzz.
The Content War
Similarly, journalism continues to battle it out in the ‘content war.’ They are struggling to find ways to produce more content with less staff. For instance, Huffington Post, which pumps out a huge volume of content, have 532 full-time editorial staff producing about 1,200 pieces of content per day. And that’s not including the 28 full-time blog editors who oversee the 400 pieces of content per day coming from its blog. All this content, however, generates 43 million page views per day. Is this sustainable?
Peak Brand Content
Are brands also dealing with the ‘peak content’ phenomenon? According to researchers from TrackMaven the answer is a resounding ‘yes’. They examined the activity of 50 million pieces of content from around 23,000 brands across six channels – Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, LinkedIn, and blogs. The study found that brand content output had increased by 35%, while engagement with that content had decreased by 17%.
This is content overload, quantified.
As more content floods social networks, the slice of engagement for the average brand shrinks. With a limit to how much content can be consumed, liked, or shared, brands must create their own competitive advantages with distinguishing content.
The bottom-line is that brands need to learn how to produce more valuable content, not simply more of it.
How to Counter ‘Peak Content’
1) Go Niche or Go Home
Brands need to originate distinctive proprietary content that provides their customers with answers, solutions, and information they need. Specificity and originality are the best ways to cut through the noise.
2) Own Your Channels
The age of organic distribution is over. Brands can no longer rely on distribution platforms like Facebook if they’re not willing to pay to play. The time has come for brands to increase their reliance on owned channels, instead of third-party sites. Content produced and distributed on proprietary channels – like a company blog – has long-term value, and can build brand credibility, and maintain engagement well beyond that first paid touchpoint.
Brands like Sotheby’s International Realty are using owned content to target a new audience: the emerging affluent consumer. Creating unique content experiences which speak to each distinct consumer segment enables Sotheby’s to engage prospective buyers and sellers, capture their interest with lifestyle-driven content, and direct them to a Sotheby’s office in their area. This owned content guides readers along the customer journey, from discovery online to visiting a prospective home for the first time, a path that’s markedly different for the younger generation.
How can you get started?
Creative Imagineering is in the business of creating unique and niche content that answers your consumers’ questions and aspirations. Chat to us about initiating a company blog or online publication. Here’s an example of an online Watersports Publication – Amanzi – that we manage content for.
Original Article on Social Media Today