It's already mid-July in 2023! As the progress bar of the second half of the year depletes, my thoughts are gradually integrating and spiraling upwards, leading to further growth. Consequently, there has been a shift in what I want to express.
It's already mid-July in 2023! Almost everyone is now entering the realm of new media and short videos. Soon, it seems like live streaming will become a norm for everyone. My personal experience has proven that once you immerse yourself in the practical operations and research of short videos and live streaming, it becomes quite challenging to return to a calm state and earnestly write an article. Today, I finally managed to figure out how to express myself, so I'd like to discuss a topic with everyone through writing:
How to scientifically manage brand's new media content. In simpler terms, it's about understanding what your content team should actually be doing. What are they doing, and how should it be managed?
This topic is actually quite extensive, and perhaps I could expand it into a book in the future. But for now, let's consider it as the beginning of this discussion.
Although I have been involved in the field of new media for over a decade, it wasn't until June of this year that I personally stepped into a live streaming room. However, as soon as I set up our own branded live streaming room and connected it with all the previous work, everything suddenly became incredibly clear.
After a few months of "baptism" in Tiktok live streaming, I have returned to typing and writing. This topic is something I have contemplated for a long time and finally managed to crystallize it into words.
Note: Here, when I mention "brand," it encompasses consumer brands, corporate brands, and personal brands. And when I refer to "brand's new media content," it also includes the kind of short videos produced by organizations that can generate hundreds of pieces of content in a week. Although some professionals who have worked in traditional media or artistic creation may be reluctant to admit it, these types of content are indeed profoundly changing the industry's ecosystem.
First and foremost, content requires scientific management.
This year, many marketers and media professionals find themselves perplexed because they may not have needed to ponder over sales figures, ROI, or the end-to-end planning, production, and sales process in the past. However, many business owners and brand managers have concerns about content production and team management in the realm of new media.
This is because very few people can confidently guarantee that the time, effort, and money invested in content creation and promotion will always result in user satisfaction and increased sales.
Brands are increasingly aware that content creation is becoming crucial. Users today have a growing and urgent demand for content. Whether they are seeking information on websites or browsing through posts on social media, users require rich and valuable content to meet their needs. For brands, providing high-quality content is a key factor in attracting and engaging users.
Therefore, it is essential to continuously optimize and update content related to our own brand in order to meet user needs and help the brand effectively convey its values and ideas. This, in turn, enhances brand recognition and influence. Simultaneously, the digital landscape provides more opportunities and platforms for content to reach users.
However, in the practical world, brands generally adopt two attitudes towards content. The first is having a "content editor" who generates content on a daily basis. The second is carefully considering content strategies and progressing step by step.
Along the way, we often find that we may need to explore and experiment for a considerable period, and there might be times when we struggle to achieve significant readership. Despite investing in beautifully crafted videos or advertisements, we may wonder why they only receive minimal response within our own circle and fail to make a splash elsewhere.
Moreover, with the increasing number of platforms and fragmentation, the landscape appears overwhelming, lacking logic, and difficult to navigate.
However, just like any other product, creating valuable brand content requires a scientific, rigorous, and challenging process. It involves a step-by-step progression, from developing a strategy to implementing and executing it effectively.
Furthermore, content can be managed scientifically.
It may sound like building and operating brand content is a systematic project that requires transformation in terms of strategy, production processes, and organizational aspects. It may involve a significant investment of resources and manpower.
However, in today's age, achieving a "breakthrough" in a specific area is not impossible. In fact, many brands have started their journey through such breakthroughs. I will elaborate on this further later on.
The creation of new media content is not based on mere imagination or the sudden inspiration of a content editor that leads to instant success. You may have come across content or internet celebrities that fit this description, but they are not sustainable and lack any substantial value.
The management of enduring and well-received new media content should be built on a foundation of professionalism and dedication. It requires precise market and user analysis to achieve optimal results. In content creation for new media, we should emphasize strategy and systematization, continually enhancing our professional expertise and creativity to meet both user needs and brand development.
This is why I mentioned earlier that the kind of short videos produced by organizations that can generate hundreds of pieces of content in a week are profoundly changing the industry's ecosystem. Some of the organizations I have come across and interacted with are often free from the burden of so-called "professionalism."
They focus purely on traffic-oriented and operational thinking when it comes to content production and distribution. They have also benefited from the rapid rise of Douyin's traffic, achieving impressive results.
Their achievements demonstrate that content creation, distribution, and operations can be quantified and managed scientifically. Whether it's Tiktok or platforms like Redbook, WeChat Video Account, or others with different philosophies, we can draw insights from this management and operational thinking.
However, if you are still using content to shape your brand or create popular products, it's essential to carefully consider the implications of a pure traffic-oriented mindset. We should never overlook a crucial premise: the dissemination strategy of brand's new media content is an extension of the brand's core and will influence how your audience perceives you.
What we need to do is differentiate our content based on the characteristics of different channels, maximizing the effectiveness of brand content dissemination.
Furthermore, while their methods may be suitable for Douyin, they may not be as effective on other platforms. Moreover, platforms like Douyin are constantly evolving and changing their algorithms and features.
Lastly, how can content be managed scientifically?
The success of brand content relies on the support of vision and strategy.
For example, Nike's vision is to change the world by inspiring and empowering people to discover their potential. To achieve this vision, their strategy is to integrate brand content with sports, fitness, and personal growth, inspiring individuals to pursue their goals and surpass themselves.
They achieve this by creating inspiring advertisements and stories, collaborating with top athletes and community leaders, and disseminating their brand content through social media. This vision and strategy have turned Nike's brand content into a powerful cultural phenomenon, motivating countless people worldwide to take action and achieve greatness.
Of course, you may argue that such brands are too large and may not be applicable for reference. So, let's consider an example from a startup company.
MeowBox is a small startup that specializes in providing monthly subscription boxes for cat owners. Their social media content focuses on the care and love of cat owners, establishing an emotional connection with them through carefully designed and crafted content. They create engaging cat stories, cute cat photos, and videos, while sharing professional knowledge about cat health, care, and behavior.
They also collaborate with cat enthusiasts communities on social media to expand their audience reach. This emotional connection and brand loyalty they have built have led to continuous customer growth and positive word-of-mouth for MeowBox.
In both examples, it's crucial to have a clear vision and strategy that aligns with the brand's values and resonates with the target audience. This involves creating compelling and relevant content, leveraging partnerships and collaborations, and utilizing various channels, including social media, to reach and engage the intended audience effectively.
Additionally, data analysis and continuous evaluation of content performance are essential for making data-driven decisions and optimizing content strategies. By adopting such a systematic approach, brand content can be managed scientifically to achieve desired outcomes.
Certainly, efficiency is of paramount importance in this context, as rapid testing enables us to expedite the attainment of our desired conclusions.
Furthermore, the timeliness of brand content management holds significant weight, necessitating prompt updates and technical support (such as the current AI technology support) to uphold the freshness and allure of the content.
In the face of various challenges, I am actively combining practicality and continuing to explore. If a piece of content is published on the internet but receives minimal readership, does it make a sound? Indeed, this sound may also include inquiries from others: What exactly is your content team doing?
Regardless, we should maintain a positive attitude and adapt to evolving market demands. The aforementioned points constitute the content I am prepared to expand upon in the future, with the hope of one day transforming it into a book.