Content is key in the digital age

Although India was well on its way towards rapid digitisation, COVID just accelerated the pace of that transformation. If we talk about the business of communication, specifically, be it advertising, public relations (PR), influencer communication, marketing, etc., we can clearly state that digital and social media outreach have now become an integral part of planning campaign strategies and execution.

PR, as an industry, came into existence in India almost three decades back. In earlier days, it was more focussed and based on the foundation of journalism, because the desired outcome generally used to be media coverage only. Over the years, it has evolved and become a sophisticated approach of creating the strategic narrative. The narrative creates the right messaging to target the right audience in the best possible and well-planned way.

COVID has fast-forwarded the adaptation of the digital transformation in India. It has transformed the communication industry and leapfrogged to digital transformation. The consumption of news has become digital, because of the (COVID-induced) lockdown. During the lockdown, newspapers were unavailable, and the adaptation of digital news was predominant.

The emergence of social media and digital transformation, have changed the entire landscape of communication, and creativity has always been the way out of crisis. The communication industry, be it media or advertising or PR, has gone through a radical shift with the availability of data, analytics, and wider reach of the Internet and growth of smartphones. There is a sea change in a campaign’s planning and media mix – both digital and traditional approaches intertwined into each other – or as they call it, ‘integrated communication’.

With digital and social media increasingly becoming a de-facto choice for content consumers, there has been a paradigm shift in the role of communication professionals too. A move away from relying only on media relations to a more strategy-centric approach – an omnichannel integrated one. A blend of earned, paid, owned and shared media, and digital and social media outreach will now be an integral part of all communication campaign planning.

Although, it largely depends on brands to decide on the kind of media mix they should go for, and what concoction of traditional and digital they want to keep in their communication strategy. All these depend on the kind of target audience they want to reach out to, or what category of markets are they targeting. B2B and B2C companies may have completely different outlook, depending on the messaging and target audience.

Be it a 20-year-old young man or a 60-year-old man, social media has become an integral part of everyone’s lives. It has changed the way we look at the world, and how we communicate and interact with our friends, acquaintances and loved ones.

Digital medium is more in real-time, instant, engaging, immersive, and can be creatively adapted. For several brands, communication and messaging through the digital platform, is more impactful. Social media is about conversations, community, connecting with the audience and building relationships. It is not just a broadcast channel or a sales and marketing tool. Authenticity, honesty and open dialogue are key.

Social media not only allows you to hear what people say about you, but enables you to respond. Listen first, speak second. Be compelling, useful, relevant and engaging. Understanding the difference in social media platforms, is critical. Knowing which social media platforms have the closest ties with your target audience, will help you to create a more effective communication or marketing strategy.

Traditional versus digital

Traditional media inherently has several checks and balances in place, before it reaches the audience’s desk. Therefore, its credibility and authenticity are seldom questioned and can seldom be compromised. Highly curated columns and OPEDs, mainstream reporting are still some areas where print rules.

Digital, on the other hand, despite exhibiting mammoth potential and promise, has its own flipside, such as unverified user-generated content, untrue information ‘forwards’, among others.

Change is the only constant. Change is beneficial, when it keeps pace with altering times and, as we all know, time is one of the biggest game-changers. Social media is important, because it allows you to reach, nurture and engage with your target audience – no matter their location. Increasing the frequency of meaningful engagements, is critical.

Communicators are increasingly acting as change agents, enabling ongoing transformation. While today’s communication professionals are more tech-savvy and trends-focussed, the profession still concentrates on shaping the right messaging, creating the strategic narrative and identifying the target audience.

Creativity and content is going to be key in communication, going forward. The lines between communication and marketing continue to blur, creating new challenges and opportunities. With digital media, the importance of content, and new age content, has become critical. The industry requires upskilling, reskilling, understanding of digital environment, being creative and new age content creation.

(Our guest author is Bhaskar Majumdar head – brand communication, CSR & digital, India & South Asia, Egis.)