Navigating the content marketing landscape: Humanising brands, diverse platforms, and celeb equality

The essence of a message, whether in campaigns, ads, or newsletters, lies in the content. Its evolution across mediums underscores the importance of the 'Five C's' writing formula in content marketing, which states that a good piece of content should be clear, concise, compelling, and credible, and have a call to action.

Content marketing plays distinct roles in various categories. As new categories emerge, the significance of content marketing fluctuates. Previously centred on information and reach, experts now emphasise two-way communication, engaging audiences for feedback and addressing key concerns.

afaqs! spoke to marketing heads of Hero Electric Vehicle, Culinary Brands, and Quora to understand their perspectives on YouTube still being the most effective platform for content marketing, a change they desire to see in the content marketing landscape in 2024, and more.

Edited excerpts:

Manu Kumar, head of marketing and corporate communication, Hero Electric Vehicles:

People think content marketing is expensive. In my opinion, content is being created by all of us. Some brands can create user-generated content. If one is looking for numbers and a visual medium, YouTube is an effective platform for content marketing. It will continue to remain so because audio-visual mediums are something people are consuming every day.

Content marketing also gels with celebrities yet brands must ensure that a celebrity aligns with their positioning. Fame alone does not guarantee suitability for endorsing a product or service. Whether one is a brand or an individual, content marketing is for everyone as it is traded every day through various social media channels including Instagram, Facebook, X (formerly known as Twitter), and YouTube.

In 2024, I hope to witness a shift in the content marketing landscape towards more pertinent content, addressing the current issue of cluttered content. The focus should be on content that captivates and resonates with audiences.

Mayur Hola, chief marketing officer, Culinary Brands:

The biggest myth about content marketing is that it has a return on investment (ROI). Everything has ROI but different pieces of content will have different ROI and one has to set that for themselves. For example, a meme will not have the same ROI as an ad film. So, a brand should figure out what a meme or a reel’s ROI is for it.

YouTube has become almost equal to television. It is an effective platform for videos but not the only place for all content. I think brands can make use of different platforms for different types of content. X can be used for delivering opinions, Instagram reels can be used to connect with the youth, and so on.

Do celebrities and a particular brand gel together? If yes, there is productivity otherwise one can make all the content in the world and it is going to be yet another piece of glorified wallpaper which they pay lots of money for. Since content is for everyone, content marketing is also for everyone.

As a human being, one becomes a creator after they post anything on the internet. The right content marketing for the right audience is for everyone but bombarding people with content is a waste of time, effort, and money. I think people would like to witness brands behave like human beings in the future and not necessarily as salespersons.

Nehaa Chimmbulkar, head of marketing, APAC and MEA, Quora:

People think that for content marketing, it is important to be audience-centric but at the same time, over-communicating becomes excessive. Therefore, I always recommend going easy with overcommunication.

There are platforms like Quora for delivering content. I always believe in trying and testing before using a platform for my brand because A/B testing (methodology for comparing two versions of a webpage or app against each other to determine which one performs better) is the rule of the game.

If freedom of collaboration is provided to a creator or a brand, then it is going to be compatible with celebrities because, at the end of the day, it is a symbiotic relationship. Be it a B2C or B2B brand, it is important to understand what audiences want and make sure that content is created. Customisation is the key because creating a solar system of content is vital.

It is essential to make sure what content we put out because content is the only thing that helps brands generate conversations. Be mindful about what you do and what you serve your audiences. Find people who are looking for your brand and services and then create content for them.