There is massive content being created by the minute these days leaving hardly any gap in information that can be gleaned from the internet. There are videos for entertainment, blogs, articles, images, infographics and videos to educate and inform and there are the simple posts broadcasting personal views on social media.
However, a lot of this content is not pure fact. Much of this content is created or sponsored by brands and falls under ‘marketing clutter.’ Search engine algorithms and regulations are doing their bit to cull the not-so-useful content but it is not feasible considering the number of brands worldwide and how they have been using content to market their products.
Like in an economy, perhaps a ‘bubble’ is developing even in the content creation industry. There are way more content creators than readers. Earlier, content was created by a few — newspapers, magazines, broadcasting networks — but today each one is a content creator. Whether the content they create has quality, ingenuity and utility is subjective. Previously, content was meant to last (may be not all content but most). Today, content has a very short ‘shelf life.’ In-depth pieces were applauded earlier but today it is the snippets that are in demand. Yes, we can blame a lot of this shift to the fast-paced life we all live. But a question arises as to whether such content is providing superficial information.
Day-by-day, this ‘bubble’ is growing and we all are adding to it. Then, will it burst? That’s a tricky question.
Content was being created and consumed since time immemorable. The form, medium and audience has changed. The pace of this change is faster than before. The medium reaches a vast audience and the form is growing shorter and more visual. As marketers increasingly use content to develop brand image, authenticity of the information furbished may gradually fade and marketers may be compelled to look for another channel to communicate and influence customers.
Going ahead, the form may change and the medium may differ. Visual content may be more voraciously consumed than the written word. It may be divided into niches — with certain content being consumed by specific end consumers. Isn’t that how it is now? Well, it might just be more pronounced in the future.
At some point in time, the quality of content will have to be improved to appeal to the digital-natives. Influencer marketing may fail to ‘influence.’
All in all, the content industry is bound to change. It will change not only because of newer technology but also because of a shift in the mindset of the content consumers.
