Even before influencers were making careers out of it, content creation has evolved over the years, gaining traction and popularity as we go into the 21st century.
For businesses, it is also a great way to market their products. Studies have shown that 70% of people would rather learn more about a company through articles and content creation, rather than paid advertisements. It is also a cheaper option to gain more traffic, costing on average 62% less.
But how did it step into the limelight? How did this become a job with a steady income? From Benjamin Franklin’s annual journal promoting his business in the 1700s to serialised adverts in the 1980s. Content marketing has had many faces throughout its endless lives. But starting from the 90s, digital content creation has become the norm in society and an effective way to promote businesses.
Blog Content
Most experts agree that the first blog was created in 1994 by Justin Hall. He posted brief pieces of writing and subsequent personal thoughts and set the pace for the rest of history. It evolved from a simple way to express your views, to a professional service for journalists to post breaking news, updates and commentaries. But it became mainstream when the website Blogger was launched in 1999.
Blogging is still a great way to post weekly content to promote businesses or just your own profile, just now as articles. Posting fresh updates through digital content creation shows your audiences that you have thoughts, opinions and that there are humans behind the business. Companies can share their thoughts on specific and current trends, allowing them to seem relatable and contemporary. Through search engine optimisation (SEO), blog content also remains one of the most reliable ways to obtain organic traffic to websites.
Social Media
Myspace and Facebook gave us all Tom and Mark as friends, opening up a wide world for the future. It paved the way for the likes of Instagram and most recently TikTok, offering innovative and creative ways to post content to audiences globally. It also has massively helped businesses reach wider demographics and publicise their content further.
In actuality, 73% of businesses said social media positively affected their brand’s success. Using new social media tools, creators can use new features to inform and entertain their audience base. Microblogging seems to be the next step from 90s blogs. Twitter is a great way to get short and concise opinions to wide audiences.
Hashtags are also a great way to attract attention with your blog content, as most people want to keep up to date with the latest trends. Checking what’s trending on Twitter or Instagram, then posting something relatable can keep your business current and fresh with audiences. They can see you care about your image and want to stay relevant with the ever-changing times.
Vlogging and Digital Content Creation
So what’s next? It is clear in a society where everyone is glued to their phones, we need concise and fresh content to endlessly scroll through. Hence, TikTok.
One of the newest social media platforms, TikTok has become so popular, the biggest influencers are making millions from just posting videos. Much like other platforms, it stays fresh and updates its trends daily. For businesses interested in digital content creation, they should consider creating these accounts to stay current and relatable to mainstream bases.
Vlogging is also a visual creative content ideation for users to showcase their thoughts. “How To” and “What Is” videos are extremely popular, as many people will search questions in Google, Bing and now Youtube. They want to find an answer, guides or tutorials in short and concise responses. Vloggers especially gain followers as viewers are interested in their personal lives. Many content creators share their inner secrets, publicising their life on these social media platforms. For businesses, this could also be a benefit in their content creation plan. Sharing secrets that make their company run, or releasing an emotional story on their journey can create a following, with audiences wanting to support them even further.
Here at Humana, we offer a range of services, including digital content creation for businesses, web design and advertising. Our team can find out what you need for your business and cater their skills to support your growth. Whether it’s daily updates on social media or a refresh of your website copy, we do it all!
For more information on what we do, fill out our online form and see how we can help you. Or, for daily helpful tips on great content, follow our Instagram.