Content Creation Means 'Digital First' on Communication and Advertising

In the past 5-7 years of my work, I have noticed the rapid shift for everything in the (digital) communication space to online. We have covered a 3-day conference, only to edit a 60-seconds video for YouTube and social media and then life moves on swiftly soon after. In advertising, the budget battles are between billboard and broadcast on one side and Krazy Kennar and his beauties on the other.

Of importance, as they say, is the data and analytics that online platforms provide, giving a laser-sharp decision making path. Secondly, the agility and flexibility of digital platforms is to die for. 

Many businesses and brands have massively shifted their advertising to influencers and content creators.

Those who know the ego that TV stations and Newspaper advertising people have, you’d rather swallow broken glass than follow that path. You can craft an online campaign as you move, hard to do that on traditional broadcasting channels after you have handed over an ads schedule.

Social media platforms and other measurable digital media have taken over from the traditional TV and Newspaper advertising channels.

Then came Tik Tok and its ‘evil’ addictive infinite scroll that has our thumbs numb all day on our phones. That means, digital first has another sister called mobile first. So all your communication, advertising and content needs to prioritize that. And we are all trying to get tall or square videos now. Even we Facebook dinosaurs have reels, and stories-IMAGINE! Our good old feed is gone, the algorithm doesn’t care any more! (Poke this, if you can).

That sister of digital first means mobile first is the PREFERRED and popular gadget for capturing content. Let me also add that a good number of the new cameras coming out today can shoot tall format video.

Social media platforms and other measurable digital media have taken over from the traditional TV and Newspaper advertising channels.

How can I forget the battle we photographers have when we have to deliver pictures instantly, with no time for editing in Photoshop or Lightroom, otherwise the P.A. to the client’s MD will use her iPhone and post the photos while we are still cropping, straightening and opening shadows in Adobe Lightroom. 

Digital First is the new operating system, not just in communications and advertising, but business in general. The benefits outweigh the analogue path by far.