Gen Z & Creator Content: How digital world became a money-making machine

Hyderabad: Can you imagine what happens when a generation raised on memes and emojis turns the digital world into their career playground? It creates content creators or ‘online influencers’, as the world popularly calls them.

2020 was the year that drove this radical shift, with thousands depending on digital media to create an income during the COVID lockdown. Gradually, content creation gained popularity as a career that pays you well and offers the flexibility you need. Today, millions worldwide take up content creation as a full-time career or a side hustle outside their regular 9-5 jobs.

With at least one of your friends already a social media influencer, let’s look at content creation as a profession and the changes it brings to the academic landscape.

The Growth of Content Creation

A report from Morning Consult pointed out that around 57% of Gen Z are willing to take up a content creation/influencer career if given the chance. The reason driving this interest is the flexibility to make big money doing fun work.

Back in the day, content creation was just about entertainment. People created content to unwind or escape from their daily grind. But as the world entered the lockdown, people turned to their creative instincts and screens to find solace and build connections. From cooking experiments to home decorations and workout routines, creators emerged from every corner. The surge in content creators highlighted the power of relatability and how viewers found comfort in authentic content.

What gave content creation its much-needed momentum was the entry of e-commerce into the influencer marketing niche. Fashion and lifestyle brands began approaching mega-influencers to promote their products and saw unprecedented growth.

These days, more people trust the recommendations of social media influencers than the big names in marketing. Why would you spend millions for celebrity endorsements when a content creator gets you more leads at reasonable rates? Besides, reports suggest that 50% of millennials trust recommendations from content creators, while this drops to 38% for celebrity endorsements.

Content Creation in 2024

Digital storytelling has become the go-to marketing strategy for brands. Brands are shifting their focus to micro and nano-influencers with small but loyal followers. Recently, the popular food brand Dunkin’ Donuts launched a marketing campaign for coffee lovers by collaborating with five micro-influencers, which generated high engagement rates. Similarly, brands like H&M, Olay, etc. have also associated with micro-influencers as part of specific campaigns.

With the entry of AI, the content creation market will enter a hyper-personalized era, with each piece of content tailored according to user preferences. Data-driven campaigns are also one to look forward to in the coming years. How brands leverage virtual avatars and AI models will also change the scope of content marketing.

Additionally, authenticity will become the key to content creation. The more realistic you are, the more will be accepted among GenZ.

Hyper-personalized Content & Influencer Communities

What is more interesting is how content creation is evolving into a business possibility for various other sectors. As the content community grows, new spaces with state-of-the-art facilities, equipment, and backdrops are emerging in different parts of the world. These affordable spaces offer visually pleasing environments for creators to shoot their content in peace. This infrastructural development is all set to revolutionize the content industry and will create huge business opportunities.

With content creation becoming an industry, will educational institutions go out of style or will they keep up with the trends? Let’s find out.

A Shift in Academics

How will content creation affect the traditional education system if it becomes a popular full-time career? Will universities come up with courses to train students in content creation? Here are the key takeaways regarding this:

● Formal academic training isn’t a necessity for content creation. Although university degrees give you a strong base, what truly matters is your creativity, communication, and knowledge of industry trends. It’s the real-world application of your knowledge that counts in content creation.

● If universities enter the field of content creation courses, they’ll likely focus on visual communication, storytelling, marketing, graphic design, and strategy design. The goal will be to prepare the students for powerful content creation.

● With AI entering the market, universities will come up with courses that cover the various tools and techniques used in content creation. Live training on AI-based content creation will be provided, with studio spaces available in most universities.

A shift in Content Landscape

In 2024, the landscape of content creation will witness a significant emphasis on authenticity and narratives driven by value. The shift toward authenticity will be fueled by insights from content marketing statistics, audience research, and valuable customer feedback.

Given the abundance of content on the internet, readers have become more discerning in their consumption choices. Consequently, content creators will be compelled to generate content that not only imparts information but also exudes authenticity, relatability, and a complete alignment with their brand's principles.

A prevailing trend in the upcoming era will be the adoption of omnichannel approaches as the new standard. With various platforms playing crucial roles in the broader content marketing realm, content creators must optimize their content for each platform where their audience engages.

Successfully navigating this landscape requires an understanding of the distinctive characteristics and nuances of each platform, coupled with a willingness to experiment and innovate. Maintaining consistency in brand assets, voice, and tone across diverse platforms will be crucial for creators aiming to make an impact.

While content creation demands hard work and dedication in the initial face, it promises financial rewards going forward. So, are you ready to take the chance and be a content creator?

(Author: This article is written by Anu Augustine for TechDoQuest, a Canada-based software development company. The views expressed in this article do not reflect those of NewsMeter.)