Hindustan Times - Brunch

How to build a social media star

Content creation is more than ephemeral youth culture. It is a legitimate business P

- By Deepak Char

Helming business for a first generation content creator in India has been quite a learning curve. When I quit my ₹2,00,000 per month corporate job to oversee and streamline Carry Minati’s business as his partner/ manager, I had been convinced of the monetary potential of content creation.

But when I joined him, I learned that while he was a popular face, his following and reach did not complement his earnings. This meant that I was investing more than 12 hours a day with no guarantee of a fixed income every month. But the risk reaped rewards. I’m happy I took the leap of faith.

Being human

In content creation,you are marketing to

humans who want to feel connected. That’s the formula I introduced into Carry’s agenda. No one would have believed that Carry could be a candidate for brand ambassador programmes, but his backend metrics were on par with leading celebritie­s in the music, sports and film businesses. I saw that brands could engage in a very modest fashion with the youth via Carry’s platforms, which witness devout consumptio­n from people between ages 15 and 35. Thus, I helped him get his first fullfledge­d brand ambassador deal.

We started curating unique content that appealed to the advertisin­g world and started building content only for a core target group, focussed on making this group an integral part of Carry’s journey. His world is one where audiences can let loose without judgement. So, even brand engagement­s are guided by his persona.

Our content strategy is to make each subscriber feel like we speak directly to them. Carry treats his visitors like friends. He is aware of their struggles, challenges, and fears. On the same note, he services their dream solutions and their biggest fantasies. He tries to deliver a type of brand integratio­n which is not overlooked by this audience and is seamlessly integrated within the concept of the video.

Dialogue, not monologue

It is because of this revolution­ary approach that content creation is given the pedestal of a serious profession. Today, Silicon Valley investors view content creators as the next financial vein to be tapped. This leverages the notion that content is more than ephemeral youth culture and offers legitimacy to what some may still think is a fringe business.

Successful brands get traction when they devote themselves to a narrative that differenti­ates them from the crowd. And the future is about winsomely engaging with audiences, creating two-way conversati­ons that encourage questions, comments, and observatio­ns.

TODAY, SILICON VALLEY INVESTORS VIEW CONTENT CREATORS AS THE NEXT FINANCIAL VEIN TO BE TAPPED

 ?? ?? LEAP OF FAITH Deepak (left) quit his ₹2,00,000 per month corporate job to oversee and streamline CarryMinat­i’s (right) business as his partner/ manager
LEAP OF FAITH Deepak (left) quit his ₹2,00,000 per month corporate job to oversee and streamline CarryMinat­i’s (right) business as his partner/ manager
 ?? brunchlett­ers@hindustant­imes.com Follow @HTBrunch on Twitter and Instagram Deepak Char is CarryMinat­i’s business partner and manager.
I Say Chaps is a guest column that allows passionate, creative people a platform to have their say. ??
brunchlett­ers@hindustant­imes.com Follow @HTBrunch on Twitter and Instagram Deepak Char is CarryMinat­i’s business partner and manager. I Say Chaps is a guest column that allows passionate, creative people a platform to have their say.

Newspapers in English

Newspapers from India