Essential Content, 1 Audience Intent, and the Power of Influencers Making Outstanding Content for Modern Internet Audiences RAGAN: ESSENTIAL CONTENT 2 Hi, I’m Matt Silverman. I make Internet shows for publishers, brands, and my own audience. FREE DAD VIDEOS 2 GIRLS 1 PODCAST 5 FACTS THE FUTURE WILL NOT BE PODCAST NOW I KNOW THEIR OWN DEVICES 3 I also make viral videos. Alton Brown Reviews the John Oliver & Cookie Monster Dumbest Kitchen Gadgets Kevin Bacon Explains the ‘80s Oscar vs. Grumpy Sexting in Real Life Peanuts Christmas Dance in NYC I’ve covered and created Internet culture for 4 10 years. Joined Mashable in 2009, leading written features. Launched Mashable’s video program in 2013. Joined The Daily Dot in 2016 as Audience Director. Launched Daily Dot social video in 2017 Pivot to agency/ecommerce revenue model in 2017. Building a podcast business model in 2018/9. 5 INFLUENCER CULTURE BRANDS PUBLISHERS ESSENTIAL CONTENT 6 INFLUENCER CONTENT USER INTENT internet magic?? AUDIENCE THAT MATTERS 7 WHAT IS ESSENTIAL CONTENT? WORKSHOP QUESTION: Please share examples of content initiatives your brand is developing now. What’s working and what’s not? 2017 8 THE PIVOT TO (garbage) FEATURE VIDEO FOUR UNPRECEDENTED REACH • SHALLOW ENGAGEMENT • NO BUSINESS MODEL 9 NOISE THE RETURN OF 10 ESSENTIAL CONTENT SAY “NO” TO COMMODITY CONTENT We don’t need 500 videos on the Internet that say the same thing. LARGE, LOYAL AUDIENCES IN THE WAKE OF FAILING PUBLISHERS Creators who matter to their audience will see opportunities to monetize. 1:1 CREATOR / AUDIENCE RELATIONSHIP Which occasionally excludes platforms and advertisers completely. 11 THE PIVOT TO QUALITY 2 CHALLENGES: ESSENTIAL CONTENT MOST DIGITAL REQUIRES ADVERTISING TIME AND TALENT STILL SUCKS (RESOURCES) 12 ESSENTIAL CONTENT + DIRECT / LOYAL INTENT 13 “YouTube has moved from a Novelty Economy to a Loyalty Economy.” -Tay Zonday YouTube Personality of “Chocolate Rain” fame 14 Revisiting the “Professional Amateur” MARQUES BROWNLEE GRACE HELBIG NAKEY JAKEY H3H3 PRODUCTIONS WHEEZY WAITER PROZD 15 HUGE AUDIENCES EXTREME LOYALTY LOW-COST PRODUCTION Countless YouTubers and podcasters These audiences watch every episode, Compared to publishers, these operations command massive audiences in the hang on every word, communicate with are incredibly lean, often just a single multi-millions. their favorite creators via social media person with a camera, microphone, and a regularly, and support them through laptop. Patreon, Kickstarter, and merchandise platforms. 16 ESSENTIAL CONTENT DOESN’T HAVE TO BE EXPENSIVE (BUT IT MUST BE HONEST) 17 ESSENTIAL CONTENT WORKSHOP QUESTION: Please share examples of content initiatives your brand is developing now. What’s working and what’s not? 18 WHAT IS AUDIENCE INTENT? WORKSHOP QUESTION: What platforms do you currently publish to? Where would you like to see better return? 19 UNDERSTANDING AUDIENCE INTENT PASSIVE ACTIVE LOYALTY (Social Media) (Search) (Direct) INTENT: 20 SOCIAL MEDIA (PASSIVE) 21 SAM’S CLUB VIDEO 22 INTENT: SEARCH (ACTIVE) INTENT: 23 DIRECT (LOYAL) 24 VAT 19 VIDEO 25 INTENT ADDENDUM: POINT OF SALE or “LOW FUNNEL” OUTLIER STRATEGY: 26 VIRALITY VIRALITY ISN’T SUSTAINABLE 27 (BUT YOU SHOULD CAPITALIZE ON IT) TIME FOR CONSISTENCY 28 AUDIENCE INTENT WORKSHOP QUESTION: What platforms do you currently publish to? Where would you like to see better return? 29 WHY INFLUENCERS? WORKSHOP QUESTION: Have you ever run an influencer campaign? If so: Were you satisfied with the ROI? Ifnot: What’s holding you back? 30 Native advertising 31 keeps content ecosystems healthy. (In my biased opinion as a content creator.) Influencer marketing 32 done right. 33 INFLUENCER SPOTS #ShedHappens 34 + 35 PASSIVE CASE STUDY (Social Media) BRAND PERSPECTIVE 36 37 INFLUENCER ALIGNMENT IS CRITICAL BIGGEST ISN’T BEST ● Small, highly invested audiences can yield more efficient CPA AUTHENTICITY vs. ENDORSEMENT vs. ALIGNMENT SPREAD THE RISK ● Identifying “up-and-coming” shows is your best insurance policy DATA + AGENCY + GUT FEELING TRACK LEAD QUALITY THE LANDSCAPE IS ALWAYS CHANGING ● Programmatic podcast ad insertion could dilute influencer value ● “If I knew everything I know now, I would have gotten in earlier.” INFLUENCERS > PLATFORMS 38 (SOMETIMES) ESSENTIAL CONTENT 39 INFLUENCER CONTENT USER INTENT internet magic?? AUDIENCE THAT MATTERS 40 INFLUENCERS WORKSHOP QUESTION: Have you ever run an influencer campaign? If so: Were you satisfied with the ROI? Ifnot: What’s holding you back? 41 THE INFLUENCER PARADOX A BRIEF THEORY ON WHY EXTREMELY POPULAR INTERNET CREATORS ARE HARD FOR ADVERTISERS TO “SEE.” 42 THE OLD LANDSCAPE INTERNET CREATOR INTERNET CREATOR INFLUENTIAL CREATORS POPULAR AWARENESS THE MEDIA ADVERTISING DOLLARS 43 Richard “Ninja” Blevins44 PROFESSIONAL COMPETITIVE GAMING FOR 10 YEARS ● Holds the world record for concurrent Twitch viewers: 667,000 ● 6 million Twitch subscribers ● 10 million YouTube subscribers ● 521 million views ● 3.5 million Instagram followers ● $500,000 per month from Twitch Prime subscriptions, fan funding, and merch. INTERNET INTERNET 45 CREATOR CREATOR INTERNET INTERNET CREATOR CREATOR INFLUENTIAL CREATORS INTERNET INTERNET CREATOR CREATOR INTERNET CREATOR POPULAR AWARENESS THE MEDIA Diagram with Ninja on the Outside INTERNET 47 INTERNET CREATOR CREATOR POPULAR AWARENESS INTERNET CREATOR INTERNET INFLUENTIAL CREATOR CREATOR THE MEDIA PEOPLE PLAY VIDEO GAMES FOR MONEY?! 48 THANKS! Questions? Comments? MATT SILVERMAN @Matt_Silverman [email protected].