Five Content Predictions for a Post-Pandemic World

Content predictions used to be relatively easy to call. It was clear which content behaviours were gaining traction, and what was likely to trend. But then the pandemic hit.

The pandemic has radically challenged some of our previous assumptions – assumptions that some services needed to be provided ‘in person’, assumptions that for certain activities we needed to be in a specific place physically. Content creators have responded with immense creativity. They’ve opened our eyes to the fact that many experiences can be mirrored (to some degree) digitally.

The first lockdown in the UK, without question accelerated the adoption of online applications, which has led to changes in behaviours. Some of these behaviours will stick, some may not. Ultimately, it all comes down to time – how long we will need to wait for a mass market vaccine. The longer it takes, the more entrenched new content consumption behaviours will become. The more entrenched the behaviour, the lower the likelihood that those habits will be dropped.

So, what are my predictions for content behaviours that will stick in a post-pandemic world?

#1. It pains me to say it, but webinars might just stay

If you’d said to me two years ago that webinars were going to become huge, I would have snorted on my porridge trying not to laugh in your face. Well there’s no laughing in anyone’s face in 2020, no going near anyone’s face in fact – events are off the table. And webinars, which I’d previously considered stuffy and boring are well and truly on. A recent Webinar benchmark report from On24 confirms that 3 times more webinar content is being consumed than in 2019. With the absence of face to face, it has become mainstay to see industry leaders talking from their living rooms, with cats on their laps. With so many people furloughed, looking to upskill, reskill, find new interests, there’s clearly a captive audience.

Webinars are easy to set up with easy routes to market (LinkedIn being a prime example) and the ability to track success and learn more about audiences. They offer long-form content with a degree of interactivity, making them a great platform for complex messages. Everyone appears to be jumping on the bandwagon – I can’t open my inbox without seeing at least one new webinar invitation. Perhaps that indicates oversaturation?

So on to the content predictions. Are webinars here to stay or will they be on their way, when we finally say good riddance to Covid? I think they’re here to stay. Though their popularity trajectory will wane. They’ll stay – partly because there will continue to be a demand for them (they’re free). And partly because they’ve proven themselves (particularly for B2B marketers) as a valuable tool at various stages of the sales cycle. But they won’t be quite as popular as they are now, because once we’re out the other side of this, there will be fewer people with time on their hands, and for those who can afford it, events will be back on the agenda.

#2. Live streaming is just the beginning

Also related to a lack of events, we’ve seen a rise in live streaming. According to Unscreen, 47% of people are streaming more live video than last year. With content from theatres, festivals and musicians proving particularly popular, artists are performing live from their living rooms. Whilst this content is undoubtedly filling an entertainment void right now, the longer we’re in this pandemic, the more we’re likely to see this category emerge.

I imagine we’ll see virtual concerts entering the VR realm, augmenting real world live performances. Could this pandemic be the thing that finally pushes investment in virtual reality technologies? Could we finally see a wider adoption of immersive entertainment? I almost don’t want to make a prediction related to VR – it’s been on everyone’s list of content predictions for 7+ years now. We’re still waiting and it’s getting boring. But the reason it hasn’t taken off is because the tech hasn’t been accessible enough. The pandemic has seen unlikely groups accelerate their adoption of digital technologies. So, there’s a chance that we might (just might) be approaching a tipping point.

Either way, even before Covid we were seeing a 20% year on year uplift in livestreaming. It’s going to be a while before gigs are as accessible as they used to be (that breaks my music loving heart!). The entertainment industry needs eyeballs. So live streaming’s here for a while. According to Forrester, users watch live video for 10 to 20 times longer than on-demand content. And as the opportunities with live streaming advance, the number of brands offering live Q&As, how to tutorials and live behind the scenes footage is only likely to increase.

#3. Longer form content is here for the long haul

In the absence of any significant non zooming social life, who else has turned to YouTube to learn how to bake bread, build a bird box or upcycle a rocking chair [insert smug good for me / good for the planet activity of your choice]. You’re not alone. Back in March YouTube reported that “a good portion of the world was simultaneously fixated on how to achieve a superlative sourdough starter”. What started as a trend for baking bread soon unfolded as a story of human needs being met in creative ways. From online workouts helping with our need for ‘self-care’, to museum tours helping with ‘social connection’, to cooking helping to reaffirm our ‘identities’, YouTube were able to demonstrate a uniformity in content trends around the world. And reflected through each of these content themes, was an appetite for longer, more detailed video content.

Whilst the rise of long from video has been trending since before the pandemic, the up-take from new audiences during the pandemic will have cemented this change. In part this is because audiences have had more time on their hands. But also, there’s a richness to long-form content (be it video, podcast or other formats) that enables emotional connection. In terms of content predictions, the frequency in which audiences consume this content may peter out post pandemic. But people who have started engaging with long form content during the pandemic, will likely continue to do so.

#4. Social responsibility will be a continuing theme

Whilst not unique to content, social responsibility forms a theme in so much of the content we’ve consumed in 2020. For companies, what used to mean financial donations, is now so much more about strategically aligning philanthropic work with business goals in order to bolster both. We’ve reached a point where consumers will only identify with brands whose values (and often political views) align to their own. This means that to win customers, brands must have an opinion. And not only do customers expect brands to state their opinions, they also expect them to demonstrate those opinions. For example, by adding value in those areas – whether its reducing inequalities, tackling climate change, promoting well-being or ending poverty. The content that brands are producing needs to demonstrate their commitment to cause, if they’re to win audiences.

How large companies respond to this pandemic and how that response is reflected in their content could be remembered for decades. People still talk about the time (38 years ago) when Johnson & Johnson pulled Tylenol from stores everywhere following a rare and localised event in Chicago (7 people died from taking poisoned Tylenol pills). It’s talked about because they placed their social responsibility above their profitability.

In 2020, brands who have been seen (through content) to put their social responsibility ahead of profits will gain a more loyal customer base. According to Global Web Index, 43% of 16-24 year olds are willing to pay a premium for brands that have a positive impact on the environment or society. And as we emerge from this pandemic, the public’s desire to rebuild our culture, will only strengthen, meaning brands will have to demonstrate their commitment to social purpose through their content.

#5. Unapologetic honesty will win

For several years, we’ve been seeing a trend towards authentic content. With the support of platforms like Tik Tok and Instagram Reels, this trend seems to have reached a new level of unpolishedness. My next content prediction is that it’s this unpolished approach that will influence future brand content. During the pandemic we’ve been seeing simple, authentic user generated content bringing people dizzy new heights of escapism. In response, we’re all quickly shooting content on our smartphones, trying to become masters of the raw, unfiltered look as it grows in popularity.

Will my content predictions be correct? Time will tell.

In this increasingly digital world, I think we’ll emerge with a heightened need for real-world interaction and engagement. The concerts, the theatre, the sporting events – these are the things we’re all craving. We don’t know when or in what form these things will return. So, in the medium term, I predict that digital content will continue to fill a void.

Customer expectations

One thing we do know is that the bar for digital has never been higher than it’s been in 2020. The rush to meet customer expectations has never been more prominent. Brands have met these demands, faster and more authentically than ever before. So, the one thing that’s definitely not going away is the need to serve your (now socially conscious) customers’, experiences; experiences that understand, meet and exceed their needs at every touchpoint. From now on, marketing will be all about the experience. There’s only one-way customer expectations are going to go from here – and that’s up.

Time

In terms of expectations, the thing people won’t want to compromise on going forward is time. These lockdowns have enlightened people to the benefits of more time. With physical places closing, people have experienced fewer demands on their time, less need to rush. This has resulted in more time to spend with family, time to exercise, time to be entertained. People have come to realise how precious time is. And they’ve noticed how much time they wasted in their old habits. So going forward the experiences that will win are going to be the ones that help them to put time back in their day. The frictionless ecommerce experiences, the real time customer services, and the experiences that enable escapism. The subsequent improvement to mental wellbeing, and the experiences that connect consumers to the people and the causes that mean the most to them.

Thanks for reading my content predictions. I’m off to eat home-made bread and find myself an authentic, long-form, webinar, on how to change the world, live from someone’s living room. I hope there’s a cat in the background.

I’m happy to be interrupted though – if this has made you think that your content strategy might need a bit of an overhaul, please get in touch – I’d love to hear from you.