Music labels, celebs form tie-ups with short-form

Short-form video platforms and creators are expanding beyond brand partnerships to forge ties with music labels, celebrities, and OTT platforms to create content and widen their reach.

Meta, for instance, recently partnered with Amazon Prime Video, enabling its creators to feature in the streaming platform’s shows. Similarly, actor Deepika Padukone collaborated with influencers to promote her new skincare brand. Short video creators are adopting new strategies to stay relevant and engage their audience, including hosting workshops, enabling social commerce features, and live-streaming user interactions.

There are 150,000 professional content creators who monetize their services in India, with average monthly earnings of $200-$2,500 in the long tail, according to a recent report by Ficci and professional services network EY.

“Short video apps have become immensely popular in recent years, attracting large and engaged audiences. As a result, many platforms are partnering with them to tap into their reach. Initially limited to urban areas and top-tier content creators, this trend has now expanded to regional influencers and creators,” said Sumit Ghosh, chief executive and co-founder of Chingari. The platform recently collaborated with series like Hunter and GutarGu on Amazon MiniTV, expanding its content offerings besides Songdew, a music business management service, enabling creators to incorporate tunes from upcoming artists, generating content for their followers.

Creators are not only focusing on creating content but also exploring strategies to stay relevant, boost their revenue streams, and engage with their audience. “Some of the approaches they are adopting include social commerce, live streaming, merchandising, creating their own brands, and hosting workshops. For instance, Team Naach, a dance content creator duo, goes beyond its online presence by running dance workshops. Creators like Malvika Sitlani, Forum Shah, Sarah Sarosh and Vishnu Kaushal have ventured into industries such as fashion, beauty and lifestyle,” said Mrunali Dedhia, vice president of influencer marketing agency Chtrbox.

Meanwhile, Gunjan Arya, chief executive officer at Only Much Louder, an artist and event management company and content production house, pointed out that content creator Dolly Singh launched her candles in collaboration with Rad Living, making for a tangible product associated with her personal brand.

To be sure, several industry experts point out that a lot of online creators today have access to consumer data that helps them use the right content to create the right brand noise or voice, depending on the desired impact. “Livestreaming their behind-the-scenes (BTS) activities and conducting Q&A sessions on different aspects of their lives, not just limited to their professional endeavours, has become a significant trend. Vlogging takes this concept to a whole new level, where creators document their content creation process from inception to completion. Creators organize fan meet-ups, virtual hangouts, and conventions to bring their audience together. A significant aspect of staying relevant lies in how creators manage fan engagement. They respond to comments, conduct contests and giveaways, showcase fan artwork and user-generated content, and incorporate fan suggestions into their content,” said Manish Solanki, chief operating officer and co-founder of social media marketing agency TheSmallBigIdea.

Further, there is merchandise that provides creators with a common avenue to monetize their online presence and engage their fanbase. “They can create and sell various items, such as clothing, accessories, artwork, or personalized products that align with their brand or content,” said Aahana Mehta, director of talent partnerships at Pollen (Zoo Media), an influencer marketing agency.

Besides, illustration, art, and animation offer creators the opportunity to collaborate with various brands and design their own merchandise, create content for brands, illustrate books, design packaging, logos, and apparel, and even explore the world of NFTs, said content creator Christina Furtado.

“In recent times, there has been a significant focus on regional apps and vernacular languages in the content creation space. Content creators have also recognized the importance of expanding their avenues to reach wider audiences,” said Rajni Daswani, director of digital marketing, SoCheers. For example, Komal Pandey, an Instagram influencer in the beauty and fashion domain, has made a conscious decision to create videos in Hindi. Similarly, Ashish Chanchlani has expanded to include regional languages like Marathi and Gujarati, Daswani pointed out.

Updated: 04 Jun 2023, 10:11 PM IST