Content creation is the act of creating content that is relative to the career or job that you currently perform. It could be done in many different ways for instance, making a Youtube Channel, blogging or creating content in many other ways. No matter how you decide to create content, here are 3 reasons why creating content is very important.

What Is Content Creation

Content creation remains one of the most natural and beneficial ways to develop and accuire new skills in an increasingly distressed economy. You learn some great skills that are extremely beneficial in the act of content creation for instance <ol><li>Writing/Copywriting </li></ol><ul><li> Writing makes you a better thinker The quality of words defines the quality of thoguht. </li></ul>2. Video content creation: Creatign video content literally pushed you to become a better, more confident, more assertive version of yourself. Which is highly respected by many people

Content Creation Is A Self Development Took 

One great thing about Content Creation is that people know you before they meet you By creating content you show your expertise in your industry. You show people that you know your stuff and you are passionate about what you do.Your network will serve as a safety net just in case something unpredictable happens

Content Creation Is A Networking Tool

By creating digital content you are acumiling career capital which is rare and valuable skills that can be cashed in to secure your dream job on your own terms

A personal brand could be leveraged from multiple different angles <ol><li> It can be used to sell your services and products </li><li>it can help you to enforce the brand of the company you are working for </li><li>it opens doors to affiliate marketing </li></ol>

Creating Content Could Turn Into An Income Stream 

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The article was originally posted on Medium. *** It’s April 2020, and everyone seems to be living online.

3 reasons why you should be a content creator.

Branding is a potential marketing rathole for startups, particularly early-stage ones. Startups who prioritise branding are putting the cart before the horse. Focus should be on product and business first - the real work to prove product-market-fit.Branding comes after PMF. "You don’t need a brand before you have PMF."Even when branding makes sense, a startup usually focuses on the wrong elements, eg: the logo instead of the targeting. Targeting matters, the value prop matters, positioning matters. The visual identity and brand values not so much.

The Branding Mirage for Startups

Do want to build a brand? Go sell some software. Want to improve your brand perception? Go sell some software. Want to have a distinctive brand visual territory? Go sell some software.

Branding may seem a hairy topic but it can be broken down into: <ul><li>Brand targeting: Who Do We Sell To?</li><li>Brand promise: Why Do They Buy From Our Company?</li><li>Brand positioning: Why Do They Buy Our Product?</li><li>Brand identity: Do We Look Like Us?</li><li>Brand values: What Do We Stand For?</li><li>Brand voice: Do We Sound Like Us?</li></ul>

6 elements of Branding

This is brandspeak for figuring out who you’re selling to.  Think STP (segment, target, position).<ul><li>Figure out a mechanism to segment the market — e.g., by company size, by vertical industry, by adjacent systems</li><li>Target one or more of those segments. For startups, fewer is better.</li><li>Position your product to those target segments.</li></ul>

Brand Targeting for Startups

The high-level expression of why someone should buy from your company, often more simply known as the value proposition. For tech startups they tend to fall into a few patterns:<ul><li>We are you (e.g., Mosaic, we built it for ourselves at Palantir).</li><li>We fixed it. We took the last-generation leader and made it better (e.g., Cube to Adaptive, Pigment to Anaplan)</li><li>We rebuilt it.  We run on the modern stack with modern technology (e.g., OnPlan to Vena)</li><li>We verticalized it (e.g., Plannuh for marketing, Place for SaaS)</li></ul>

Brand promises for Startups

Positioning comes down to answering one of two questions:<ol><li>Why buy one? (Benefit oriented)</li><li>Why buy yours? (Differentiation oriented)</li></ol>Startups who are alone in defining their category need to focus on the first question. Those in crowded categories (either a new market with several nascent entrants or a more developed category with the usual suspects), the emphasis needs to be on why buy mine.

Brand Positioning for Startups

Focusing on the logo and brand values before having a business is like putting the cart before the horse.

Products & Innovation 

Dave Kellog on Startup Branding

Price is the most delicate element of the marketing mix, and much thought goes into setting prices to nudge us towards spending more.There’s one particularly cunning style of pricing strategy that marketers use to urge you to change your choice from one choice to a costlier or more profitable one.It is called the “Decoy Effect.”

The decoy effect: how you are influenced to choose without really knowing it

Imagine you are in a movie house and now are searching for a cola drink. You have got two options. The cheapest is at Rs 200/-for 200 ml.The pricier at Rs 400 for 450 ml.Which one you select will rely upon some assessment of their relative value for money.It is not immediately apparent, though, that the costlier option is the best value. It does have over twice the amount, but what are they worth?Now consider the above choice in light of the 3rd option of Rs 300 for 300 ml.

Relative value for money.

The decoy effect is defined as the phenomenon whereby consumers change their preferences between two options when presented with a third option — the “decoy.”

Decoy Effect

When consumers have many alternatives, they often experience “choice overload.” In an endeavour to cut back on this anxiety, consumers tend to simplify the method by selecting only a pair of criteria (say price and quantity) to see the simplest value for money.Through manipulating these key choice attributes, the decoy steers you in a very particular direction while supplying you with the sensation that you are making a rational, informed choice.

How do decoys work?

The decoy effect can cause us to spend and consume more than we’d like. When a decoy option is present, we tend to make decisions based less on which option will suit our purposes and more on what seems like the most advantageous choice.

Individual effects

Decoys are a commonly used tool by businesses and corporations to “nudge” us into buying more quickly than we’d like.

Systemic effects

ven though we believe that we make all of our decisions consciously and deliberately, in reality, we are often unaware of things that have influenced our choices or how they need to affect us.Decoys justify our choice.When people make decisions, their goal isn’t to select the right option. Instead, the goal is to justify the result of a choice they’ve already made.Decoys serve to de-stress the decision-making process in additional ways than simply providing a nice-sounding explanation — they also settle the anxiety of having too many options to decide on.

Decoys work subconsciously.

The decoy effect is simplest when there are only three options in play: target, competitor, and decoy. Whether you’re out shopping, or you’re evaluating political candidates, try and notice when things take place in groups of three — there could also be a decoy within the mix.

Beware of sets of three.

Your thinking style plays a role in how likely you’re to be laid low by the decoy effect. One study, which involved over 600 participants, found that the people most affected by a decoy were those who relied on intuitive reasoning.

Don’t trust your gut.

Apple unveiled its new iPod priced16GB for $229. 32GB for $299. and 64GB for $399.In other words, double the storage for a further $70; you also get more features.However, if you choose to double the capacity (32GB to 64GB), you pay a further $100, but you don’t get extra features. Therefore, you may conclude that the 32GB version offers the most effective value for money.So, only some would buy the 16GB version and even fewer would choose the 64GB version.But, the very fact is, the 16GB and the 64GB versions are the decoys to make the 32GB version more appealing and also the best choice.

How Apple uses the decoy effect

Talks about the one of the most Important Marketing Weapon of the industry.

There’s one particularly cunning style of pricing strategy that marketers use to urge you to change your choice from one choice to a costlier or more profitable one. Imagine you are in a movie house…

A business needs to build a personal brand. It is misunderstood that brand design means a logo. Everybody has a logo. There are 10 zillion logos in the world. So if you design a great logo, that's not a brand. There are a few brand touch points like your website and email or print, broadcast e-commerce, social media, video, and digital marketing that show off your brand.

Brand Touchpoints to make you a Brand

If you want to make sure that your brand shows up in a consistent way across all of these points, then I have these nine elements of a brand design ecosystem.

First of all, we need to have a logo. It should probably have very few clours. Do not have more than three colours.

Logo

A font is a brand identity like a logo. Have a font or two. Fonts also have a personality, like Serif Fonts, Son Serif Fonts, or handwritten fonts. Fonts say a lot about your brand, so choose ones that are consistent.

Fonts

Colour has incredible psychological power. Colours mean things. The colour palette should have 3–4 or 5 colours so that you can talk about the strategy of what you do and what it is that you offer. Colours speak to consumers. Select colour not based on what is your favourite but on what consumers like and to which they respond.

Colour Palette

Companies like Louis Vitton follow a pattern on all their bags. Meanwhile, Apple has a brushed metal finish on its products.

Pattern and Texture

There are millions of styles of photography and you need to choose the one that suits your brand which needs to be maintained consistently.

Photography & Animation

Like photography, there are millions of illustrations. Select the right one that syncs with your logo and colour palette consistently to establish a visual vocabulary for your brand that is recognisable.

Illustration & Iconography

Many companies fail to identify sound as part of the brand. "Intel is one such company that has made its signature sound," Bum, Bum, Bum, that when one hears it immediately recalls the brand, "Intel Inside."

Sound

A particular layout or style needs to be maintained consistently across all your brand touchpoints.

 Layout

The Tone of Voice: What does your brand sound like, formal, joky, informal, serious, funny, etc. The copy of your website or tweet or your writing.

The Tone of Voice

There are many products in your industry. Do you want to remain one or you want to be the BRAND?

Vikas Nagori | There are many products out in your industrey, only few make it becoming a Brand. Join the journey of becoming a Brand

Buidling your Branding | LinkedIn

Social media is now part of everyday life with over 4.4 billion expected users by 2025. As such, it’s a no-brainer that brands use it to communicate with their customers.However, just as it’s crucial to practice proper etiquette when conversing in-person, you also need to do the same online.Poor social media etiquette can lead to terrible consequences for an erring company. For example, in 2018, Snapchat lost an estimated $800 million after making a post that seemed to trivialize domestic violence.

Social Media Etiquette

Here are some benefits of practising proper social media etiquette:<ul><li>It makes your brand empathetic.</li><li>It helps you recover from fails.</li><li>It makes your social media campaigns more productive.</li><li>It helps you focus on what’s important.</li><li>It keeps you on the good side of the law.</li><li>It keeps you top-of-mind.</li></ul>

The Benefits of Social Media Etiquette

Your core values should resonate in your content. So if one core value is respect, you’d want to keep sassy comments out of your social media.On the other hand, if your brand is big on humor, then snarky comments would be on-brand.

Do's Of Social Media Etiquette: Stick to your Core Values

79% of customers expect a response in the first 24 hours of reaching out to your brand on social media.So, DO respond as soon as possible. Responding quickly to positive feedback reinforces a customer’s liking of your brand.Slow response, especially to complaints, makes customers feel like they’re left on read—and we all know how that feels.Nike Support (@NikeSupport) replies to customers every few minutes, which is probably one reason why people love them on social media.

Respond Quickly

If people come to your page and see an incomplete profile, it gives the wrong impression and they’ll feel you’re not serious enough about engaging with them.So, complete your profile and include useful information, for example, contact information when appropriate.Glossier’s Instagram profile, for example, contains information you need to know about it and includes its website where you can get more information.

Complete Your Social Page Profile

Hashtags can boost engagement, but too many hashtags on a post can make you look unprofessional and annoying.Displaying good social media etiquette will require you to use only hashtags that are relevant to the post.Coca-Cola’s branded #ShareACoke hashtag is an excellent example of a brand that used hashtags well.

Use Hashtags Correctly

While your audience and industry should be factored in, a good rule of thumb is to post at least once a week.If you don’t, there’s the risk of losing out on opportunities for driving brand awareness.

Post Regularly

Humor is subjective, and what’s funny to you might be insensitive or downright offensive to others.If you’re not sure about how a joke would be taken, then it’s better to keep it locked away.Aside from Wendy’s, another brand that’s hacked funny social media replies and posts is Innocent Drinks.

Don'ts Of Social Media Etiquette: Don't Overdo Humor

Don’t be desperate to get followers. It can be off-putting to see a business ask for followers every chance it gets.By posting valuable and authentic content, you’ll be able to grow your follower count and get high-quality interactions that will attract even more people.Fenty’s social media posts include testimonials from women of different nationalities and ethnicities, which is one reason for its rapid growth.

Don't Be Desperate

Followers will quickly get tired if they see too much on social media from your brand.Balance is key. If ever you’ll post more often than before, tell your audience beforehand and explain why. Then they’ll be less likely to unfollow you during your spree.

Don’t Over-Promote the Business

Tempted to use a bot to respond to your customers? Then you’re on your way to losing them.Users are smart, and they can sense when a response is automated. If you can’t be online 24/7, share the hours when customers can reach you on the platform. Twitch Support’s bio contains its scope of assistance and open hours.

Don’t Use a Bot for Replies

DO YOU WRITE IN ALL CAPS? Then you are likely stressing out your audience. Why? BECAUSE IT FEELS LIKE YOU’RE SHOUTING AT THEM!Even Twitter’s official business website for brandsadvises against tweeting in all caps.So, stop with all caps. They aren’t funny and come off as rude and aggressive. Use all caps only when something is truly important (or exciting), and you definitely HAVE to call your audience's attention to it.

Don’t Write in All Caps

Social media can be a minefield, and only good social media policies can guide brands and employees around it.  Respecting othersAlthough employees have the right to say what is on their minds and can post content on their personal time, it’s important to encourage them to be polite and calm on social media.Thinking before replying or posting online can de-escalate a potentially bad situation.

Social Media Etiquette for Employees: Respect Others

Social media isn’t the place to discuss sensitive company matters or disclose internal information.As an employee, you might not realize that you’re discussing sensitive or internal matters, so the best thing is to take no chances. If it’s not your place to do so or you’re unsure, then move on without discussing such matters online.

Respect Privacy and Confidentiality

There’s a rush that comes from being the first to ‘break the news.’ However, doing so might come at the cost of losing your job.So before you post or comment, ensure you’re entitled to share the information. Even if it doesn’t get you dismissed, some information you share might hurt others and ruin relationships.

Don’t Always Want to Be First

Your employer is paying you for your time, so act accordingly. Don't abuse their trust even if your employer allows you to use social media while at work.If you’re the social media manager, stick to the professional accounts. Using that time to attend to trivial, personal stuff is unfair. It’s also risky because you could end up mixing up accounts and posting something you shouldn’t with your professional account.

Don’t Use Social Media on Your Employer’s Time

Be mindful that you represent your employer. Thus, post information like you’re posting on their behalf.Use good judgment when posting online. For example, if someone posts negative information about the organization, don’t fly into a confrontation. Instead, tell someone in charge who can handle the matter or give you instructions on how to handle it.

Be a Good Company Ambassador

These Dos and Don’ts of social media etiquette might seem challenging to follow. However, following them can save you and your company a lot of stress.Several brands have experienced the power of cancel culture firsthand, and you can avoid their experiences by practicing good social media etiquette.When you care about your audience and put yourself in their shoes, you can have a good culture of social media etiquette that will benefit your brand.

The Bottom Line

Don't get cancelled! Protect your brand online with this guide to social media etiquette and manners. 

3 reasons why you should be a content creator.

Dave Kellog on Startup Branding

The decoy effect: how you are influenced to choose without really knowing it

Buidling your Branding | LinkedIn

Sense and Sociability - The Corporate Guide to Social Media Etiquette

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