Amidst the rapid evolution of digital trends and AI influences, marketers face the crucial challenge of creating content that genuinely resonates with their audience.

In an insightful conversation, Piyush Saggi (CEO and Co-founder of Parmonic) and Ren Taylor (Director of Product Marketing at Heretto) explored creative ways to create authentic content, avoid bandwagon trends, and focus on repurposing content to build genuine connections with your audience. This article is based on their video session.

The need for authenticity in marketing

Audiences crave authenticity. As Ren Taylor puts it, "At the core of everything, people want something that's real." Modern consumers can see right through overt marketing tactics, and synthetic attempts to jump on the latest trends can often backfire.

Whether in B2B or B2C, maintaining authenticity helps build lasting relationships with your audience.

Avoiding the trend trap

Many brands fall into the trap of trying to jump on every latest trend. Ren explains, "Yes, trends are fun. But they feel very forced if they don’t make sense with who you are at your core."

On the other hand, many brands are simply unable to keep up with the latest trends because red tape slows down the approval process. 

"There’s either too much being done and it feels forced, or they’re not doing enough because they’re tied up in approval processes."

Rather than forcing trends, brands should stay true to their unique voice while remaining open to experimentation. As Ren highlights, "A lot of people find success when they're able to try new things without the fear of missing the mark.”

The rise of short-form content

"I don't read long-form content anymore. When I engage with a brand, I want quick information. I need to understand what they're trying to tell me within a short amount of time."

Long gone are the days when long-form content reigned supreme. Today’s consumers prefer bite-sized, easily digestible content that fits into their busy lives.

Short-form content, especially video, has become the preferred medium:

• Short-form videos: Platforms like TikTok and Instagram have set the standard for quickly delivering engaging content.
• Interactive content: Quizzes, polls, and infographics instantly capture attention and provide value.
• Visual summaries: Infographic-based summaries of longer content pieces make information easy to grasp.

In fact, research conducted by the Parmonic team found that most people prefer short-form videos with a bit of text, suggesting that this format may be the future for many brands. 

"Video goes far in educating and getting people up to speed quickly."

Creating and repurposing authentic content: A multimodal approach

To create authentic content, Ren and her team:

• Host webinars: Engage with industry experts and customers in real-time conversations.
• Leverage customer stories: Share case studies and testimonials that highlight real-world experiences.
• Use internal expertise: Tap into the knowledge and experiences of their team members.

Then, they take this long-form content and maximize its impact by repurposing it into short-form content for emails, LinkedIn, and social media.

This strategy not only maximizes content utilization but also ensures that each piece is helpful and authentic. Ren highlights the value of this approach: 

"Because it's a one-on-one conversation, there’s a lot of authentic dialogue that we can take and distribute in ways that make sense."

Making content multimodal

Ren’s approach to repurposing content doesn't stop at video clips. She explains:

“We run our webinars through Parmonic and generate short video clips that we can share across channels. Additionally, we convert video transcripts into blog posts, make the entire webinar recording available on demand, and create landing pages with additional resources like case studies." 

This multimodal approach ensures that audiences can engage with content on their own terms—be it through video, blog posts, or full-length webinars.

Zero-click content: Reducing barriers to long-term engagement

One of the key ideas discussed in this conversation was the concept of "zero-click content". It is a philosophy that focuses on providing value upfront without requiring the audience to navigate through multiple steps such as forms or gates.

"Most content shouldn't be gated. The fewer clicks you have to make to get to what you want, the more successful that interaction is going to be."

This approach builds trust with the audience by giving them valuable insights without asking for anything in return. In fact, tests have shown that providing free content initially can lead to more engagement over time, highlighting the effectiveness of this method.

Ultimately, effective content marketing hinges on delivering content on your audience's terms. By prioritizing authenticity, leveraging short-form videos, and repurposing content across channels, marketers can build meaningful connections with their audiences.

Watch the complete session for more insights.