Over a year spent weaving in and out of lockdowns and two bouts of quarantine later — it’s safe to say that media, in all its incarnations, has become inseparable from real life, whatever that means.
We’re living, working, socialising and relaxing through screens, observing a full life through blue light tinted glasses. Truth be told, things have been this way for far longer than we’d care to admit, but 2020 was a wake up call causing me to reevaluate the role that media plays in my life.
- Most social media platforms are boring.
Much like how listening to people you’re not really interested in is boring. Or how flipping through trashy magazines trying to sell you things you don’t need is boring. Or like how mindlessly re-watching an episode of a show you used to love as background noise is boring. But you do it anyway.
The algorithms have already reeled us in with their instant gratification and more-of-the-sameness, so it’s not their main priority anymore. But just because something becomes boring, it doesn’t mean that we stop doing it.
Whether you log in to social media apps to catch up on your friends and family’s updates, or follow the latest developments in your areas of interest, I’m sure that many social media users can name hundreds of things that are more fun than social media. Nonetheless, the role that established apps like Instagram play in marketing and advertising has truly been highlighted over the past year, although newer platforms like TikTok and Clubhouse seem to have been set up with a different purpose. The way that social media has become an extension of our daily lives during the pandemic is exactly what makes it ideal for advertising — but originality is key to making this work. I don’t know if it’s just me, but logging in to a newsfeed saturated with adverts that all look the same triggers an almost instant log-out.
2. Podcasts are the new vlogs.
Technically speaking, podcasts have been around for way longer than vlogs. But it was only when the pandemic hit and I found myself with quite a lot of free time on my hands that I truly discovered how great podcasts can be. I had previously only listened to one podcast series from start to finish, with the occasional dabble into news and current affairs episodes before 2020. But within the space of a few months, I devoured podcasts that had been running for eight seasons already, listening to every episode religiously as I went about my day. There are many great things to say about podcasts, but I’ll summarise it into three main points:
- Podcasting is an accessible medium requiring less equipment than video making does, meaning that more diverse voices and opinions can reach us if we want them to.
- You can tap into any niche — whatever topic you want to discuss, there’s going to be someone willing to listen.
- The strong sense of networking among podcasters makes it easy to find excellent recommendations based on what you already know and love.
Having said that, I did also find that my love for YouTube had been rekindled throughout the pandemic. Vlogs have the added advantage — or disadvantage, depending on which way you look at it — of being able to watch people you like talk about things you like. But from a marketing perspective, vloggers have passed their sell-by date which is why many of them replicate their sponsored video content for Instagram.
Podcasts feel more genuine than other forms of media, perhaps because the visual aspect is completely removed from the equation. My favourite podcasters could technically sell me anything if they wanted to — including Elizabeth Day’s ad for smoked humous!
3. Personal newsletters are what’s missing from your inbox.
A clear inbox used to be what I aspired to achieve as Friday rolled around. Now, I look forward to a handful of personal newsletters that feel like you’re receiving a hand-written letter, full of advice and stories that truly resonate with you.
I’m not sure when or how I fell in love with newsletters. All I know is that there are a few that I always save to read on a Sunday morning, while sipping my tea, which are brimming with insightful interviews, book recommendations, podcast recommendations, writing prompts and recipes.
This made me rethink the way email marketing is used by many companies. Just like letters, e-mails are an opportunity to show a more vulnerable and human side of a business— a one-on-one message written with a specific type of reader in mind. Mass emails should be replaced with micro-targeted emails, as much as possible, to offer a refreshing take to the over-produced content we’re so used to reading on social media!
Has 2020 changed your relationship with media in any way?
A few recommendations:
How to Fail with Elizabeth Day — I was a complete failurephobe before listening to Elizabeth Day’s podcast. But the themes discussed in each episode are basically a handbook for anyone in their 20s who aspires to do something good.
On Being with Krista Tippett — specifically this unedited episode with Mary Oliver — is the perfect companion for a long walk.
Table Manners with Jessie Ware — funny and poignant, Jessie Ware and her mum invite guests from all walks of life to dinner at their house as they talk about everything from careers to cake.
The Isolation Journals newsletter set up by Suleika Jaouad during the pandemic to share journaling prompts to get you thinking.
And for some recipes and a laugh, read Since No One Asked.
