Mastering Brand Content in 2025: Strategies for Success

The State of Brand Content in 2025

As we look ahead to 2025, the landscape of brand content is evolving rapidly. Content creation is becoming easier for those willing to put in the work and implement strategies that resonate on social media platforms. This applies to both established brands and individual personalities. Let's explore the key elements that will define successful brand content in the coming year.

Concepts and Personality

One of the most striking trends in brand content is the emphasis on unique concepts and strong personalities. Brands that are breaking out on social media have something specific about their content that sets them apart. It's no longer sufficient to simply showcase products or services; brands need to develop interesting and specific themes that make their content stand out.

Many successful brands are adopting a creator-led approach. This doesn't necessarily mean they are founded by creators, but rather that they feature personalities on camera who define the brand's presence. Often, these personalities are unexpected choices that bring a fresh perspective to the brand's image.

Example: BK Coffee Shop

BK Coffee Shop provides an excellent example of concept-driven content. They have created a recurring series featuring one of the partners and guest creators, presenting an avant-garde, Black Mirror-esque version of a coffee shop experience. The content is filmed like a mini-series, with title overlays and ridiculous concepts that push the boundaries of typical coffee shop interactions.

What's noteworthy about this approach is that while it may seem expensive at first glance, it can be executed with relatively simple production techniques. Using consistent camera angles, guest appearances, and a straightforward editing style, BK Coffee Shop has created a distinctive content format that stands out in the crowded social media landscape.

Example: Gaun

Gaun, a fashion brand, has developed several recurring content concepts that showcase their products in unique ways. One series, "Postcards from different places," features short vignettes of people in various locations, garnering significant views and engagement. Another concept, "Checking in for the holidays," presents scenarios filmed in hotel-like settings.

What's particularly smart about Gaun's approach is the balance they strike between conceptual, brand-building content and straightforward product showcases. They alternate between their more creative, viral-oriented posts and simple carousels that display their products clearly and effectively.

Example: Santa Cruz Medicinals

For brands concerned about production costs, Santa Cruz Medicinals demonstrates that high-quality content doesn't always require a big budget. The founder has become the face of the brand, treating every moment as part of an ongoing narrative about his life. Using simple, iPhone-shot videos, he creates content around challenges, competitions with other creator houses, and daily life experiences.

This approach turns the brand's social media presence into something more akin to a reality show, with the founder at the center. It's a relentless stream of content that breaks out of traditional marketing norms and engages audiences on a more personal level.

Example: Duts

Duts, a brand outside the fashion space, showcases the growing trend of humor in brand content. They produce a constant stream of skits featuring two main creators, with occasional appearances by the founder. These funny videos, which always feature the brand's products, get substantial views and engagement.

The key to Duts' success is their focus on creativity over production value. While they've increased production quality as they've grown, the core of their content remains two people engaging in humorous scenarios, often centered around the brand's products.

Scaled Accounts and Multiple Platforms

Another significant trend for 2025 is the use of multiple accounts to represent a single brand. This might include separate accounts for the brand itself, the founder, key employees, behind-the-scenes content, or regional variations. While it's important to master content creation on one account before expanding, this multi-account strategy can be powerful once you've found your footing.

The key to remember is that a brand's voice on social media is no longer solely represented by the company itself. It's a combination of the company, its customers, and team members. This overlap creates opportunities for rich, diverse content that tells a more comprehensive brand story.

The Power of Briefs

Behind many successful brand content strategies is a strong briefing process. Creating repeatable outlines and formats that work, and being able to share these effectively with others, is crucial for scaling content production. The ability to create and execute effective creative briefs is becoming an increasingly valuable skill in the content creation landscape.

Speed and Agility

In the fast-paced world of social media, speed is of the essence. Brands that can quickly ideate, produce, and publish content have a significant advantage. This doesn't mean sacrificing quality, but rather developing efficient processes that allow for rapid content creation and iteration.

Content Strategies for Individual Professionals

For individuals looking to build their personal brand or showcase their professional skills, social media has become the new portfolio. Here are some effective content formats to consider:

Creative Carousels

Carousels are an excellent way to tell a story or showcase your work without necessarily putting your face on camera. These can range from simple text-based slides to more elaborate designs, depending on your skills and the story you want to tell.

Example: Personal Story Carousel

One effective approach is to use carousels to share personal experiences or insights. Even without high-end design skills, you can create engaging content by focusing on the story you're telling. Use multiple slides with text overlays to break down your narrative into digestible chunks.

Example: Conceptual Brand Carousel

For those with design skills, creating conceptual carousels can be a great way to showcase your creativity. This might involve presenting photos artfully or using clever visual metaphors to convey ideas.

Example: Life Documentation Carousel

Another approach is to use carousels to document your life or work in an artful way. This could involve sharing your daily routines, learnings, or projects, using a mix of photos and text arranged in visually interesting patterns.

Curation

Curation has evolved beyond simply sharing news or information. Successful curators now add their own insights and perspectives to the content they share.

Example: Themed Curation

Create carousels or videos that curate examples around a specific theme, adding your own commentary on why each example is noteworthy or interesting.

Idea Showcases

Presenting hypothetical ideas or solutions is a powerful way to demonstrate your expertise and creativity.

Example: "If I Was Creative Directing X"

Create content that showcases how you would approach a particular brand or project if you were in charge. This format allows you to display your skills and thinking process, even if you're not actually working with the brand in question.

Example: Predictions and Concepts

Share your predictions for industry trends or concepts for products or services you think should exist. This type of content can spark engagement and showcase your forward-thinking approach.

Creating Art

For those in creative fields, showcasing your work in unique and artful ways can help you stand out.

Example: Product Photography

If you're a photographer, consider creating a series of posts that showcase your work in a visually striking way, perhaps using a consistent style or theme across multiple posts.

Example: Design Concepts

For designers, sharing your process or creating hypothetical designs can be an effective way to demonstrate your skills and creativity.

Understanding and Leveraging Algorithms

To succeed in content creation in 2025, it's crucial to understand how different platform algorithms work and how to tailor your content accordingly.

Instagram Algorithm

Instagram's algorithm is increasingly favoring high-quality, visually appealing content. Key points to consider:

• Focus on high production value, especially for video content
• Aim for a 50/50 mix of carousels and reels
• Understand that Instagram categorizes content into broad "buckets" (e.g., marketing, fitness, fashion)
• Success in one category can lead to broader exposure within that niche

TikTok Algorithm

TikTok's algorithm is more granular and specific compared to Instagram:

• Favors iPhone-quality content over highly produced videos
• Excels at identifying very specific niches and interests
• Allows for success with niche content, even if overall view counts are lower
• Requires good captions and descriptions to help the algorithm categorize your content correctly

YouTube Algorithm

YouTube, particularly for Shorts, has a broader, more mainstream approach:

• Shorts are shown to a wide audience, requiring mass appeal for success
• Niche content and personality-driven content can be challenging to grow
• Success often requires content that appeals to a broad demographic

LinkedIn Algorithm

LinkedIn is currently boosting video content:

• High impression counts, but not necessarily high view counts
• Video content is being pushed more than ever
• Works best as part of a balanced content strategy
• Rewards company-wide engagement, making it beneficial to approach LinkedIn as a team

The Secret to Content Success: Developing a Format

The most crucial element in creating successful content is developing a consistent, recognizable format. This involves several key components:

1. Consistent Action or Theme: Successful creators often build their content around a specific, repeatable action or theme. For example, cooking from scratch in every video, or providing advice while performing a particular task.

2. Visual Consistency: Maintain a consistent visual setup. This might include using the same filming location, camera angles, or visual style across your content.

3. Branding Consistency: Use consistent titles, text styles, and overall packaging for your content. This helps viewers instantly recognize your content as they scroll through their feeds.

4. Value or Entertainment: Ensure that each piece of content provides clear value or entertainment to your audience, building on your established format.

By developing and sticking to a format, you make your content instantly recognizable and increase the likelihood that viewers will stop to engage with it.

Conclusion

As we move into 2025, the world of brand content continues to evolve rapidly. Success in this landscape requires a combination of creativity, consistency, and strategic thinking. Whether you're representing a brand or building your personal professional presence, focusing on unique concepts, leveraging multiple platforms, understanding algorithms, and developing a consistent format will be key to standing out in the crowded digital space.

Remember, while high-quality production can be beneficial, especially on platforms like Instagram, the core of successful content lies in its creativity, relevance, and ability to connect with your audience. By staying adaptable, continuously learning, and focusing on creating value for your viewers, you can build a strong and engaging presence in the ever-changing world of social media content.

Article created from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XT2GeYkKdMg