By Arvind B Nair
Do you find yourself scrolling through your Instagram feed while simultaneously messaging a friend on WhatsApp and checking your email? If so, you are ‘Multi-apping’. Simply put, it’s a user behaviour where individuals use multiple applications or platforms simultaneously to accomplish different tasks in a finite time frame.
So what does this mean for brands trying to make an impact in the crowded online space? It means that winning on the social internet requires a long-term commitment to building your brand, rather than just relying on short-term tactics.
Sure, one might be able to grab someone’s attention with a viral reel or a clever topical post promoting a Zomato billboard, but will that be enough to keep them engaged and loyal over the long haul? Probably not. To build a sustainable brand, one needs to focus on creating value for engagement beyond just commerce, investing in authentic relationships, and staying true to their core audience. Social is the new mainstream and needs its own space; to help it grow organically in the long term. Topicality and recency are ideas that will always exist given the nature of the platform, but that’s not all that it offers. It’s also about building IPs and communities that help you create a larger brand ecosystem.
But here’s the thing: as social media channels continue to evolve and mainstream channels lose their sheen, brands will need to diversify their online presence and build their brand across both social and mainstream media channels. That means developing a strong branded ecosystem consisting of each experience touch point on the website, creating engaging email campaigns, and even partnering with traditional media channels to reach a wider audience.
Just see how successful Netflix has been in building a strong brand across multiple channels. They not only create compelling content that keeps people coming back for more, but they also partner with mainstream media outlets like The New York Times to generate buzz and reach new audiences.
Building a strong brand is a marathon, not a sprint. It takes time, effort, and consistency to make a lasting impact. So resist the temptation to rely on short-term tactics and instead focus on the long game. Winning the social internet needs a long-term commitment, an always-on awareness program, and a strategic approach to creating content cohorts.
The author is the vice-president at Mirum India