Ranveer Allahbadia reckons that brands have now started understanding the influential power of creators and the properties they make online to sell their content and have started investing in them
Social media influencers and successful podcasters play a vital role in connecting with their audience by creating engaging content, fostering trust, facilitating interactions, introducing trends, and acting as brand ambassadors or thought leaders. Their influence and ability to engage with their audience make them valuable connectors between brands, ideas, and communities.
ET Edge Insights spoke with Ranveer Allahbadia, a podcaster, digital content creator, entrepreneur, and investor, whose YouTube channel ‘BeerBiceps’ has over 5 million subscribers. Allahbadia discussed the influencer culture in India, the challenges content creators confront, and the use of AI-powered tools in the creative domain, among other topics, in an exclusive interview.
Excerpts from the interview
There’s a massive boom in influencer culture in India. How do you see the industry developing in the years to come?
The creator culture is here to stay as now is the time when people have started considering it as a true profession. Brands have now started understanding the influential power of creators and the properties they make online to sell their content and have started investing in them. It is just the start of an era which took years for creators like us to bring light to, but we are extremely happy that our efforts paid off and now the creators have started becoming a brand in themselves. It will stand still in time.
With the constantly evolving landscape of social media, what do you believe are the key trends or changes that influencers should be aware of to stay relevant and continue to grow their platforms?
The key trends that will always stay relevant in the influencer culture are consistency, authenticity, and content. If a person follows these factors, the chances of their growth on any social media platform increase despite the constantly changing landscape of social media.
How do you, as a sought-after content creator and influencer, engage your audience and maintain a strong connection with them?
The only way I believe I can maintain a strong connection with my audience is by being myself. My Instagram stories and captions are all about my life, my thoughts and what I preach. However, through my podcast, I connect with my audience by giving them the success stories of people from various walks of life. I ensure that my guests have an interesting anecdote to share with my audience which can add some value to their lives. Authenticity and anecdotes are how I stay relevant and connect with my audience.
What challenges do you anticipate content creators will confront as AI-powered tools enter the creative domain? Do you see a viable solution?
AI is a powerful tool. However, to run an AI-backed system it needs a human mind only. It will surely change the dynamics in the creative space as it has started capturing various phases of production be it editing, writing or even AI-based creators have started setting a mark in the industry. But I feel, it will also open new avenues for creators as it will be easy for them to make different AI avatars for themselves and run many businesses with minimal effort.
What have been some of the most difficult challenges you have had to overcome as a content creator, and how did you do it?
When we started as content creators, our job was not taken seriously, and people weren’t aware of how it all works. It was the biggest challenge to make people respect and accept it as a profession. It took us a long time but seeing the creators going places and attending international events certainly makes us feel proud of how we have dealt with the biggest challenge through our consistent efforts.
Now when ASCI issues new guidelines for creators, they come with challenges as everyone must rework the kind of content they make (if that’s not already in the lines with what’s credible and authentic) but our work being recognised by a government body is a big win in itself.
What is Ranveer Allahbadia’s advice to young content creators who aspire to become big?
The advice would be to believe in yourself and trust your content. It is a never-ending road with lots to learn and many fruits to reap but it will surely be a journey worth living.
