By Naveed Rozais
The Sri Lanka Institute of Marketing (SLIM) hosted a live conversation with phenomenal content creators Gehan Blok and Dino Corera on Sunday (31 May), discussing the journey of “Blok & Dino” and what it takes to produce engaging, high-quality content in the Sri Lankan market.
Blok and Corera have become household names through their YouTube platform Blok & Dino as well as their experience in theatre and media. As highly sought-after content creators working with a diverse range of brands, Gehan and Dino discussed the challenges of digital marketing and content creation.
Creating content post Covid-19
The Covid-19 pandemic has shown the importance of digital content, with an increase in demand for all forms of digital content from YouTube to streaming services. This also gives good content a chance to shine, despite shifts in how people will be creating content in the interim.
In the case of professional digital content creators like Gehan and Dino, who work with large companies and large production crews, the pandemic is going to mean a shift in the way they do things. Crews, for example, will be cut down drastically in number for the time being. The latest Blok & Dino video (which comes out next week) was made with a production crew of only five people including Gehan and Dino as opposed to crews of 16 people or more.
Sri Lanka’s content creation landscape
When asked about the biggest challenges they face as content creators, Gehan and Dino explained that the majority of their content is brand endorsement content, adding that while this gives them an edge in the quality of their production, it can sometimes be a challenge in keeping true to their own brand identity while also meeting the objectives of their partners.
Another challenge facing the content creation market in Sri Lanka is the lack of quality digital content, although they are very hopeful that local content will improve in the future given that making content is becoming easier with more accessible and affordable technology. The Sri Lankan audience is also becoming more discerning; as passionate film enthusiasts, the duo hopes that this will mean good things for local cinema as well.
The beauty of content creation is that good content will never stay hidden. Regardless of boosting and promoting posts, truly good content will always make an impact and go viral, and even though it may take some time to happen organically, a good content creator’s work will always speak for itself.
What aspiring content creators can do
Both Gehan and Dino urged aspiring content creators to work to their strengths – to try everything, but also to be aware of limitations and work with someone who has the strengths they don’t. Collaborating with other creators is very important, regardless of field.
Another key piece of advice to aspiring creators was to focus on the quality of content and make sure the story works to its best potential. Build memorable characters and stories and keep content timeless so that it can engage with viewers longer, they noted.
Experimenting is also vital to a creator’s success. Accordingly, if some things work and some things won’t, creators should be willing to take risks and find out what works for them. There will be bad days and failures, but it’s important to persist.
Furthermore, small businesses shouldn’t underestimate the importance of digital marketing either; knowing how it works and which platforms work best for you is crucial in building and driving businesses.
Be fearless
The power of good content is in its story and how it comes together. Sometimes the most offhand idea can end up becoming a truly strong piece of content. It’s all about being willing to take that risk and see where it takes you.
