In the digital world we live in, content is king itself. Then, what is “Premium Content”? If you have the same question, you have landed at the right place. So, keep reading.

Since the old times, buyers and sellers have been attracted to the concept of “Premium Content.” For sellers, it refers to an asset of a premium price. On the other hand, buyers consider it meaningful content that grabs consumers’ attention. Content marketing is expanding, and people continue to share their content on social media platforms. For every platform, the content is unique according to the targeted audience.

In most cases, the content is free, so the audience won’t have to pay to read or watch it. The following questions beg to find an answer: 

• What then is premium content?
• How is it different from the digital content that is found everywhere?

To answer that, premium content is a digital marketing strategy of the highest quality. It is more in-depth and has longer content. Good examples of premium content include e-books, spec sheets, webinars, product guides, whitepapers, checklists, and more.

The History of Premium Content

In the past, premium content referred to something that producers created professionally to meet the demands of a larger audience. It was interesting enough to grab the attention of the viewer. There are a lot of prime examples as a lot of options were available even on television according to the diverse taste of the viewers, like The Office, Breaking Bad, The Hills, Survivor, Grey’s Anatomy, and more.

This all made sense in the pre-social media era. But now things are different. The marketplace is more diverse and democratic. Today, we are missing out on the “experience” which implies that viewers and content producers don’t have it anymore. 

The highlighted part is that the Internet has equalized high-quality content production. So, it doesn’t matter who the content producer is as long as the content is premium.

What Defines Premium Content Today?

Here are a few critical points that define premium content in 2022.   

Scarcity Is Missing as Scalability Has Taken Over    

“Limited supply” used to be the premium content trademark to create the audience’s desire for it. It is further reflected in more expensive prices. In 2022, the streaming wars have changed the dynamics of premium content altogether. Nowadays, companies are producing more and more content to keep up with others. There are limitless distribution options to make the content accessible to everybody.

After the entry of newcomers into the market, that is, Netflix, Amazon, and Apple, the supply has increased enormously. Original scripted TV series used to be limited in 2009. After 10 years, the number of such series doubled. The use of social media platforms has increased, encouraging user-generated content.   

Viewers have started considering social media content as “premium” regardless of where it comes from and the quality or price it has. Video content on platforms like TikTok keeps users engaged for hours, indicating that they find it premium enough to invest their time.

The marketplace is evolving, but we must acknowledge certain things about premium content in that it attracts viewers and proves to be scalable. The content on YouTube has gone to the extent that even the most extensive media companies have yet to achieve. What’s more is that the number of subscribers and likes on some YouTube channels is mind-blowing. It tells that the criteria of premium content are different now. 

Premium content is now defined as something users are interested in, so the number of views or subscribers helps create a complete picture of premium content. If a viewer stops scrolling or searching to see content or if the content is good enough to stimulate a digital action like “Add to Wishlist” or “Bookmark for Later,” it is considered as premium content.

Length Doesn’t Matter Anymore

Length doesn’t define whether the content is premium or not. For instance, viewers now find YouTube Shorts or Instagram Stories as valuable and appealing as any broadcast advertisement. The length doesn’t matter as long as the content delivers the knowledge or information the user wants.

Content producers create short videos and publish them more frequently rather than upload long ones. They show the viewers snippets of their lives to create curiosity and add clickable links to make them buy the same thing they use or have.

It’s About the Targeted Audience

It is an entirely new criterion for premium content. Nowadays, if the content is delivered to the targeted audience at the right time, it’s premium. The content can be of any type, like a scripted show or a short video. As such, it must fulfill the purpose of engaging the audience it is targeting.

It’s favorable for everyone as the sellers consider the value of the content, buyers can target the viewers, and viewers experience more personalized and engaging content. Furthermore, it leaves a lot of room for creativity. Seeing how advertisers use their creative liberty to acclimate to the new premium content formats will be fun.

Wrapping Up

The meaning of “Premium Content” is constantly changing over time. The defining factors of premium content might also keep changing in the future, according to the changes in the digital world. However, it must not lose its value in the current streaming war. Advertisers, companies, and influencers must raise the bar by using exceptional creativity to maintain their individuality.