The Pop Profile series is a peek into the creative process of some of the most talented people making content on social media. It’s a chance for them to step out from behind the camera, into the spotlight, and let us pick their brains. This month, we’re talking with editor and content creator Jeremy Jacobowitz.
It’s hard to do anything without video ads popping up in the middle of your online experience these days. There has been a clear uptick in requests from brands for creators to produce branded video content across social, from Snapchat ads to Instagram Story campaigns featuring swipe ups.
We’ve seen an increase on our platform from 330 accepted pieces of approved video content in 2017 to 1,962 pieces of approved video content in 2018, a startling 494% increase.
With the increase in social content, video has proven to be a strong way to stand out in the midst of a user’s otherwise static scroll. It needs to be unique enough to catch the eye, but short enough for our ever-shrinking attention spans. Someone who has figured out how to hit that sweet spot of short and sweet while being direct and attention-holding is Jeremy Jacobowitz of BrunchBoys. As part of our Pop Shop, Jeremy is part of our curated creator group that has proven themselves equipped to produce studio quality content for brands, and fast.
Video courtesy of Jeremy Jacobowitz.
On getting started as a content creator
Before Instagram, I was a TV producer working in both sports, and then food tv. So I’ve always been creating content, but now I have to do it on my own. So i self taught myself how to shoot, edit, all that stuff besides just the producing.
On watching the social media landscape change
The biggest change has been the number of other people out there creating amazing content! If I look back at my first photos, they were awful! But I knew to stand out and compete, I had to up my game! So I work very hard at getting better and learning new things!
On the introduction of video in social media
Having video in the feed was the biggest game changer. My background is in video, so it was an easy way to stand out from the crowd, and really get back to what i love doing. When I was able to create one minute videos on the feed, i knew I could do this full time. And it’s much more of a deeper connection when you get to tell more of a full story, beyond just the static photo. IGTV is very exciting, since I have even more time to tell stories, so I was thrilled when that was introduced!
On his favorite Pop Pays collaboration
Samsung for sure! I have actually never had an iPhone, and it’s a constant conversation starter when I meet people. So I was super excited to bring that conversation into my feed. With all of my ads, I try to make sure its as organic as possible, and I really have something to say about what I am promoting, and I can go on and on about how much I love my Samsung! Outside of Pop Pays, working with the Yankees was a dream come true for me! So it was super cool to do a video at the stadium, showing off all the amazing foods they have to offer!
His creative process
To me it’s all about taking their core message, and making sure its delivered in a way that’s super organic to my feed. The content should feed exactly like everything else I post, just it happens to be paid for this time.
Video courtesy of Jeremy Jacobowitz for Yankee Stadium.
On preferring video over static
I always push for videos in my ads. A) Brands usually like the extra effort it takes B) it’s an easy way to make your ad stand out against other influencers that are doing the same campaign C) Usually I can negotiate for more money when its a video D) Videos are more likely to go viral, so I tend to think its a good risk to get the brand the awareness they are looking for.
On keeping branded content true to you
I think it’s all just about making the ad work for your feed. There are certain things I look for in every one of my videos, that I want to make sure come across in the ad. Everyone’s feed is a little different, so nothing generally specific, but again making sure its “your” content.
A bit of advice for fellow creators
I don’t think everyone needs to try and produce these super professional videos, I’ve seen tons of viral videos that were poorly shot on a cellphone, but I think it’s finding what works best for you and your feed. I’ve found my niche is using my background of working in TV, but not everyone has that. So id say, find your own style, and see what works for you.
Big thank you to Jeremy for sharing his creative process and journey with us. You can keep up with him on his personal Instagram account @jeremyjacobowitz and tasty brunch content at @brunchboys. Interested in learning more about how Pop Pays can speed up your custom content production? Learn how to get started, and check back here for more inspiration from our creator community.