Sprinkle any kind of your content with a little more flavor with Pepper Content and get noticed.

Jim James: 0:00

Hello, and welcome to this episode of the unnoticed entrepreneurs and delighted to have Dhriti Goyal, joining me all the way from India. Dhriti, welcome.

Dhriti Goyal: 0:08

Thanks, Jim, for having me on this show.

Jim James: 0:11

You're more than welcome. You're talking to us, I think from Mumbai, from a company called Pepper Content. Tell us, how do you help entrepreneurs get noticed?

Dhriti Goyal: 0:20

Well, Pepper Content is, you know, helping businesses democratising content. Like content creation is one part of the whole running business that it is required. But most of the time with bandwidth crunch and having the lean marketing team, content creation becomes a little difficult and little tricky. So that is where every content is helping. So that is where every content is helping. So we are basically enabling creators and businesses to help each other, to create content and, over the help of our technology, this is more like

Jim James: 0:56

Okay there's a lot of a lot of things in there, but I love the idea that there is one place to get all your content needs done. Let's-, so that goes through that. Do you want to tell us first of all what kind of content are we talking written content, are we talking infographics, are we talking about video. Take us through which kind of content.

Dhriti Goyal: 1:14

So, the good part about Pepper Content is that you can get any sort of content done from us, like be it any written content, be it any design So, any infographic you want to get it created, you can get it written from our creator, you can get it designed from our creators, and if

Jim James: 1:36

Okay. Right. So it really is a one stop shop. Now, many people would go to the other platforms, Upwork, Fiverr, maybe a PR portal. Why would they come to Pepper Content, Dhriti, instead of going to one of those established main international platforms?

Dhriti Goyal: 1:53

Well really good point. so there, the thing is with Upwork Fiverr they do have a good pool of creators, but it's up to you to choose. And really there is no, you know, standardisation of the quality or the kind of service they provide. You're VR rating our creators, they are giving us a series of tests and we are, you know, putting them in different cohorts. Based on your requirement, we assign the creator to the project, and that is how we make sure that you get the quality of the content and also the right need of you.

Jim James: 2:26

Great. So you've got a level of quality control in there that saving, I know when I've gone on to Upwork, you put out the bid and you check what

Dhriti Goyal: 2:37

Right.

Jim James: 2:38

So do you then at Pepper Content give a client a sort of account manager in that in that way to help navigate the content creation?

Dhriti Goyal: 2:47

So there are two models in which Pepper Content is working right now. There is a self-serve model where you can simply sign up and do it on the, you know, power requirement basis. If you have a project, then we do assign an account manager to you. And also the billing happens monthly basis or quarterly basis, depends on the contract.

Jim James: 3:06

Okay. Well, we'll talk about pricing a bit later on, but I'd like to, first of all, talk more about the issues for example, of domain expertise, because one of the main How do you overcome that problem, Dhriti?

Dhriti Goyal: 3:24

So whenever we onboard a creator, they give a series of tests, as I said. So in those tests, we evaluate them on the basis of different parameters. So one is grammar, or their style of writing, industry, or domain expertise, is also one of the aspect we evaluate them on basis on. When they get onboarded, there are industry expertise and content journals assigned to them so that we know that, you know, for which requirement they are fit.

Jim James: 3:50

Okay, Dhriti, then let's just talk about language for a moment. Is this all content creators based in India and all writing in English?

Dhriti Goyal: 3:59

For now, we have majority of our creators create a pool is from India. We are looking for creators from all over the world, as we are expanding our operations in US and other APAC countries as well. And the primary language in which translation project meet the primary languages may take for English content, and then we translate in different languages.

Jim James: 4:22

Okay. And that would be what, like Mandarin or Japanese or Russian, any international language. How big is Pepper Content then, Dhriti? Let's just look at the, the resources you've got available.

Dhriti Goyal: 4:33

Pepper Content has a network of 60,000 plus creators like in various, you know, content journals assigned on different fields. So we have good, like, I know, also if I have to talk about data, we have, you know, solved more than hundred industry verticals. So industry is no bad, we have creators from almost all the industries.

Jim James: 4:55

Wow, Okay. 60,000. That's an amazing number of potential, sort of, creators at one's disposal. What about then if people want to do some of their own writing? As you know, I've been experimenting with some AI tools, are you involved in anything like that as well, to let people sort of co-create?

Dhriti Goyal: 5:15

Yes, we do have our own AI on to writing assistant tool, called Pepper Type, which is being used like all over the globe. We have many users, it's not just taking to India. And most of our users are creators and writers, and even content managers and stuff. So the thing is that this tool helps you right, as for your use case. So if you're writing for an Amazon product description, it gives you different content. If you're writing for social media posts, it gives a different content. Really interesting piece to try.

Jim James: 5:46

That is interesting. So Pepper Content then is, or Pepper Type, I should say is another, another tool that you've got available. Is that based on GPT-3 or is that your own native AI?

Dhriti Goyal: 5:58

It's based on GPT-3 AI.

Jim James: 6:00

Right, yeah. Cause I think there's sort of different schools of approach on that, aren't there?

Dhriti Goyal: 6:04

Right?

Jim James: 6:05

Dhriti, do you want, just take us through sort of a customer journey from someone having a need and coming to Pepper Content and getting their needs fulfilled. Can you just take us through the process?

Dhriti Goyal: 6:16

Sure. So we have in our world of this ex- you know, exercise through a platform. So, a person has to sign up on a Pepper, Pepper Content's account. And once they sign up, they can create a project. So there is a structured or a guided brief process of flow where they can add their requirements, and it asks to very, you know, very smallest of the details, which is So all those related details, you'll add on the project float. Once you submitted, we give you a deadline, like how many days it will take. And in case of self-serve, you have to do the payment that day. In case of, you know, enterprise model, we can do the payment later. Once the project comes to us, our recommender engine, so we have AI-powered recommender engine, which works on the backend. It sees that what all creators are, you know, available and are fit for the assignment. Then it gets assigned to the vertical or creator, and the project is then given to them. Once they write it, design it and submit it, there is a layer of quality check. So we have our editors who check these content. And we also have our own curated content audit system, which is a automated AI powered content audit system, which checks the readability, grammar, language correctness, everything. And then it goes per submission for the client. Once it is submitted, the client gets a notification. They can either approve it, or reject it, or send it for revoke. So sending it for revoke, we allow up to two to three free reworks. In case they did not like it at all, then it can get rejected and we will assign a different creator, and then the process can start again. Also, let's say there is a bulk assignment, like you have a hundred blogs to be done in 10 days. So, in that case, then once when you give us the deadline that in how many days do you need the assignment. So then we give this project to different set of creators, then it will go to only one creator, it can go to different creators, so that we stick to the deadline. So that is how you can say that with Pepper you will never miss a deadline.

Jim James: 8:21

Okay that's nice.. So you're processing in parallel rather than in series that way. And if there is a job, you've mentioned that your AI engine selects who's the best author and sends it to them. Are you asking those writers to bid against each other? Or do you just go to one and that's the first option and?-

Dhriti Goyal: 8:40

So they don't have to bid. It's on the basis of the priority. Like, this is preferred writer as per the recommender engine. If they don't accept it, let's say they have something else or they don't want to do it, then it can go to next. And if they also reject it, then goes to next. So it's purely based on your own profile.

Jim James: 8:59

Well. And that raises an interesting question about pricing, doesn't it, Dhriti? And maybe that's the time to talk about it because in Upwork or Fiverr, they bid and they have different prices either by per hour, for example, or by per project fixed costs. How has it working then with Pepper Content? Because are you saying that your, your writers are all kind of almost a fixed price arrangement. So, we're not is a sort of a bidding board that frankly can be quite urksome in Upwork, because you don't know what you're going to be spending to get the quality. There's always that in decision to face.

Dhriti Goyal: 9:33

Well, our pricing is quite standard. So when the creator gets onboarded, there's a pricing discussed with them, or finalise with them, that is one thing. And also while creating the project, we ask the client that what level of creator they are looking for? Are they looking for the basic level, advance or experienced. Based on that, then it is assigned to a creator, so that the pricing is done according to the level of the expertise.

Jim James: 9:58

Do you want to give us some idea? Can you give us some, sort of, ballpark ideas? Obviously we've got different forms of content. We've got technical articles with maybe 1,800 words, you've got a blog post at 400 to 450 words that may be a general industry piece, you've maybe got a LinkedIn post, for example. Can you give us some guidance, Dhriti, what would we be expecting to pay?

Dhriti Goyal: 10:22

Well, the pricing. So, currently, we are doing mostly it in India. or US, we have not yet started it on the self-service part of it. So the person can come actually and start with a project with maybe a $20 project or so. It's like the thing with the, currently, which companies face whenever they are hiring a freelancer or someone. There is a basic or a minimum amount of money involved. And before that, everybody would like to start. With Pepper, the thing is that you get start with the smallest of the amount. And you don't have to have that contract or something with us too, before we start. So I would say you can start with $20. I would actually suggest you guys to go and check it out on the platform yourself. It's a cheap. I wouldn't say cheap, it's just, it's affordable for any sort of business and individuals.

Jim James: 11:12

That's wonderful Dhriti. So, for an entrepreneur taking what is a risk at the beginning, isn't it, to create content, it's a very low barrier to entry, isn't it? Okay. And are there some trends that you're seeing in terms of content creation at the company? Are you seeing a move to more just SEO laiden, text, or more personal narrative? Any, sort of, guides that you can give our listener on what really is compelling?

Dhriti Goyal: 11:42

I can talk to you about what kind of trends I'm seeing in terms of the audits we are getting. So most of the people are coming to us for blogs. That's mostly the SEO blogs. Like we are actually getting orders of hundred blogs in a time to be completed in 10 days, 15 days. And we have done that scale for brands. And it is not just in B2C, like most of the people might think that this must be a requirement for B2C, but even B2E companies, they are also coming with such requirements. In fact, lot of requirements on website content, and designing eBooks, or white papers, and translating, you know, I think companies are coming for translation in different languages. One of the things which was very curious, like I found it very interesting, was that lot of new age tech companies are coming to us for content. And the primary reason is that, they think the thing which they are building is very new and that is why they need more content to be created and pushed out so that people aware. And they want not experts to write it, but general writers, because they think that they are able to understand and write it, that it will be easy to consume for readers. So these are some things which I found out while I was studying the data. And it was really interesting how people are also trying content in different ways.

Jim James: 13:01

That's a really good point because we always talk about writing for the reader, not for yourself. And the idea of subcontracting, even from a strategic point of view, subcontracting to find someone who's not a domain expert to write about what Dhriti, do you want to just tell us as well about your view on AI writing? What's your view? Should entrepreneurs just use Pepper Type? Or human? Or a combination? I'd love to hear your view on that.

Dhriti Goyal: 13:33

Well, for an individual, I think a Pepper Type is a really interesting tool, for even social media managers, or writing small captions and all that. o there are there is a passionate project which comes into the picture, which is a very close to the company, which everyone is looking for. And there are some regular cadences project, which comes like you have to send an email, or you have to post, or you have to create some infographic and all that. So you always get somewhere between both of these. Where should you go? How should you go about it? So I feel there are a few things which can be taken care of by Pepper Type. Where you are doing your regular jobs, where you need a little refinement, or you need little tweaks, but sometimes you need to go at scale, So a mix of both is always good combination. And also for the passionate projects, it's also that sometimes, you want to keep it with. But we also tried trying to help companies to stay lean in their team, but also extend the creative score team with Pepper, where you have It's like extended arm for you, but I always believe a mix AI and humans is required to scale your content with automation.

Jim James: 14:51

Okay, lovely. So really about augmentation rather than replacement. You raised a really interesting point there, as well, about having, if you'd like, your favorite writer. Is a client able to nominate using the same person again? Because obviously that person has some experience now- tone of voice, certain grammar, certain key words, for example.

Dhriti Goyal: 15:12

Yes. So we are doing that for our enterprise clients, that whoever they are liking, they see that their writing is something they can resonate with, they can favorite them, and we

Jim James: 15:26

Um, on a, on a sort of side technical note, what are you offering to the clients in terms of a portal experience? Are you sending back emails to people? Or are they seeing versions in the cloud? How is that working?

Dhriti Goyal: 15:41

On the platform, the assignment gets submitted. So there is something called Pepper Editor, which we have, we've created our own writing tool, which is integrated on the platform. Now we've already using Google docs, we've already had done integration with Google docs, but we then switched to our own editor. The reason being the kind of liberty we get in terms of versioning. Because there is a writer who has written it, then there is an editor who had put comments, and then there is a final client who is doing it. In the company, there is not one person who's going to approve the content, there are a bunch of people like branding will look at it from their perspective, So versioning of comment, and how it looks, what has changed is, and also a creator and the client can see the brief on the side. So you don't have to look for it again and again. And also we have a component of video brief, like a person who's giving the brief can also record a video in the brief. So, the person can access that, as well, on the side or something, which makes the whole information exchange easy.

Jim James: 16:45

like that. I'm using video a lot with Loom, and there's also Screencast thematic. These explanations by video save a lot of time and misunderstandings, don't they, as well?. That's really elegant. And so, are members or clients, if you do one project, you have a, I'm assuming, can see all of your work. And is it showing on, sort of, a Gantt chart? Sort of showing the stages that you're at?

Dhriti Goyal: 17:08

stage of the project. Like, is it approved? Is it under writing? Is it under editing, and all that. So it is not like a Gant chart, but it's more like the order is placed, now it is under writing, or editing, and all that. You can see the status of the project real time.

Jim James: 17:24

Nice. So you've got to work flow. Because that's one of the issues, I'm editing my book, the second volume, and it's the versioning with multiple collaborators that actually is the hard part and the time consuming part, isn't it? Great. Dhriti Goyal, joining us from just by Mumbai. But the company is actually based in Bangalore, is that right?

Dhriti Goyal: 17:44

So the company is in Mumbai. Since it's a remote set up I keep on helping between and Bangalore. Since I've been in Bangalore for quite long and the whole tech in India is based in Bangalore. So that is it. I like to be.

Jim James: 17:58

Yeah, no wonder. Very fond memories of Bangalore. I had an office there for EastWest Public Relations for a while. Dhriti, if people want to find out more about Pepper Content, how can they do so?

Dhriti Goyal: 18:08

Well, our website is www.peppercontent.io. I would really recommend everyone to try out our platform. You can also reach out to me. I am available at dhriti.goyal@peppercontent.in. And you can find me on LinkedIn and message me. I'm very active there. So, yeah.

Jim James: 18:25

Great. And you've been wonderful cause you and I met on LinkedIn, so I really appreciate you taking the time to come and share with me and the listeners, or the listener, I should Dhriti, thank you so much for joining me today.

Dhriti Goyal: 18:45

Thank you, Jim James who have me here, to give me that opportunity and it was lovely talking to you.

Jim James: 18:51

Thank you so much. And we wish you all the best. I look forward to trying Pepper Type.

Dhriti Goyal: 18:56

Yes, sure I would love to know your feedback.

Jim James: 18:58

I will absolutely try and give it to you. Thank you so much for joining me today. Thank you.