Great organizations understand the need for strong content marketing. They create digital content that informs, educates, entertains, and solves problems customers have. The chance to cultivate a robust digital presence is greater now than ever before. But to make the most of the opportunity, businesses need to stay ahead of the curve.
Businesses are looking at more creative ways to produce content that resonates with consumers. Stale blogs and uninspired press releases won’t move the needle. The best marketing campaigns infuse audio or visual components into the user experience. Effective marketing teams will look at current trends in the market that include these functions. Adopting tactics around what others are doing can help your organization drive conversions.
1. Artificial Intelligence
AI is all the rage right now, and for good reason. If your marketing team is struggling to come up with new ideas, tools like ChatGPT can give them a spark. Whether it’s generating blog titles or creating social media posts, AI can be a great asset in your content strategy. It’s not recommended for replacing human writers, so be sure AI-generated posts are edited to have a human-centric feel. AI tools are best used as brainstorming devices, including doing keyword research for SEO strategies.
There are other ways to use AI beyond ideation and copywriting. Some sites will generate images for your content based on your commands. Customizing visuals with AI prompts can give you imagery more specific to your needs. There are also AI tools for audio needs such as voice generation, text-to-speech projects, and music creation.
2. Videos and Webinars
Video-based content is growing rapidly, specifically shorter videos of less than a minute. Content that’s mobile-friendly increases opportunities for brand awareness. In fact, Hubspot reported that short-form videos have one of the highest ROIs of any form of digital marketing. Many consumers prefer “snack-sized” videos that they can view quickly. Businesses are latching onto social media apps like TikTok and Instagram to produce short-form videos.
That’s not to say long-form videos don’t still have their place in content marketing. Companies are continuing to use webinars as a tool to educate current customers and market to potential customers. Why is the webinar format attractive to buyers? It’s interactive. Consumers can have product/service questions answered in real-time, something that can’t happen in many other forms of marketing.
3. Podcasting
Similar to webinars, many businesses are venturing into the world of podcasting. With millions of people listening to audio content each day, companies can’t ignore the potential of podcasts. It’s a great way for a business to convey themselves as thought leaders and show off expertise in their field. You can feature leaders from your company or interview subject matter experts.
Some companies shy away from podcasting because they don’t have the tools necessary. They’re worried about the potential expenses of software and other needs. But you can begin podcasting using your laptop or even your smartphone. There are downloadable editing tools that can help you produce a quality podcast that people will want to hear. It’s projected by 2025 over $500 million people will listen to podcasts, so it’s a medium worth considering for marketers.
4. Interactive Content
Remember those internet quizzes popular in the mid-2000s? The ones where you’d fill out ten questions to find out “Which Friends Character Are You?” There’s a reason people loved that type of content: it gave them a chance to participate. When you create interactive content, your customers get to play a part and have their voice heard. This can work with infographic or landing pages with options for the reader to interact with what’s on the screen.
Social media is a great place to post interactive content. Posting a simple poll to Facebook increases user engagement while also allowing you to capture key data. Create survey pages to help users determine which of your products fits them best. Customizable content is huge with consumers who want to choose exactly how their product/service looks and works. Interactive pieces can provide companies with user data that informs your content strategy.
5. Values-Driven Content
People want to feel good about where they put their dollars. Consumers are more likely to buy from brands they trust. Data shows 82% of shoppers want to buy from brands that align with their values. By conveying your company’s values through content, users have the opportunity to learn about what your organization cares about.
Show your philanthropic efforts on your social media pages. Celebrate your employees’ hard work on your website. Partner with charitable organizations that align with your values. Help your current customers and potential customers feel good about doing business with you. Whether it’s community service or eco-friendly initiatives, buyers need to know they’re spending money with a brand they can trust.
Digital marketing trends should play a key role in your content strategy. Learning more about what consumers value and engage with currently shapes your work. Determine which of these five trends make the most sense for your company to work on now. Measure your ROI and make changes as needed, keeping the customer’s needs the focal point of each piece of content.
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