January 8, 2020
Each new year is a chance to look back on what did (and didn’t) work for your content strategy as well as look ahead at what digital marketing trends will be important in the year ahead. Content strategy is a constantly evolving, continually moving target that every organization needs to stay focused on in order to hit the mark. Here are some top trends in 2020 to help you keep your content strategy on point:
Personalization: “It’s not personal; it’s business,” the old saying goes – old being the operative term. When it comes to content strategy, personalization is paramount in both customer acquisition and retention. Employing a content strategy without personalization is like throwing a bunch of ideas against the wall to see what sticks. Personalization is what adds an authentic voice to your branding and makes your audience feel connected to a real person that understands them. Without it, your content will seem generic and one-dimensional, sending the message that you haven’t done your research into who your customer actually is. In fact, an overwhelming 90% of consumers polled found messages and ads not customized to them as annoying. And as you might guess: organizations that take this approach have much less success connecting with customers and prospects.
Interactive content: Like any discussion, once you’ve started communicating with a customer, you need to keep the conversation going. Providing your audience with unique and refreshing content that stands out not only keeps them engaged but encourages them to share your content with others. Word of mouth communication is priceless, and by creating content that is both useful and shareable, you can broaden your horizons to reach new prospects and also build trust with your existing contacts. In a time of countless digital distractions fighting for your customers’ attention, interactive content helps keep it focused on you.
Shoppable posts: As you tweak your content to generate more visibility and engagement, it’s crucial that you have posts that are shoppable, meaning they allow customers to take action directly from the publication. As consumers continually move toward controlling more of their buying journey, it’s more important than ever to provide online content that’s optimized for a cohesive, holistic customer journey no matter where your customer is on their path to purchase.
Social messaging apps and texting: Part of creating a holistic online customer journey means providing as many ways for your customers to reach you as possible. Gone are the days of only communicating from 9-5; being able to text and communicate on social and email keeps the lines of communication open at all times. Look for messaging apps that also allow you to automate some of your workload such as scheduling appointments, reminders, and invitations to events. As we discussed last month, automation is a growing industry trend that lightens your workload, giving you more time with your customers.
Learn How to Maximize Your Content Strategy in 2020
To build upon the tips and tricks above, please join one of our upcoming webinars. Find more ways that Hearsay helps you amplify your content strategy to stand out from the crowd.
Join the conversation with Hearsay experts as they review more key trends in digital marketing for 2020 as well as helpful insights into how to apply them to your content strategy.
Senior Manager, Customer Education Team
As leader of Hearsay’s customer education team, Chris Beck develops and manages customer education materials and initiatives to help our customers succeed.
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