The Future of Content Marketing
You may have your content marketing strategy determined for today’s world, but technology and buyer needs are always evolving. How will content marketing change in 2023 and beyond? We don’t have a crystal ball, but we’re always looking ahead to find the next big idea. Here are three trends we’re watching that we think will influence the future of content marketing.
First Things First: The Future Is Now
While we love getting creative (it’s in our name, after all!) our first priority is helping your business thrive in the current digital world. So, while these tactics are still evolving, every single one can be implemented in your marketing plan today, even in a small way. Without further ado, let’s get started!
1. Grow a Thriving Content Ecosystem
When we look towards the future of content marketing, one word comes to the forefront: integration. A standalone blog pumping out posts will only get you so far. You need to surround your audience with ways to engage with your brand. This may sound intimidating, but, just like a garden, your content marketing ecosystem can be cultivated over time.
With an active blog as your foundation, social media, email marketing, and video content can easily spring forth. First, focus on planning out blog posts for the next four to six months. Then, plan out social media posts and email sends to your audience promoting each of your posts at regular intervals. By just taking these initial steps, you’ll be well on your way to building the structure for a flourishing content marketing strategy no matter what the next social media craze ends up being.
2. Embrace Video Content
The written word is powerful—we won’t discount it. But, it’s not everyone’s favorite way of consuming information. According to a recent study done by Hubspot, 66% of consumers watched video content while researching a brand or product in 2022. We only see this number going up in the months and years to come.
If this feels intimidating, don’t worry. In that same study, Hubspot found that users like video content that is short and sweet. Ideally, your videos should be between 1–6 minutes long, as this is the length 63% of viewers prefer.
As we mentioned in the previous section, your blog should provide fertile ground for content of all forms. Chances are, if you can spend the time writing about a topic, you can speak about it intelligently. If you’re not comfortable being on camera, find someone else in your business who would enjoy bringing your content to life. The most important video creation strategy is to have fun and be creative. Not sure how to go about creating video content? Good news: we can help.
3. Community is Key
You’ve heard the phrase “it takes a village to raise a child,” right? Well, the same could be said about gaining brand visibility and fueling your content marketing. If you’re just starting out in your content marketing journey, connecting with others who have a strong blogging presence and similar industry expertise or insights is a great first step. As long as they aren’t direct competitors, chances are they will be more than willing to let you publish a guest blog on their site linking back to your site if you offer to do the same for them. You’ll both gain visibility amongst a new audience, but (best of all), Google loves content cross-pollination. They call it “link building,” and it’s considered a crucial part of any SEO strategy.
But, the power of community doesn’t stop there. Your customers and followers are producing content of their own, and some of it may even play into your brand message. Keep your eye on the social feeds of your audience and request their permission to re-publish their relevant posts on your channels. This is called User Generated Content (or UGC) and it’s a powerful tool. The original creators of the UGC will be excited to be featured. Plus, it can help your brand appear human as you care about those who use your products or services and value their perspectives. Think this is a passing trend? Thing again. Forbes found that nearly 75% of marketers in the U.S. plan to use UGC as part of their marketing mix.
Need help putting some of these ideas into action? Reach out to us today and we’ll get started.
