With almost half of the world’s population now able to access the internet, there’s no denying the ever-increasing importance of digital marketing’s role in reaching consumers. Understanding online content trends can help marketers create and refine strategies, making the most of their time and budget. Below are some key trends for the future that we’ve identified:
Competition to reach consumers will continue to increase. With approximately 92,000 new articles posted online daily, it’s increasingly difficult to stand out. Small or medium-sized businesses won’t be able to compete in the area of volume, with sites like The Huffington Post adding at least 1,200 pieces of new content each day. Highly strategic content strategy, based on a company’s unique value and attributes, is the only way to make an impact. Consider the following in regards to your content strategy:
Content Strategy Considerations:
- Know your target audience.
- Know what is marketable about your product, including unique value and attributes.
- For consumer products, consider whether you are marketing your brand as a lifestyle product.
- For business to business, consider whether you are positioning your brand as an authority or source of knowledge.
- If your product tends to involve a great deal of consumer research before purchase (such as high-end electronics or financial products), a sound content strategy should include a great deal of information on features and benefits, as well as build product and brand awareness, to contribute to consumers’ need for research.
- If a product is more of an impulse buy with a lower price point, content should focus more on connecting with consumers and appealing to their emotions, as well as building brand loyalty and customer retention.
Knowing how to measure the success of your content will continue to be vital. Site traffic and page views can’t be your only measure of success any longer, since these metrics offer incomplete and sometimes misleading information, and an overemphasis on these metrics can lead to poor SEO strategies. It is important to determine the right metrics to measure your unique content’s success, based on your defined goals. Then you will be in a position to measure, evaluate, and refine your marketing strategies to maximize your return.
Some top metrics for measuring content marketing success include: sales lead quality, social media sharing, sales lead quantity, time spent on website, direct sales, subscriber growth, qualitative feedback from customers, and many more. Each product or business will have a unique set of key metrics, with differing priorities
Content Integration will increase in importance. Consumers appreciate a seamless and consistent experience, whether they are shopping online or in a retail store. Integrating content and message throughout all consumer channels – for example, from social media, online ads, and site content to traditional advertising and in-person conversations/consumer experiences, is critical.
New content channels will continue to be created. Digital innovation will continue at a rapid pace. PCs will continue to lose ground to newer devises, including wearable devises and smart TVs. In-store digital experiences, such as interactive kiosks, are another growing area. Content will have to be adapted to all of these new channels and more in order to continue to reach an optimal audience. Marketers will need to be agile in creating content that is scalable and suitable to whatever outlet is important to users.
With a carefully thought-out approach to content creation, backed by an understanding of the unique value of your product or service, well-defined goals, clear ways to measure success, and knowledge of the latest technologies, marketers should be well-prepared to meet the challenges expected in the next year.
For more information on the most current and effective strategies in content creation and digital marketing, please contact us.