Content marketing trends making an impact in 2020
If anything the last few months have taught us that nothing is guaranteed, and, perhaps, more importantly that we need to be adaptable to change. Most of us aren’t fans of change. But change can be a good thing and it’s inevitable.
A year ago, many businesses would have told you that it would be impossible for their operation to work remotely and for businesses to successfully support their entire workforce while they work from home. But then a pandemic hit and these same organisations were forced to throw out the rulebook and make the best of a bad situation.
And, you know what, they discovered that anything is possible when your back is against a wall. With this in mind, we thought it would be a good idea to take a look at a few content marketing trends that were set to make an impact in 2020 and explore how the trends have evolved in a COVID world.
Take a look.
#1 Video and live-streaming takes centre stage
Video content has become incredibly popular in recent years. And pandemic-related social distancing regulations have only strengthened the surge. Now is the best time to communicate with your audience like you’re in the same room and live-streaming allows you to do just that. But just because your live event has gone virtual doesn’t mean that you can skimp on quality and experience – remember your audience can very easily click away if your video content isn’t catchy and engaging. And think about how your audience will be viewing this content. With many of us using our mobile devices more than ever, it’s important to consider how your video clips should be cut to suit the platform you’ll be using to the share your content.
#2 Conversational marketing evolves
Want to find out what your audience really thinks? Start a conversation. Think emails and live customer support. If you have one-on-one, personal conversations with your audience, you build relationships and you can use the insights you gain to create more relevant marketing messages. These more human buying experiences are what people are looking for right now, especially after months of minimal social interaction.
#3 Establish authority with topic-focused content
While it’s important to offer a diverse range of services, when it comes to content marketing it’s just as important to find your niche. Did you know that Google algorithms rank content based on the quality of a single page AND on the context of that page? As such, the content you post on your blog, for example, should add to the value your website promises to provide. Try to think about what differentiates you from your competitors and what makes you stand out and then incorporate that into your content strategy.
#4 Create different content for different online communities
Adopting a one-size-fits-all approach is no longer acceptable. If you create a piece of content and then share the exact same thing across different platforms and with different communities, you’re likely to leave a bad taste in your audience’s mouths. The coronavirus pandemic made us all feel pretty helpless and secluded, which is why creating personalised content is so important. Marketers need to develop content that is understanding of an audience that has experienced a world of change and offer the narrative they need right now. Your customers want to feel like you are delivering content to them that isn’t generic but rather aligns with their current situation, as well as their needs and interests. Twenty years ago, the mainstream media set the tone and the agenda for what people talk and think about. But today, everyone has an opportunity to tailor messages to communicate with specific, unique groups of people.
This year has been difficult for all of us, developing your content marketing strategy shouldn’t feel like an additional burden. If you need help putting together content marketing plan that hits the right note and targets the right customers, we can assist. Get in touch.