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Today, the content marketing makes the difference on the internet and your business. If you have several options such as text content, video, pictures, then it is on a good trend.
Every day, over 3 million articles are published on blogs. Billions videos are viewed on YouTube. On Instagram, over 35 million photos are uploaded daily.
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All these numbers increase almost every second and you can be convinced if you access internetlivestats.com.
Today, we are all content creators: every person with a smartphone and account on social networks, every person who has an active blog or vlog, respectively every active brand online.
Almost 5 years ago, it was said that you should have a website and a blog. 2 years ago it was said that you have to adapt them for mobile devices. Nowadays, it is said that you have to do more than that to stand out and get results.
Depending on the industry in which you operate, it is no longer enough to have an active website and blog, a Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn page to post frequently. Everyone does that. You, on the other hand, want more than just to exist; you want to sell.
That’s why I want to talk today about the near future of content marketing and what are the directions you need to go to get what you want.
3 strategic directions in content marketing
#1 Update your buyer persona profiles
We will start with a basic strategy that you have certainly already started working on: the buyer persona profile.
As technology and the Internet evolve, so does consumer behavior. Once every 6 months, ask yourself, “How well do I know my audience?” At the same time, you need to resume the information you already have and update it.
Use the statistics you already have about your audience from customer interactions, from the Insights on the respective Facebook page, and from Google Analytics.
Ask yourself how much your audience has changed in the last 6 months, if you can get in the sights of a new generation of young consumers or if somehow the methods you use in the promotion are outdated.
It is said that the design of a website must be changed every 3 years, otherwise, it looks outdated. However, the approach on social networks and content distribution (for example blogs or niche groups) needs to be changed, on average, once a year.
#2 Use content marketing software
The data collected by the Google Analytics codes installed on your site and the information gathered about the fans of your Facebook page answer questions such as:
- Demographics (sex, age, location, spoken language, etc.),
- Industries in which it operates (example: IT, medicine, sales, etc.),
- Used mobile/desktop devices, operating systems, and browsers,
- General interests (example: organizing events, marketing, human resources, etc.).
However, this data is not enough to come up with concrete ideas for your content strategy, based on clear needs. Statistics from Google, Facebook, WordPress, and what other tools you use are shared and it’s probably difficult for you to manage content activity with so many accounts you need to access. In addition, where do you collect all the data you get?
Communication is becoming increasingly complex and content distribution channels are diversifying. Therefore, from 2021 on wards, you need to organize your content marketing more efficiently.
We recommend that you invest in content marketing software that allows you to collect data based on your audience’s reactions to the content created, deliver the message tailored to the audience’s interests, generate new content ideas, editorial planning, and more.
#3 Content is no longer generated by one person, but by the entire company
One of my favorite expressions read online is: “Everything you do is content marketing.”
As simple as it is, this expression is as sophisticated. For companies, addressing the second person of this expression does not include a single person – the content specialist or CEO, but the entire staff: from salespeople, HR, finance department, marketing people, and even the cat or the puppy who is officially part of the team.
If until now the marketing team or the agency you collaborate with felt comfortable creating blog articles, Facebook posts, and possibly a video on YouTube from time to time… well, now they should not be left alone.
Each employee of a company creates content through its personal distribution channels (social media accounts, personal blog or vlog if necessary, discussions and meetings with friends or potential customers, etc.).
A smart content strategy is to connect a company’s staff, together with the marketing team, to create content with a unitary message and purpose. Otherwise, the communication becomes chaotic, unclear and will most likely eclipse the organized work that is done, every day, by the marketing people or the agency responsible for the content for that brand.
Content formats to use in 2021
I am writing this article now to give you the time you need to prepare for next year. The future trend in content marketing is clear: the emphasis is on visual or audio content, adapted to the target audience.
#1 Visual content
If 2 years ago we meant infographics and photos through visual content, now we refer to videos and gifs.
True, if you are a niche brand that has a target audience with an average age of 30+, then you will still need to focus on text content. However, this does not mean that every member of your audience will have the patience to read another 1000-word article.
Therefore, when we talk about video, there are 3 types you can approach:
- Long form video: these videos are usually longer (over 3 minutes) and present information in an educational, informative way. They require a more complex production process and can be done in documentary style, reportage, or explanatory animation. They are intended for an audience that wants to be informed in detail on a certain topic.
- Video short form: these videos are shorter, lasting up to 3-4 minutes. They are fast consuming and the production process is simple: they can be made up of already existing video collages, video galleries with text superimposed over the image, and can even be without sound. In some cases, they can be simple animations. These are the kind of videos you see in your Facebook or Instagram feed and are intended for quick consumption. They are an accessible way to reach a young audience that wants to find out quickly.
- GIF`s: although from a technical point of view, they would not fit into the video, we can still include them here as a series of images or simply a funny or educational sequence, of a few seconds, without sound. You guessed it: if we put them in 3rd place, it means that they are the fastest way to convey a visual message and are suitable for brands that want to make a smooth transition from text to visual.
#2 Audio content
You have certainly noticed the trend of podcasts. This type of content is easy to consume and simpler to produce than video content.
Just like blog articles in the form of text (like this one), this way you can create a scenario that you can read in front of a microphone, record it, and lay the foundations for a sequence of weekly episodes.
This type of content is accessible to anyone. All you need is a good microphone and background removal software (if applicable) to be able to create quality podcasts.
Conclusion
I hope this information helps you create your marketing strategy. If you have new ideas, I look forward to them in the comments.
