13 trends dominating content marketing in 2018
Content is king as the old adage goes but content marketing experts have seen the growth and still rank its capacity as the leading tool when it comes to digital marketing. Whether video or blog posts, content is what drives engagement and it therefore makes sense that content has to be optimized to fit in with the overall changing times. With the evolution of content marketing a spectacle that all have witnessed, the interesting part is to identify the trends that are dominating content marketing in 2018.
Remarketing for lead generation
Most marketers will agree with the assessment that remarketing has been transformed to be the engine of lead generation. This is to say that remarketing is being used to bring in repeat business and also as a conversion strategy.
Content is being personalized
The power of one on one marketing has been discovered and this has seen 2018 play host to the content marketers that have focused on personalized advertising. The aim of con tent marketing is now targeted at a delightful customer experience. Making it personal is the new norm as this is tuned to provide a pleasant experience.
Niched content is huge
Brands are focusing on niched content as this is where the sweet spot is. Others call it sub-branding but with market saturation, it means brands are forced to create more content that is focused on the specific elements that set them apart from the competition. Niched content provides the edge which is what brands are targeting.
Content has adapted to natural language search
More people are using voice search and this is a crucial input that has to be placed in consideration as it is where the search world is headed. Content has therefore had to adapt to the same in form of taking natural language search optimization as people continue to use voice assistants to scan and browse the web.
Long pieces of content are no longer appealing
Longer content has ranked more in SERP in the past and it is a known statistic that average length has been rising over the years but 2018 has seen a deviation from the trajectory. Lengthy content is no longer appealing as millennials prefer shorter content that is visually catchy and onto the point.
Videos and infographics are the thing
Presenting your content in the form of a video or infographic is what can lead to conversions as people move toward a new system of consuming content. Videos and infographics are easy to consume not to mention their appealing setting.
Approach to influencer marketing has changed
It is no argument that influencer marketing works but the approach has changed significantly. As much as 92% of consumers trust the recommendations from influencers and due to this, they serve as the biggest drivers of traffic. But as opposed to just a shallow sales drive, influencer marketing has gone deeper with intimate presentations in 2018 not to mention the in-depth, authentic and actionable approaches being utilized.
Complete transparency is key
Customers are only going to bite if they find the content transparent and relevant. Generic brand advertising has grown stale and consumers are no longer taking the fall with such. The consumers are alert and more involved which means they only adopt a brand where they find the messaging to be transparent and relatable.
Fresh and updated content is mandatory
More brands have made sure that the content is updated and fresh so that the target market finds it relevant and useful. This is perhaps the most potent trend in content marketing since more people have taken to it in a bid to ensure they stand out.
Live video is huge
In excess of 80% of consumers prefer live video as opposed to reading the same information on a blog. Watching videos is a staple for most consumers which ranges from interviews, Q&A sessions, products demos, podcasts among other content presentations.
Optimized content creation
Content marketing is not just about producing content as it has grown to become a challenge of publishing content. Brands have to settle on the format and process of achieving the same effectively. Whether it is through the use of videos, images, infographics, blog posts, social media posts, webinars or newsletters; content marketing is about publishing content.
Lifecycle marketing has taken over
Cost of customer acquisition is huge and repeat customers have become the best clients. Engagement to maintain a customer becomes important and this means customer retention is now a KPI in 2018.
Targeted advertising
Mainly achieved through the collection of data and tracking of interaction within the website, targeted advertising is continuously growing. Brands are identifying repeat clients and targeting them with products and services based on previous interaction. Rate of data collection is high and privacy policies are constantly changing reflecting the rate at which brands are looking at personal data since it has become so valuable.