Everyone knows how important content is to a digital marketing strategy. Unfortunately, coming up with new content ideas, writing articles and distributing them to various channels can get repetitive. And, if you’re not seeing the engagement you had hoped for, it’s easy to get discouraged.
Nevertheless, content works, and it’s important to stick with it. As we welcome another year in digital marketing, it’s time to get serious about your content marketing efforts. It’s the easiest, fastest and most economical way to stay connected to your audience.
Here are five content marketing trends you can’t overlook in 2019.
1. Content marketing plans are the backbone of your success.
All too often, we see businesses write articles on the whim. While this is a fine approach to creating content, it won’t support your business goals. So, if you want to see something actually happen from your content (i.e., increased leads, more email subscribers, etc.), you need to create a content strategy that supports these goals.
We recommend taking a look at this HubSpot guide that discusses how to develop a robust content strategy. Of course, you should still leave room to write about trending topics in your industry to keep your content relevant.
2. Micro-influencers can shake up your strategy.
Even though micro-influencers are nothing new, they are becoming the key to effectively promoting products and services online. Micro-influencers can be anyone – employees, current customers or brand advocates. They do not have to be someone famous. Think about how you can partner with influencers to create authentic, helpful content for your audience, similar to a word-of-mouth recommendation.
3. Optimize your content for voice search.
As you create content, think about how a customer might search for the information using voice. The best way to write for voice search is to use natural, conversational sentences that include long-tail keywords. As personal assistants grow in popularity, we can expect more people to search for information using their voice. Also, don’t forget the importance of having a mobile-friendly website.
4. Test various formats to see what your audience likes best.
If your content isn’t as engaging as you had hoped for, it’s possible that the format you’re choosing isn’t right for your audience. Try different formats and see which ones your audience response best to. Videos, infographics, podcasts, live streaming, long-form content, etc. are all examples of content forms you can use.
5. Use brand storytelling to connect to your audience.
A great story has the potential to transform your brand. Too often, marketers talk about themselves and aren’t effective at capturing the hearts of their audience. Brand storytelling allows you to go deeper into who you are and why you do what you do. Look for ways to tell stories rather than regurgitating facts about your business.
Content marketing is the connection between you and your audience. Put it to good use this year as you create new content to support your brand strategy.
