In recent years, content marketing has established itself as the MVP of the digital realm. Wherever you happen to look online, there is always some form of content vying for your attention. For a while now, experts in content marketing circles have been focusing on content creation as the most important part of the marketing process. There are indications that this is about to change in 2018. To help people understand what is going on, we explore up and rising content marketing trends of 2018.
SEO-infused Content Creation
Combining content marketing with SEO is crucial for developing and maintaining a strong search engine presence. When writing content in 2018, keep in mind that keyword targeting is now taking a backseat, while comprehensive topic targeting is taking over. Basically, it is now necessary both to broaden the scope of your content, as well as to provide more in-depth analysis of the topics you are covering. The benefits of a topic targeting strategy instead of keyword-targeting one are substantial. It provides more pages for search engine indexing. Users get more comprehensive answers to their queries. It establishes the authority of your website. And finally it increases eligibility for a wider range of keywords. Additionally, content marketing can improve search engine optimization success by making link building easier. Be mindful that the old adage of ‘content is king’ still applies, so a focus on quality over quantity is still the best overall content creation strategy.
New Forms of Content Delivery
Recent technological developments are changing the ways in which we live and work, and this includes marketing experts. With the arrival of new tech, marketing strategies are becoming increasingly sophisticated, even in comparison to a couple of years ago. Text, video and still images are still the most widely used tools at a marketeer’s disposal, but new ones are starting to crop up as we speak. For example, 2018 is looking like its going to be the year motion graphics. These dynamic images already capturing the audiences’ attention online, making regular images look plain in comparison. We are also seeing an influx of interactive infographics, which are visually stimulating while also providing various kinds of useful info. The usage of augmented reality overlays is becoming more common as well, because it allows companies to create unique experiences for users who are increasingly seeing the world through the digital lens of the their smartphones. If the explosion of popularity of Snapchat filters across social media is any indication, augmented reality is the technology to look out for in 2018.
Personalized Content
Contextual marketing is the hot now trend in user engagement. It works by delivering content to users based on their previous engagements online. In effect, contextual marketing works by offering a solution before users even become aware they have a problem. In effect, the marketer is always one step ahead of the user. Customizing content for the individual based on their previous interactions leads to higher conversion rates then generic ads which target a broad audience. An example of personalized content marketing would be site which gives a user blog-post recommendations based on what products he bought previously on the same site. As web users provide more and more information about themselves online, it is becoming easier to find the right marketing content for every need.
Machine-Generated Content
Enlisting help from complex AI algorithms for content creation purposes has the potential to completely change the marketing landscape of today. Through the process of machine learning, which involves analysis of large sets of data according to loosely specified criteria, AI is becoming more and more competent in reading and writing natural language content. For the moment, writing convincing articles on random topics is beyond its reach, but content such as reports and infographics can stand up to scrutiny. Some users even report that they prefer machine-generated content to human-generated one, as it is usually more consistent and clear. This doesn’t mean AI will take over content creation jobs anytime soon, but it is a trend worth monitoring nonetheless.
Video Content
The simple truth is, in 2018 video is keeping more people engaged, and for longer periods of time any other kind of content. This holds true in the field of content marketing as well. It is more convenient for most users to watch a couple of short videos than parsing through a single article are blog-post. Embracing video content promotes business growth, and it can be easily be done on a budget. However, video content on it’s own doesn’t guarantee engagement. Videos need to be well made, as well as optimized for organic search. Including relevant tags, descriptions, and links to the brand website are indispensable for a successful video content strategy.
Final Thoughts
2018 is shaping up to be another great year for content marketing. While other marketing strategies are in a state of constant change due to tech developments, evolving demands or stricter regulation, content creation lies at the heart of every marketing endeavor. Content can stand on its own, while trending means of delivering it come and go, making it always a worthwhile investment.
