Content marketing is incredibly effective for lead generation and conversion optimization. To generate leads, it’s crucial to create compelling content tailored to your specific target audience. This article will delve into six significant content marketing trends to prioritize this year and beyond.
It’s important to acknowledge that audience preferences have shifted considerably compared to previous years. The way we communicate is also transforming rapidly. Adapting your content marketing strategies is essential to maintain their effectiveness. Consider these six trends as you develop your content marketing strategy for 2021 and the future:
1. Video Content’s Continued Ascent
Video reigns supreme as one of the most widely used content formats. In 2021 and beyond, expect businesses to leverage video even more extensively for lead generation.
Hubspot reports that over 99% of video marketers plan to continue using video in 2021. Impressively, 96% intend to increase or maintain their video marketing budget!
Marketers will persist in utilizing videos across platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and other social media platforms to engage their customer base. This comes as no surprise given the compelling statistics.
A Search Engine Journal study revealed that average engagement for Facebook Live videos was a staggering 178% higher than standard posts. Similarly, video content on Instagram boasts double the engagement compared to other post types. This surge in engagement reflects Facebook’s strategic push to promote live streaming, solidifying video as a prominent content marketing trend to watch.
When incorporating video into your marketing endeavors, prioritize suitable formats. For instance, if you’re promoting a new cloud-based tool, consider creating comprehensive tutorials on its usage. Launching a new product? Why not broadcast the launch event via Facebook Live?
Furthermore, maintain a strong focus on branding. Ensure your video content aligns seamlessly with your brand values. Leverage video effectively to enhance brand recognition within a competitive marketplace.
2. Chatbots and AI’s Emerging Role in Content Creation
Chatbots and AI are revolutionizing content creation and delivery processes. AI already assists content creators in producing higher-quality content. We are witnessing the emergence of tools powered by Natural Language Generation (NLG) technology specifically designed for content creation.
Tools like Clearscope, Frase, and Surfer are being readily adopted by content creators to generate SEO-optimized content. These tools leverage Natural Language Processing (NLP) to analyze high-ranking content and identify relevant keywords to incorporate into your articles.
AI-driven chatbots enable continuous communication with your customer base. Beyond facilitating user-generated content (UGC), chatbots serve as valuable channels for content sharing, making them a noteworthy content marketing trend to watch.
Moreover, AI-powered chatbots empower companies to offer round-the-clock on-site support. While AI chatbots do have their limitations and are not yet sophisticated enough to fully replace customer service or sales account executives, they effectively handle basic inquiries.
3. Voice Search Optimization for Enhanced Visibility
Microsoft highlights that over a quarter of the global population utilizes voice search on their smartphones, a trend projected to continue in the coming years. To capitalize on this expanding user base, prioritize optimizing your content for voice search to drive additional organic traffic to your site.
Since voice search is inherently more conversational than traditional text-based searches, it’s crucial to analyze and restructure your content to rank higher in voice search results. Integrate FAQs into your blogs and product pages. These concise sections, rich with question keywords, significantly improve voice search ranking. Google easily extracts content from FAQ sections, often displaying them as featured snippets.
Structure your content using clear pointers to break it down into digestible fragments. This enhances its visibility in voice search results. Since Google favors long-form content, incorporate long-tail keywords naturally within your content to align with conversational voice queries.
4. Topical Authority: A Cornerstone of Content Marketing Strategy
Thanks to Google’s Hummingbird algorithm update in 2013, topical authority has taken center stage in SEO. This algorithm empowered Google to rank websites based on their relevance to a specific query.
Google’s recent patent filings indicate a strong emphasis on understanding user intent more deeply. This means that to secure high rankings on search engine results pages (SERPs), content must not only be well-optimized but also highly relevant to the search query. In essence, achieving high rankings on SERPs requires a dedicated focus on building topical authority.
Topical authority is synonymous with depth.
Create comprehensive, long-form content that delivers substantial value to your intended audience. Enhance readability and comprehension by incorporating visuals like images and graphs. Essentially, the more comprehensively you cover a topic, the better. This holds true for both nurturing your personal blog and bolstering your guest blogging.
As previously mentioned, tools like Frase, Clearscope, and Surfer can be instrumental in crafting content optimized for topical authority.
Always prioritize grammar and clarity in your writing. Remember, your brand’s reputation is on the line.
5. Interactive Content: A Powerful Engagement Tool
In the realm of visual marketing, interactive content is rapidly gaining traction. Interactive content is designed to actively engage your audience.
Quizzes are a prime example of effective interactive content. Leverage quizzes to attract your target demographic, generate leads, and ultimately boost conversions. Quizzes can also be used strategically to segment your audience and gain deeper insights into their interests and preferences.
Interactive videos represent another compelling content format worth exploring. Data from Optinmonster reveals a growing number of marketers embracing interactive videos to captivate their target audiences.
Websites frequently integrate visually appealing videos to enhance their overall visual appeal. Netflix, the renowned American streaming platform, took the concept of interactive videos a step further. They created a groundbreaking movie where viewers actively determined the fate of the main character. This innovative approach garnered immense popularity, even being dubbed Netflix’s secret marketing weapon.
6. Hyper-Personalized Content: Catering to Individual Needs
HGSDigital reports that a significant 86% of customers crave a more personalized experience. This desire for tailored experiences is only expected to intensify in the years to come.
As artificial intelligence continues to evolve, you’ll gain access to even more comprehensive customer data, empowering you to create increasingly personalized content. Today’s average consumer utilizes at least two to three digital devices, providing ample opportunities to gather valuable data through AI.
Therefore, prioritize the creation of content that directly addresses the specific needs and interests of your customers. Hyper-personalized content fosters meaningful interactions with your audience, ultimately cultivating stronger customer loyalty.
Conclusion
Content marketing is a powerful strategy, but its success hinges on delivering the right content to the right audience. Defining the “right” content requires a deep understanding of your target audience’s preferences, which are constantly evolving. It’s crucial to adapt your content accordingly to reflect these shifts.
This article explored six prominent content marketing trends to watch closely. By integrating these trends into your content marketing strategy, you’ll be well-positioned to effectively reach your target audience. May these insights guide you toward achieving your content marketing goals.
About the Author
Sam is a valued member of the marketing team at Mailshake. Sam is passionate about inspiring individuals to not only persevere but to thrive. When not immersed in publishing or promoting compelling content, you’ll likely find Sam engaged in sports or showcasing his culinary skills in the kitchen.
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