In the constantly evolving world of content marketing, it can be hard to know which trends are fleeting, and which are here to stay. As shifts in human behavior take place, and new technologies emerge, marketing trends continue to advance and shape every industry.
It’s now more important than ever to reach your target audience in new and dynamic ways to stay ahead of the competition. Let’s explore some of the latest content marketing trends and predictions to improve your overall marketing strategy to help drive success.
Expertise Is Key
Google is placing an increased emphasis on E-E-A-T (Experience- Expertise- Authoritativeness- Trustworthiness) and many industries are beginning to take note. This is especially important for websites focusing on YMYL (Your-Money-Your-Life) topics like health, finances, state of mind, and current events.
Gone are the days when just anyone can provide information, advice, and ideas on a specific topic. Let’s be honest, not everyone is an expert and Google knows it. In order to compete in today’s landscape, your content must come from real subject-matter experts to be considered relevant in the eyes of search engines, like Google.
When producing content, you’ll want to focus on original, in-depth material that is written by an expert and backed by research. Additionally, in order to develop trustworthiness, you’ll want to add an author name, along with their credentials and a bio to your blog posts or other web pages.
Increased Use of AI
The buzz about AI-powered content is skyrocketing and this trend is predicted to continue well beyond 2023. Not only can AI algorithms analyze tremendous amounts of useful data regarding customer behavior, but they can also create content at scale.
AI can generate ideas and copy that is uniquely tailored to your target audience. However, it’s important to note that AI often misses the mark with respect to brand voice and authentic messaging. Any content written by AI will require a human touch to not only fact-check but also to provide more feeling and connectivity.
AI-powered chatbots which provide 24/7 customer support are also increasing in popularity. Chatbots on websites and various social media platforms can support customer inquiries with no wait time and enhance the overall user experience.
Emphasis on Evergreen Content
With no expiration date, evergreen content remains relevant and topical despite the ever-changing digital marketing trends in our fast-paced world. This type of content is valuable because it can improve the authority of your website, help you enhance your SEO, and can be seamlessly incorporated into your long-term content marketing strategies.
Evergreen content is unique as it tends to attract organic traffic to your post with consistency, staying immune from the ups and downs of more trendy posts. Examples of evergreen content may include how-to guides, e-books, case studies, and product reviews.
Prioritizing Reactive Content
The 24/7 news cycle is fast and furious. This always-moving, always-changing barrage of information is fickle; what’s trending today may not be popular tomorrow. While evergreen content is important, reactive content shouldn’t be ignored.
Reactive content is content that relates to trending topics, breaking news stories, and themes in the hopes of riding a news wave in real time. This type of content can be a simple meme on social media, or a longer form, in-depth article. Regardless of the platform, reactive content is time-sensitive, in other words, you’ll have to be quick on the draw to ensure its success.
Staying on top of the biggest news in your industry and keeping a close watch of Google trends are keys to generating relevant reactive content.
Quality Over Quantity
With the rise of AI-generated content, you may be tempted to pump out loads of “free” content and ads to bolster your website. However, studies show that the average consumer likely sees 5,000 or more ads each day resulting in content overload.
Therefore, in order to satisfy the internet-savvy consumer your content must be fine-tuned to help the reader examine a specific topic in greater detail or help solve a problem. SEO will continuously favor quality over quantity resulting in a more informative website, increased visibility, and higher quality leads.
Highlighting Interactive Content
Interactive content is another digital marketing trend that is on the rise. Not only is interactive content fun, it also serves as a unique way to engage and educate the consumer. In fact, according to the Content Marketing Institute, 75% of marketers believe that educating the consumer is the main reason for including interactive content across various platforms. Other reasons to include interactive content may be to promote engagement, to help generate leads, and to create brand awareness.
Examples of interactive content may include quizzes, surveys, polls, interactive infographics, or games. This type of content can not only capture the attention of your target audience but also serves as a tool to gain valuable insights into their preferences and interests. These insights can then be used to tailor future content and marketing strategies.
Video Content Will Rise To The Top
Content marketing trends have emphasized video content for several years now, and it is showing no signs of letting up. A recent report noted that 73% of consumers prefer to watch a short-form video (1 minute or less) to learn about a product or service. Additionally, the report found that short-form video has the highest return on investment (ROI), and remains the best format to improve lead generation and engagement.
Many platforms including TikTok, Reels, Instagram Stories, YouTube Shorts, and Pinterest offer editing tools, fun effects, and music clips to create content that is engaging, informative, and visually appealing to your target audience.
The Bottom Line
In this ever-changing world, keeping up with the latest content marketing trends is key to staying ahead of the competition. Whether you choose blogs, video, or interactive content, you’ll want to make sure that your content is compelling, engaging, authentic, and in alignment with your brand voice.
Following the latest digital marketing trends will ensure that you continue to reach your intended audience and continue to build strong relationships with customers to help further your business’s success.
Want to add any of these trends to your 2023 marketing plan? Reach out to our team of expert registered dietitians.
