6 Content Marketing Trends of 2016

 

 

Succeeding in the digital age requires a comprehensive online strategy. To do that, it’s paramount to stay up-to-date with this year’s hottest, most profitable content marketing trends. Using outdated techniques isn’t going to cut it and can result in turning off your web visitors.

Here are this year’s 6 most important trends in content marketing, which all businesses should integrate into their online marketing approaches.

#1 Long-Form Content Marketing Will Hit the Scene

This is the year that businesses will finally realize that long-form content sells. Rather than limiting oneself to mini blog posts, companies will jump on the bandwagon of long-form articles and more substantive posts.

Leading content marketers have already been writing blog posts that have thousands of words, and more businesses will soon follow suit. For example, even typical blog posts at Hubspot run over a thousand words.

The reason why long-form blogs are in vogue is that online consumers are tired of reading stale content. There is a high level of demand for original and unique material, which is why readers are flocking to top-tier long-form blogs.

#2 Writers Will Have to Keep Up with Artificial Intelligence

While the most cost-effective plan for your content marketing strategy may have been outsourcing to freelancers, in 2016, you can expect algorithms to begin playing a more dominant role.

This doesn’t mean that readers won’t be able to tell the difference between human and robotic writing, but it does mean that the quality of your site’s content will need to improve drastically.

Hiring a top-tier content marketing firm will be essential to staying ahead of the curve.

 #3 Content Marketing Will Merge with Social Media

Online marketers have long thought of content and social media as two divergent approaches to digital marketing success. In reality, the most effective strategies will be those that integrate social media and content marketing into one seamless approach.

This doesn’t mean that social media and content marketing are identical, but each can be used to strengthen the other.

This requires that everyone on your marketing team is on the same page, so that your company’s branding is reinforced on all platforms.

Home Depot is a brand that uses its Facebook page to leverage its first-rate blog by attracting traffic and reaching out to a wider audience.  With more than 2.2 million Facebook likes, this is a powerful tactic for increasing their blog’s traffic.

#4 Unique Content Will Dominate Online Marketing

The sad reality is that many content writers have gotten lazy and have been regurgitating stale content that’s available elsewhere on the web. This may have cut it in the past, but recent updates to the Google algorithm will penalize this type of web content.

Readers are only going to get excited about content that’s original, which means that recycling blog posts won’t suffice for businesses in 2016.

The most successful brands will be able to provide valuable and original content to their readers on a regular basis.

To learn more about what original blogging looks like, check out the Whole Foods blog which offers their target market exactly what they’re looking for: health recipes, relevant health news, creative ideas, and more.

 

 #5 Brands Will Publish Directly to Social Media

A major change to social media that will shake up the world of content marketing is the ability to publish directly to social media. Facebook has pioneered in this area by creating Instant Articles, but you can be sure that other social media platforms will follow suit.

The benefit for businesses is that by choosing the right content marketers, you’ll have an easier time creating viral content.

#6 Content Will Become More Interactive

Internet users have come to expect one-on-one engagement, and this trend will only increase in the coming year. Satisfying these users will require businesses to create more interactive content rather than just static blog posts.

In other words, rather than just handing over information, marketers will have to consciously increase user engagement.

For more information on how to create cutting-edge web copy, reach out to us today.