Much like the ever-changing persona landscape [link], content marketing changes each year to grow and keep up with target markets and consumer mindset. Get a head start on the competition and make the most of your marketing efforts with content that is relevant and on-point with these top content marketing trend predictions for 2015.
- A Shift from Broad Targeting to Personalized Targeting – Michael Brenner, Head of Strategy from NewsCred predicts: “So content will become targeted and more personal! Content marketing will take a seat at the table, with budget and someone with authority to drive strategic content programs.”
- Paid Placements Back on the Rise – Native ads [link] are better in generating higher engagement and as much as an 82% increase in brand recognition. On top of that, purchase intent can jump up to 53% higher when native advertising is used.
- The Automation of Marketing Goes Mainstream – Digital marketers are starting to get more comfortable using marketing technology and feel that they need to boost and improve their technologies. More than 82% of B2B marketers are increasing their content production this year. And 61% of marketers will use marketing automation platforms, up from 43% last year.
- Companies Will Hire Professional Content Writers – Instead of using employees with existing job duties to create content, companies will hire editorial teams to create higher quality content better optimized for placement and engagement strategies.
- Focus Shifts to Distribution via Social Marketing – Research indicates that only 26% of digital marketers have invested in social media distribution. However 94% agree to its importance and by 2015 expect to see more businesses include social media in their content marketing mix.
- Mobile Marketing Will Become a Major Player – New technologies are entering the marketplace allowing small to medium sized companies to take advantage of the opportunities provided by mobile marketing.
- Content Marketing will Shift to Visual Storytelling – The popularity of white papers is declining relative to interactive, easily digestible formats such as video, infographics, and slide shares. Visual storytelling boosts the chance content will stand out and get attention from targeted audiences.
- The Switch from Facebook to YouTube – Largely due to the change to visual storytelling, YouTube is gaining popularity as a distribution platform to reach and engage B2B audiences.