It feels like as a society we just started to get a good rhythm on our new normal, but, now knowing how fast life can change, we must start preparing for the future now.

Content marketing can been seen as your companies’ “authentic voice” because it deals more with education versus the push of promotional marketing we are all used to from days past. Content marketing is a large part of your consumer’s entire experience with your brand than just being seen as another sale.

Your company’s content marketing strategy has to start with a story – one that can be redesigned and revised for different channels and platforms to create the consistent messaging that becomes your overall integrated marketing strategy.

Influencer Marketing

For years, celebrities and influencers with a following of millions have been partnered with to increase brand awareness. In 2020, we saw this switch with the rise of Tik Tok and Instagram stories and reels – to the use of influencers with a smaller, yet extremely loyal following. These influencers are able to offer a specific niche and receptive audience to increase conversions.

The partner you work with will not only bring with them their own network of followers, but their follower’s network as well. You have automatically increased your social media presence and traffic to your site through this connection.

Even though there are many options to block out the marketing noise that people can hear through commercials with on-demand, streaming, and settings to block certain items seen on your feed – the internet has become the avenue where everyone is corralled and influencer marketing provides an opportunity to align with an influencer who will best support your brand’s vision and goals.

With users intent in their own desire to become more educated through articles, tutorials, etc., while we are engaged online more, as well – your company can find the silver-lining in potentially bringing on an influencer that is aligned with the education you wish to present to your users. Videos are an ever-escalating marketing tactic that not only educates, but engages your audience with actionable items still attainable. By 2022, 88% of all internet traffic will be from video and streaming, and downloads. How can an influencer utilize this profitable medium to engage their (and your) consumer base?

Dynamic (Variable) Content

As the consumer is increasingly becoming highly engaged and educated. How can highly personalized marketing pieces be accomplished? Segment your data!

Dynamic content (personalization) means adding specialized messages that are unique to the individual or to a larger group by segmenting your data. Segmenting your data based upon behavior, demographics, geographical location, etc. will help to create those variables in your messages that can optimize conversions. Heavy use of artificial intelligence will impact this trend in 2022. This allows for multiple versions of one message (via preferred channel) to be sent to several different groups easily pending on you slice the data pending user behavior.

One tactic that will be utilized in the next year, one-on-one websites. By using variable data that can be done in emails currently, it will transition to websites to create a custom experience for the consumer based upon contextual knowledge of each individual (email response, clicks on a website, what was viewed before arriving at the intended destination, etc.).

Adding data variables within your copy is another example of achieving personalization without having to create an unrealistic amount of individual emails. Provided you have the right email platform to help you achieve such personalization.

Data-driven Content

When it comes time to strategize and create your content marketing plan, it should be driven by data. So much of what marketers develop should be formed by what data has been gathered and analyzed (as much as it seems like it’s shooting in the darksome days).

Everything listed above (and more) can be tracked and measured to conclude if it was a successful campaign or tactic.

With free tools such as Google Analytics that are available, it is great to see traffic and the consumer journey. If your company is able to, finding software that is capable of seeing a holistic picture of your marketing data in a centralized place will only allow your team to make more informed plans from past performances.

Format Evolution of Interactive Content

Attention spans are so limited these days that what companies need to do is figure out how to grab a consumer’s attention and keep it for longer than 7 seconds. It’s an old marketing tactic with a smaller timeframe for companies to work with. Quizzes, surveys, polls, and highly engaging visuals – such as infographics are great ways to engage and interact with your consumer while having the opportunity to educate them about your company’s products or services.

But how can we evolve? Videos are still great formats of content marketing, but what is the next step? Do we create stimulators based upon a tutorial to help users implement what we are demonstrating? How can artificial intelligence or web development advances enhance the user experiences without it compromising your brand?

Interactive content also speaks to the users that want to create their own content. Mobile apps like TikTok and Snapchat allow for the creativity from individuals to shine through more than what the companies put in front of them. Allowing for space in your company’s strategy to allow for individuality will be key to boost the interaction between you and the consumer.

Having a dedicated team to review comments and questions online is a great form of content marketing through customer service. This team can be your company’s frontline and biggest advocates by interacting and engaging with consumers where they are.

Conclusion

A key component to helping your company ensure success is to critically look at the data being presented to you with a heavy analytical eye and understand what pivots need to be made or what path to continue on. Transparency is what your consumer is looking for with so much that feels out of control, being a trusted voice in the midst of what seems like perpetual chaos will help bring a much-needed calm to those that surround it.

By partnering with Colleen Eakins Design, we can help create visually impactful pieces that will aid your content marketing strategy.