Actual Content Marketing Trends To Follow
Almost a fifth of webmasters has a clear idea of the essence the content has. Such data indicate, firstly, the lack of a systematic skill base, and also it is connected with the low efficiency of actions.
And the essence is the creation of any info that provokes the reaction of visitors and makes current questions clear.
Why do we need this? Firstly, to promote the site in search engines. Gather the semantic core, create a plan of articles and write optimized texts, benefiting readers and rising in the ranking of PS.
Secondly, to make the company known. Tell us the merits your product has and earn a reputation, like the American Amazon, Russian HeadHunter and Ukrainian OLX did. Soon the reputation will begin to work for you.
Thirdly, to involve new and stimulate old clients, increase their loyalty and involvement.
Other reasons that demonstrate: content marketing is an important sales tool.
Content marketing is also used for:
• Attracting new and retaining existing customers;
• The increase in traffic flow;
• The increase in customer loyalty;
• Forming demand for goods and services, for example, through training materials.
It can be profitable. Especially if you are eager to produce specialized materials, such as e-books and training courses, make videos and webinars and sell it.
Expenses and Income
In 2016, 75% of companies increased their budget for content marketing.
Taking statistics, they spend 28% of the budget on this in average. In successful enterprises, this figure is 42%. The leaders spend on it increase to 48%.
The cost depends on capital and current costs. Capital costs are one-time expenses on the creation of a site: design, programming, usability.
Current costs are the costs of doing business, i.e. directly to the content production and publishing. They include the costs of preparing and posting materials (texts, graphics, videos), their distribution etc.
When planning your marketing budget cost-effectiveness are a cornerstone of all. It is estimated by the ROI of organic traffic, the data for the calculations of which are collected using CRM systems.
This estimate does not take into account indirect income. For example, content marketing increases brand awareness, but ROI is difficult to evaluate.
Tips for Content Marketing
Evidently, there is no necessity to use only original and new info. As a rule, the website content consists of 65% of unique copyrighted materials, 25% - curated, 10% of aggregated ones.
The form of information in each case is a variable thing and it depends on your goals and demands. Long read is suitable for viewing the TV, a videoguide suits the instructions on connecting it, a short text with photos and pictures for choosing a placement, and a case (a practical example) for sales to attract dealers.
And if we consider everything in detail, then let's highlight the main trends, which definitely should be paid attention to when planning your strategy in content marketing.
1. Consider all kinds of content
To understand what content is needed, do a study of the interests of the pool. Based on it, develop a strategy: type, frequency and presentation methods.
The endless stream of information and the group of writers even if they are influencers no longer work. A deeper and more detailed approach is needed. To do this, analyze, personalize and adapt your content.
Do not limit to writing texts. Implementation and maintenance of content marketing should be carried out by specialists who are can:
• work with filming, audio and graphic material, i.e. use motion graphics in video;
• optimize content for different publication formats;
• distribute content;
• create a strategy and implement it;
• communicate with clients;
• analyze and collect performance indicators.
2. Use modern technology
Thanks to the IoT, users have access to content not only from the screens of their devices. For example, the voice assistant from Amazon - Alexa. It provides information on a Q & A basis almost instantly. On October 10, 2017, the Russian company Yandex introduced its voice assistant, Alice. It is similar in functionality to Alexa - it will find information on the Internet, tell you where to eat dinner, show the weather for tomorrow and so on. Already there is information about how Alice participated in the advertising of the TV series. Use these new features and integrate them into your content development and distribution.
3. Build trust
The user trusts large media platforms. Invite them to print your article. If the editors accept it, excellent, but if not, do not despair. Find out what didn't fit. Make edits and try again.
All released content should answer the user's questions and remove his concerns. For example, on the site of the Canadian "McDonald's" anyone can ask a question about the composition of products and their manufacture. The guide doesn’t just print the answers - questions are often used for videos on the YouTube channel. And many today choose a simple and affordable way to gain confidence among their customers - they use explainer video production studios to create cartooned video series about the products. Short hand-drawn videos evoke subconscious empathy and at the same time reveal the idea of your product.
4. Help the user to buy
Your goal as a marketer using content is to accompany users on a sales funnel. They should receive metered information at every step of the decision.
The main mistake of many companies is that they do not evenly distribute content throughout the user path: first, they drop information on the subscriber, and then they seem to forget about it.
5. Implement live video feeds
Livestream experts published user preference statistics. More than 80% of respondents chose video broadcasts.
Create video feeds on Facebook. Talk about the brand, stream with subscribers. They react to such content more actively and comment 10 times more often than regular videos.
6. Make it integrated with virtual reality
With the development of virtual reality (VR), content marketing has gained even more opportunities.
For example, IKEA has released an app with additional reality for iPhones. In it, you can "try on" your favorite furniture before purchase.
The strategy that implies clear, honest and structured content marketing will win. A strategy built not on the banal connections of events and news feeds, but something unique, not keeping up with the rest of the Internet.
