Whizzing through to 2014, marketing professionals are already predicting the next content marketing trends and changes in store for 2014. Here’s what we’ll be seeing more of in the year…
Measuring the impact of copy will shift from engaging audiences to conversions into sales
So far, content marketing has predominantly been about building the relationship with customers through blogs, ebooks, etc. As there are so many different strategies, it is hard to measure the direct impact of copy on generating sales.
The Sticky Content 2013 survey found that nearly twice as many content professionals thought that measuring the impact of copy was more difficult than briefing the writer and writing the copy. But next year will see a shift away from soft engagement metrics (such as ‘likes’, ‘retweets’, ‘shares’) towards content that actually generates sales.
This move towards conversions will overcome the continual difficulties with measuring the impact of copy and content marketers will be able to see what kind of content works and what doesn’t.
The emergence of content marketing roles within companies
Next year will see the emergence of content-marketer job titles, as more companies value what content marketing can do for them.
Content creation and dissemination will receive a bigger budget as content marketing gathers more support from companies.
Companies will invest more time in developing a consistent marketing strategy while those that don’t will find their content is less effective.
‘Next year will be the year where brands learn to become publishers of their own content’ (Forbes).
Mobile content strategy will be more significant
Mobile devices will dominate next year, overtaking desktop and notebooks making mobile content strategy even more important.
Information such as when, where and how content is being used can be easily measured and will be able to inform a brand’s future mobile content strategy.
‘Social timing’, which is about reaching the target audience at the right time, will become even more relevant and will also help brands get their content seen.
With information available such as location and personal preferences, brands will be better at delivering their content and flash deals, coupons, offers based on these details will be increasingly used.
The popularity of Google+ will lead to new content marketing based there
The growth of Google+ over the next year will also change content marketing.
Brands can provide exclusive content for their users on Google+, which is not available on other social media platforms. This will make Google+ an important place for content dissemination and content sharing.
Content marketing will become more personalised
Google’s Hummingbird algorithm brings changes within the landscape of content marketing. Hummingbird rewards high quality, original content over keywords in its search engine. As a result, content marketing will become increasingly more creative and original – whilst delivering more specific responses to users’ needs. Brands will create targeted and sophisticated content to their customers.
This personalised approach to content marketing reflects the interests, needs and wants of prospective customers can influence them earlier which may influence their customer journey. In addition, automated content will not work well next year as this content will have less reach by efforts that try to minimise it. Next year, we will see brands deliver higher quality and more personalised content to their audiences.
Expert opinions
"As connectivity, device and app design continues to improve we'll see a shift towards this being video content and we'll see more investment in the quality of content coming from brands, effective distribution of it and the measurement of it's impact."
Alastair Cotterill, creative strategist, Facebook
“Smart brands will focus on the genuine quality of their output and as a result receive the audience's trust, attention and custom.”
Robin Barns, digital director, Cedar
“For The Coca-Cola Company the major trend in terms of content marketing will be the move towards real-time marketing…We now have the technological ability to respond to the cultural context as and when it is happening.”
Jonathan Mildenhall, senior vice president of marketing communication and design, Coca-Cola.
“Central to strategy should be a usably responsive site with content correctly formatted so opportunities for engagement of the out-and-about consumer can be realised. Most brands must be persuaded to do much better and surely next year they will.” Tom Laidlaw, CEO, Videojug
“Could 2014 see the emergence of the master device - the go-to platform that every consumer will want to use?...We think user experience design and search will come into play significantly next year, as companies seek to tailor their sites more effectively to meet customers' entry points.”
Rob Taylor, Press Association
Any thing to add, let me know your thoughts in commnets.
Author Bio
JonJon Yeung loves to cover topics like search marketing and importance of quality content. He regularly updates himself with the current industry trends, you can follow him for more adventures.Photograph: Petar Chernaev/Getty Images
