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What Are the Most Important Trends for 2018 Content Marketing?
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December 2017
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Have you been committed to developing a content marketing strategy for your business? If so, you’ve probably seen results already and you’re wondering how to tweak your approach in the coming year. Content marketing in 2018 will be dependent on a number of trends that will determine the topics, the formats, the length and all other important content features.
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Photograph by kentoh via Bogstock.com
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100 Percent Transparency
The days of straightforward, promotional text are long gone. If you have a hidden agenda when it comes to content creation, chances are that your audience will find out soon and these people will feel alienated.
People are looking for 100 percent transparency from their interactions with brands today. Content has to be useful, informative and crafted for the reader. If you want to post something promotional, you should make sure that people understand the nature of this content in advance.
To understand this specific of content marketing in 2018, you may want to take a look at the following Nielsen survey. It shows that people don’t trust branded content. Even if you “hide” a promotional message inside your content, it’s not going to get the job done.
When it comes to trust in advertising formats (for North America), 82 percent of the individuals questioned trust personal recommendations Sixty-one percent of the respondents said that they trust in branded websites. Here are the trust levels for several other media types – 64 percent trust emails that they’ve signed up for, 63 percent trust editorial content, 47 percent trust video ads and 42 percent trust social media ads.
Consumers do not feel that they get authenticity from ads. This is why you may want to keep your content and your straightforward advertising efforts separate. Content should be used for reputation establishment – a long-term goal that will have a positive impact on brand awareness. Sure, you can have a call to action in your texts but the primary purpose should be to inform or entertain your readers.
Focus on Content Originality
This content marketing in 2018 trend is no brainer but special emphasis has to be put on it.
A recent report suggests that in 2018, Apple is planning to invest over one billion dollars in original content creation for its streaming platform. The brand is well aware of the need to stay relevant and consistent in advertising efforts. This is one of the main reasons why it is putting so much emphasis on the creation of original content.
Rehashing content that’s already been created by you in the past or seeing what the competition is doing only to repeat it will no longer deliver the desired results.
You have to be original in terms of niche topics and formats. The approach to writing should also be chosen to surprise the audience and contribute to the positive experience.
Addictive and original content is incredibly difficult to plan. If you accomplish the goal, however, you will establish a loyal audience for life. Start by doing competition research to see what others are focusing on and what you should avoid. Based on this information and on analytics data, experiment with an editorial strategy that’s tailored to the specific needs of your audience.
Understand the Impact of New Technologies
The manner in which people consume content is changing because of new technologies. Virtual reality, wearable smart devices and voice searches are changing the standard ways in which people used to get information in the past.
The content marketing approach that delivered excellent results three years ago can’t be expected to get the job done in 2018.
For a start, text should be diversified with diagrams, videos, podcasts and even virtual reality experiences for the audience. Multiple formats create diversity and boost engagement.
In addition, content optimization should now focus on mobile devices and voice searches. The manner in which people do voice search is very different from typing a query. Texts should now answer specific questions, they should put emphasis on location and be more specific/niche than ever before.
Micro-Moment Content
The term micro-moment will also affect content marketing in 2018.
Micro-moments are an inevitable result of the rise of mobile technologies. In the past, people spent hours in front of the computer screen, searching for information. Today, they have access to internet in their pockets. They can make sporadic information searches based on impulsive decisions. These impulsive decisions are the so-called micro-moments.
There are dozens of such micro-moments. I-want-to-know, I-want-to-go, I-want-to-buy and I-want-to-do micro-moments are the three broadest distinctions. These are the moments that make people turn on a mobile device like a smartphone or a tablet to look for information.
When questions arise, 96 percent of people use their mobile device to get an answer. The specific of such searches is that the access to the relevant information has to be immediate. There’s no need for a lengthy article or a story. People will skim through data to find what they’re looking for.
Micro-moments affect the manner people interact with brands and view content. Content formatting, the manner in which the information is presented and even the topic are based on these heat of the moment decisions that potential clients make.
In order to come up with content that addresses relevant micro-moments, you need to have a good idea about the most common questions your audience has. Interactions with clients, surveys and analytics data can provide some information about the behavior of website visitors and brand customers. Based on this information, a thorough content audit should be done.
Take Your Content Marketing to the Next Level, Get Professional Help
Staying on top of your content marketing strategy can be difficult with so many changes on the horizon. Getting professional assistance is one of the best ways to get a high ROI and to craft content that will address all of your marketing needs.
The Iris Content team is constantly working on the adoption of new trends and strategies that boost content relevance, SEO value and originality. We know what today’s internet user wants and how to appeal to the specific audience that a brand is interested in.
Please do not hesitate to contact us to find out more or explore one of our 2017 holiday packages.
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Annie has 20 years of experience as an editor and content creator and manager. With work in television and written media, she has dedicated her past 10 years to learning the ropes of online content creation, from writing to editing, from SEO to content management.
If you need a professional to handle all your content during the hectic festive season, Iris Content is launching a few holiday packages that you can take advantage of. Reach out to us and we will help your business shine this holiday season!
Contact Annie to learn how you can take advantage of our holiday packages.
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