Content marketing, like everything else in the business sector, is always evolving. In order to distinguish yourself from the competition, especially in today’s digital environment, you must remain abreast of current trends as they come and go or morph into best practises. This article will detail the biggest trends to anticipate in 2023 so that you can stay ahead of the curve.
1. VIDEO AND INTERACTIVE CONTENT
Video is permanent! TikTok ruled the scene in 2020, leading the globe to algorithmically crafted happiness (plus a few unexpected dance trends). Instagram responded to its formidable rival in July 2021 by offering artists prizes for publishing video content rather than static photographs. This has altered consumer behaviour, as consumers are now poised to watch their preferred brands and producers generate captivating video content.
Interactive content is essential to a successful marketing plan. Anything from Instagram polls to giveaways to newsletter subscriptions may help you establish a devoted following and enhance interaction. This implies that you should incorporate interactive features, such as video embeds and call-to-action buttons, into your static content.
2. DEMOCRATIZATION OF DESIGN
With the proliferation of user-friendly production tools like as Canva, graphic design is more accessible and easier to use than ever before. Those who do not consider themselves designers are able to produce gorgeous designs using premade templates. After content is generated, Issuu enables its users to expand its reach. In addition to easy connections with Canva and InDesign, built-in tools like as Articles and Social Posts allow you to develop supplementary materials without further effort. 2023 is the year to generate aesthetically beautiful content across all platforms.
3. AI AND AUTOMATION
It is anticipated that our dependence on automation and Artificial Intelligence (AI) will continue to increase. From editing tools such as Grammarly to chatbots such as ChatFuel, businesses of all sizes and sectors are using AI-powered marketing solutions. This tendency will continue to expand as AMP builders and autocomplete capabilities in applications such as Google Documents increase automation. This intelligent technology enables businesses to automate their choices, freeing up precious time for planning, team-building, and growth-hacking sessions.
4. RELIANCE ON DATA
Considering the move towards short-form content such as videos and the push towards automation, content marketing is developing towards data and innovation like never before. By analysing how your content performs across platforms, being able to interpret your data will enable you to enhance content quarter over quarter. This will be a crucial year for technologies that assist content marketers analyse their success and make data-driven decisions, given the abundance of material and constantly-optimizing algorithms they must contend with.
5. ECOMMERCE CONTINUES TO EVOLVE
According to a research by Morgan Stanley, eCommerce may account for 31% of all retail sales in the United States by 2026. This trend is not limited to eCommerce websites; social media commerce, such as Instagram Shopping, and live events, such as Posh Shows on Poshmark and The Drop on Amazon, have primed audiences for shopping across many platforms. To increase sales, time-limited releases and promotions with restricted access generate a feeling of urgency among consumers through limited availability. If you’re a company that offers a product or service and you haven’t yet developed an eCommerce strategy, there’s never been a better moment to begin expanding your digital sales or publishing shoppable catalogues.
6. BLOGGING AND LONG-FORM CONTENT
In 2023, blogs and long-form material will be important. Longer content is a useful tool for content marketing since it passively drives more visitors through SEO optimization and high-quality research. Reports, white papers, and lengthy pieces have the most weight. Researching and writing will need more time, but the benefits will be evident. In a survey from the Content Marketing Institute for the year 2021, 48% of respondents indicated that research studies provided the best outcomes for their marketing efforts. Creators should strive to amass a collection of evergreen material in various media. The expenditure is negligible when compared to the potential return from interested visitors arriving on your site and exploring your products and services.
7. HUMANIZATION OF BRANDS
During the past decade, glossy commercials and professional language in marketing materials have been replaced with a warmer, more conversational tone. Each year, marketing pushes further away from the one-way communication strategy of the past and strives to engage customers in dialogue. Simply simply, brands are evolving to become more human.
Halfway between maximising AI and becoming lost in the metaverse, we expect our content marketing to have a touch of humanity. We’ve witnessed this on Twitter for years, with corporations such as Wendy’s engaging in snarky answers with their followers and Burger King embracing memes and viral trends. Target routinely utilises its social media profiles to connect customers with items, much to how a buddy could make product recommendations in a group chat. Therein lies the expectation of a more personalised experience. Ensure that your material has a consistent tone and style, one that complements your brand and resonates with your audience.
8. VIRTUAL REALITY AND THE METAVERSE
After Meta’s unexpected name change from Facebook at the end of 2021 and their accompanying lavish marketing with everything from television advertisements to influencer collaborations across social media, it seems as though everyone is focused on virtual reality. Everyone has witnessed the rush to participate in virtual reality, or the metaverse, as some prefer to call it. You may even have a VR headgear hidden away in your closet, ready to make its Christmas debut to an eager audience. People have undoubtedly embraced the concept of a fun-filled virtual world.
Others hypothesised that this phenomenon would arise after a few years of worldwide lockdown and isolation. The momentum of individuals entering the metaverse has been perceptible. According to some estimates, the metaverse industry will reach $800 billion by 2024. Clearly, this rumour has sufficient support to become our new hybrid reality.
Nonetheless, many believe that this will not be our gateway to the future. Despite the fact that there is a lot of money to be earned from this VR push, it may out to be a pricey investment with low long-term rewards. Many will recall that this is not the first time that technology has supported the concept of virtual reality.
9. DIGITAL FATIGUE CONTINUES
Digital weariness, sometimes known as content or format fatigue, may not sound like a great trend in content marketing, but it is nevertheless significant. The most effective content marketing is mindful of where its target audience is and how they will react. The majority of people have spent a considerable lot of time gazing on screens and absorbing material of all types during the past few years. According to a 2022 analysis by Twillio, forty percent of worldwide customers have experienced digital tiredness during the past month.
The good news is that the solution is not to cease content creation. It is to be more deliberate about the sort of material you create and how you utilise it. Keep in mind that your audience may be less interested in attending lengthy webinars or reading daily marketing emails. Never before has it been more critical to keep content concise, interesting, and substantive in order to maintain audience satisfaction.
10. FOCUS ON IMPROVING UX AND UI
User experience has always been important, but customers now have higher expectations than ever before. This is true for the functionality of applications and websites, but it is as crucial to consider the quality of the whole reading experience when designing your UX. How will people find your content? How easily can they gain access? And how well does it render on all devices? Excellent content makes it simple for your audience to explore your website or app, and platforms that provide a bad reading experience will not perform effectively.