Written by: Morgan Kaenzig de Denus
Like technology and fashion, content marketing is constantly evolving. It’s a revolving door of trends that either suddenly hit the mainstream and disappear overnight or prove their worth and become best practices.
For example, look at what has happened since the pandemic’s onset: 72% of B2B marketers have changed their content strategy, and 70% of brands have changed their audience messaging and targeting. This occurred over the span of three years — think of how much has changed in the last decade!
Today, consumers have access to over a billion websites. Businesses that keep up with what’s popular can set themselves apart, while those that stubbornly use the same old strategies will fade into the background. But what exactly is resonating with customers these days? Let’s break down 2023’s four biggest content marketing trends to help you stay on the cutting edge of content.
1. The Humanization of Brands
Businesses are made of people — and people are wired to connect through conversational language. No longer can you rely on detached material, hard sales pitches, and jargon to impress audiences. Instead, concentrate on being relatable, empathetic, and transparent. When you speak to your audience on an emotional and human level rather than a business level, you can create deeper relationships and real connections.
2. Thought Leadership
For years, companies have used blogs, long-form content, and thought leadership pieces to drive traffic, and they’re sticking around for 2023 and beyond! These content types provide readers with valuable research, ideas, or opinions, all wrapped up in a quality, engaging read that can generate backlinks and mentions. In return, consumers may view you as an authority in your niche and even widely share your content. It’s no wonder 65% of businesses already include thought leadership in their content marketing!
3. Video and Interactive Content
The average person watches 19 hours of videos each week, and short-form video is responsible for 80% of mobile data traffic. It’s time to tap into this thirst for content and make sure your marketing team can create high-quality short videos that capture attention and generate conversation.
We’re not saying you have to start making elaborate 10-minute videos. Bite-sized content is the way to go. Just look at the success of TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts. Unsure where to start? Pick a platform that works for you, and experiment with product demos, pre-recorded online courses, thought leadership videos, interviews, or ads!
4. Value-Driven Content
There’s an endless supply of content, but there’s only so much time in the day. Audiences don’t want to waste time on mediocre content that doesn’t help them. That’s why you need to create value-driven content. Think about your customers, their needs, and how you can add value as you plan your content — and don’t forget to use data to tailor content to customers’ needs!
Related: Build Your Own Lead Machine: How To Turn Thought Leadership Into Tangible Marketing Results