Scientists have predicted that 2015 is going to be the warmest year on record and the price of coffee is expected to rise. However, talking purely in terms of relevance, here are some predictions that might be evoke greater interest if you are a content marketing professional:
Value Over Volume
With social networks having become primary sources of content discovery, some businesses have been fussing over the number of views/likes/followers to assess the effectiveness of online marketing campaigns. Although they aren’t completely wrong in doing so, wise marketers will tell you that there’s more to content marketing.
The internet is becoming increasingly personalized, creating virtual communities that share specific interests. The key to having any real impact through content marketing lies in being acknowledged and embraced by people who truly identify with your brand story.
Emphasis on the Role of Influencers
Owing to the humanization of content marketing, social media influencers will gain a greater significance in the year ahead. Internet celebrities who produce original content will be preferred as brand ambassadors. While they may not necessarily have the largest following, powerful influencers will be those who connect with a more receptive audience. In essence, content marketers should be paying greater attention to influencers with an active and dedicated following.
Focus on Paid Distribution
More and more businesses are realizing the importance of content marketing, which means more and more businesses are now creating more and more content. In such a competitive scenario, businesses will learn that they have to master one more aspect of the content marketing cycle – paid distribution.
Having a sound distribution strategy is as important as creating original content. While your content should be optimized to maximize organic search results, using paid tools such as Outbrain ensures that your content reaches the intended audience.
A Paradigm Shift
While people continue to consume information through mainstream media, the internet is becoming a significant access route to the sustenance of mainstream stardom. A solid case in point, Jamie Oliver’s Food Tube. Despite being a celebrity TV chef, Oliver’s Youtube channel garnered little success since it was first launched in 2010. The channel that got 51,895 subscriptions between 2010 and 2012, boasts a whopping 1,179,839 subscriptions today.
The revival of Oliver’s channel can be directly attributed the overhaul it received in 2012, with concentrated efforts in creating a strong and connected community of food lovers. Needless to say the structured approach to content creation and distribution paid off well for Oliver.
The future will also see a seamless integration of social media marketing and SEO. Location-based mobile marketing will continue to gain momentum and businesses will pay greater attention to content curation in an attempt to establish themselves as authorities within a particular industry. But these are just a few things we see coming our way. What do you think 2015 will unfold for the content marketing professional?
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