How to Elevate Your Business With Content Marketing Trends For 2020

Now that 2019 is in your rearview, you should already be looking ahead to expand your content marketing efforts. However, don’t discount the value of a shoulder check. An analysis of last year’s performance will clarify what worked, what didn’t, and how you plan to overcome challenges to achieve your business goals and identify a way to measure your successes.

Content marketing approaches continue to be progressive in the way content is created, distributed and consumed. We reviewed various leading industry experts to determine some steadfast and exciting content marketing trends to watch for in 2020. Here’s just a few.

Visual Storytelling & Video (including short-form)

• If you haven’t already, jump on this rising trend—which users consume thoroughly—to help ensure your brand remains engaging and relatable. YouTube’s popularity is staggering; a base of 2-billion monthly users worldwide is up from 1.8 million in 2018. (Hootsuite).
• Quality storytelling will help to engage and retain your target audience. As per thinkwithgoogle.com from the “How People Shop with YouTube” study, reveals that more than 50% of shoppers say online video has helped them decide which specific brand or product to buy. Moreover, according to a HubSpot survey of over 3,000 consumers, 54% of 35-44-year-olds want to see more video content from brands they support.
• Short-form video — in other words snackable content—can elevate your business through Snapchat, Facebook Stories and Instagram Stories among others, using a personal touch. You can position your brand as a helpful expert by assisting your audience to learn new ideas, services and products in a 10-second video. It’s quick and digestible, and easy for your user to remember and share your message. Because it’s short-lived, it successfully conquers a consumer’s short attention span.

User-Generated Content (UGC)

• Remember Coca-Cola’s highly engaging ‘Share a Coke’ campaign, encouraging fans (i.e. users/unpaid contributors) to find a family member or friend’s name on a Coke, give it to them, and share it on social? Consumers were connecting with each other and became the centre of the narrative by posting/sharing their images. Those unpaid contributors promoted the brand instead of Coca-Cola promoting themself. That’s the key; people provided them free viral content marketing. Within the first year, Coca-Cola gained about 25 million new Facebook followers. Not to mention the call-to-action to buy more product.
• UGC is any form of content, e.g. video, images, blog comments, reviews, testimonials, tweets, etc., that users have a hand in creating. Not only does it bring authenticity, influence purchase decisions, and drive engagement between a brand or business, but also, in turn, your business can leverage UGC for ranking.

Personalized Content

• With an overwhelming amount of online content available, it’s become increasingly crucial to segment your prospects and customers with the right content: personalized content. Personalized content is meant to deliver exactly what a user is looking for and encourages them to engage with your brand further.
• This trend continues to grow as consumers are looking to connect with brands in a meaningful way. Tailored content and messaging based on targeted users’ behaviour and preferences is more likely to garner a connection and inspire relationship building.
• Personalized content makes your user feel acknowledged, especially when you aim specific messages/ads targeted at common pain points and their particular needs at a certain time.
• Effectively manage your social media channels to automate the curation and delivery of laser-focused content to entice your target audience to interact, i.e. make a purchase, take a survey or quiz, sign up for your newsletter, etc.

Yardstick Services offers a full suite of digital marketing services. If you have any questions, or are looking for support, please feel free to contact us by email or give us a call: 604.474.3631.