Are you looking for the top 5 content marketing strategies for 2016? Everybody involved with marketing a brand, large or small, has at least dabbled in content marketing. Many marketers are utilizing content to reach out to consumers. However, not all of them are finding success. Because technology has advanced, and the concept of content marketing is now mainstream, producing and growing a robust content marketing strategy is now a must.
In the early days of content marketing, a little online exposure could go a long way. But things have transformed over the last several years. Today’s consumers are overwhelmed by how much content is directed toward them, and spend less time on any particular website. Just putting content out there and hoping for the best doesn’t work anymore. In case your business doesn’t have a solid content marketing strategy or it’s been a while since you last updated your approach, it may be time to modify your 2016 plan. In this article are 5 methods for you to do just that:
1. Include Updates to Your Organization Model
If your brand or customer base is changing, your content and online marketing strategy should too. You should convey the reasons behind focusing on content marketing to all of the stakeholders within your business. You wouldn’t start a business without a strategy, and you shouldn’t start content marketing without the same kind of framework in place.
Incorporate any modified business goals into the content marketing strategy. Anticipate the challenges and opportunities that you’ll face as this plan comes to life. Be sure you determine the behaviors of your ideal customer. Your content strategy should focus on reaching this base with the content that they like to read, in the online places that they frequent. Content material marketing is an excellent way to share your brand story, so as your brand develops, so should your content.
2. Evaluate Your Channel Plan
The digital world is packed with methods and systems where you can talk about your brand story, and each platform or system is a little bit different.
It is not enough to know what to post because where you post is as important as what you post, and what is effective on one platform might not on another. Any time you develop new content you should consider the context in which customers will view it. Articles often need some modification to get attention on certain websites. Somebody reading a blog is not expecting the same kind of content as a person checking their social media account. Evaluating channel trends can assist you to determine what kind of content will work in that medium.
3. Stop Worrying About Volume and Begin Focusing on Value
Many organizations in their haste to jump into content marketing have pushed an abundance of information into the digital space. With that much material floating around, it is probably going to be hard to attract and retain an audience. Even among smaller niches, competition is fierce and acquiring someone’s undivided attention is challenging. Sticking with what’s worked well| in the past may not be|a viable solution for the future when there’s so much information available. To get noticed, online marketers need to be groundbreaking and create content that truly provides value to the customer.
4. Include Visual and Video Elements
Unfortunately, the attention span of the average Internet user is dropping. The typical reader leaves a site within 20 seconds, so marketers don’t have a whole lot of time to reach their audience. Each of our brains is wired to retain information when combined with images. Utilizing compelling imagery with content is a strategy that works, and it makes content more likely to be distributed. Incorporating video content is a common practice for good reason. Video captures and retains attention. Did you know that simply using the word “video” in an email subject line increases the likelihood that it recipients will open it by 19%? Photos, infographics and videos should be a focus of any content online marketing strategy in 2016.
5. Don’t Forget Advances in Technology
Present consumers are growing used to acquiring custom content. Technology has opened doorways, but it has also made it difficult to continue. As more brands discover the steps to getting noticed, targeting your audience becomes more involved. Luckily, technology companies are producing solutions for digital marketers. Applications are now helping marketers to recognize issues and trends and breakthrough complicated algorithms, and develop fresh content that is relevant to their audience.
Technology is also affecting the sort of content that’s people produce. The ubiquitous use of smartphones and tablets means that digital content must be optimized for mobile viewing or get lost in the shuffle. A high number of people browsing on mobile to find a vast majority of their content, so ensuring that visibility of that information on multiple devices can be a critical aspect of your content online marketing strategy. The advancement of technology means content marketing via virtual reality and 360 videos might be a real possibility.
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In case the strategy that you are using to get your content seen online is not producing results, it could be time for an upgrade. By keeping up with trends and revising your plan, you can increase your online exposure and grab the interest of consumers who will stay with your brand for the long haul. Download our e-book for content marketing to get a better plan together.
Success often comes when you keep your moving forward. Content marketing has challenges and often requires looking beyond the here and now. The inclination to do what worked two years ago or even in 2015 is strong, but it’s not always the right move. Taking your 2016 content online marketing strategy outside of your comfort zone might be the best thing you can do for your business.