#DUSocial: The State of Content Marketing in 2019

The state of content marketing has fluctuated over the last decade, as social media has taken control and users demand instant, relevant information at their disposal. Despite the constant change in format and delivery, the demand for, and commercial success of, content marketing from brands has only increased rapidly.

What is the state of content marketing in 2019, and what do we need to keep in mind when applying it to our overall marketing strategy?

Data is King

It’s now more important and far more accessible than ever before. Long gone are the days of writing and producing huge volumes of content with hopes that it reaches the right person. In 2019, we need to be harnessing high quality insights in order to produce the right content, deliver it in the right format, to the right audience at the right time.

Use data to uncover which channels you should be using to push your content marketing – where are your audience most active and at what time or day? Most importantly, what are they searching for?

Once you have done your research and know exactly who your audience is and what they want, you can start producing highly targeted content that hits the sweet spot.

Great Content Isn’t The Prettiest

There’s a lot of visually-appealing content on Instagram – a lot of which has been successful in gaining the attention of their audience. However, 2018 saw a shift from aesthetic content to raw, authentic content that triggers thought and emotion.

For example, a lot of video content is now shot on a smartphone as oppose to a full camera set-up, and some of the most shareable content on the web is low-quality screenshots of memes. This is because while they aren’t ‘pretty’, they tend to be humorous and so trigger an emotion, which is more powerful and memorable than a pretty picture. Most importantly, this content is relatable.

Storytelling

81% of consumers said they’re loyal to brands that share their values. What would be a better way to promote your values than through storytelling? This refers to authentic content that connects with your audience on an emotional level – whether that is by inspiring, uplifting, or exciting them.

It is also content that is produced with purpose and is relevant to the target audience, stopping them in their tracks as they scroll through never-ending feeds. If it’s unusual, purposeful and exciting, it will create advocates for your brand.

Return to Long-Form

For a long time, content marketing swayed towards short, snappy pieces of information that did the job in less than 60 seconds. While this is still relevant, 2018 saw a shift towards long-form content that provided more depth and thought than short-form content did.

For example, podcasting has surged in popularity over the last couple of years particularly. This is because users can consume this content in any environment at any time, such as while driving, exercising, or working. In short, it’s convenient.

Long-form content is also ranked higher by Google and shared more on social media than short-form content. However, it’s important to remember that long-form isn’t just short-form with some extra words thrown in to beef it up – it is carefully created, valuable content that engages your audience and positions you as a thought leader in your industry.

If you’re looking to harness content marketing this year and improve your strategy, come along to our #DUSocial Masterclasses, designed with professionals in mind and led by industry experts. Our first masterclass is Content Creation & Marketing, led by creative technologist Christian Payne. We hope to see you there!