I personally believe that content marketing has a lot to do with how consumers interact with brands today—and this will contribute to shaping today’s market and its future. As people’s habits and lifestyles change, so do their methods of consuming content.

1. Content Marketing is Prompting Businesses to Be More Results Oriented

Content marketers have to deal with a lot of competition online. To stand out, most of us have shifted our approach to deliver more value to our readers. One of the best ways to do that is by focusing on a more results-oriented approach.

Consider adding a feature that allows readers to filter through your content based on their needs. This makes content that we produce easier to consume and more engaging to our readers.

2. Authenticity Is a Priority

Gone are the days where the number of likes and volume of followers are enough to build credibility among your audience. If these numbers aren’t in line with the level of engagement your content gets, then it might simply imply that these followers were paid for and represent inauthentic activity.

Authenticity is critical to content marketing today. Audiences want to know that the brands and businesses they pay attention to have built real relationships with their followers and have real connections with their customers. They want brands that are real and make an effort to get to know them.

3. Video and Live-Streaming Are Becoming More Mainstream

Video and live streaming used to be a novelty, but technology has made recording and shooting live videos infinitely easier now. These days, you can post a tweet as fast as you would an IG Live. For many businesses, video content adds another layer of credibility and authenticity, and modern consumers now expect video content from brands. It’s no longer a nice to have; it’s a must have.

Image Source

Similarly, live-stream audiences are also growing. In 2019, internet users watched 1.1 billion hours of live video.

4. Voice Search is Going to Be Big

Right now, there are over 3 billion voice assistants that are currently in use—and smart speakers and smartphones are the most convenient way to interact with them. We’re also seeing a lot more devices that now come built with voice assistants because of the rising adoption of voice search. We’ve now reached the point where voice searches are dominating online queries, prompting content marketers to explore how we can best leverage on this trend.

As such, we’re seeing a lot more focus on long term keywords, user intent, and content creation that’s more conversational and human.

I like to remind content marketers as well that audiences type very differently from the way they speak. Where they would typically type in a fragmented keyword in a search bar, they will ask a full question, in proper sentences on a voice search. Take note of this when you’re optimizing content for the future.

There you have it. Hope my answer helps. If this is a topic that you want to talk about more, let me know. Email me at Leadspanda and I’ll be happy to answer any questions you may have.