Top 10 content marketing trends for 2018 – GMR-GulfMarketingReview

The digital media landscape continues to evolve, which means content marketing strategies have to adapt to keep up with new trends and technologies.

From the growth of mobile platforms to the shifts that dictate what kind of content is considered ‘in favor,’ the landscape has changed considerably over the past few years.

It continues to shift in 2018, leaving content marketers to refine their approaches and capitalize on these opportunities. Based on a survey, ScribbleLive has come out with the top ten content marketing predictions for 2018.

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#1 Original content will be more important than ever

Original content is already the bread and butter of strong content marketing campaigns—or, at least, it should be. Still, by all accounts, 2018 will be pushing brands to double down on original content.

Major companies such as Facebook, Google, and Amazon are spending vast sums of money on content to maintain and grow their audiences.

The message is simple: your business cannot rest on the laurels of old or unoriginal content in 2018.

Instead, you need to find creative, unique, detailed, original and above all engaging material to present to your followers in the New Year, the ScribbleLive survey noted.

#2 Content-related acquisitions will become more common

Planning, creating, and publishing highly engaging and visual content that stretches across the entire buyer’s journey is a part of an excellent content marketing strategy—in fact, it should be regarded as an essential item on every organization’s to-do list.

However, companies with more resources in 2018 will increasingly consider purchasing assets that can create dynamic content for you and this can be an excellent alternative to homegrown content.

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Companies around the world are recognizing the power of content marketing and spending accordingly.

A survey conducted by the Content Marketing Institute indicates that roughly 40% of companies expect their content marketing budgets to increase in 2018, the ScribbleLive survey notes.

#4 Businesses will optimize all content for mobile

2016 marked the first time in history that mobile Internet usage surpassed Internet usage on desktop and laptop computers.

Content marketing will need to adapt to this changing landscape. Businesses without mobile-friendly websites will either be forced to adapt or perish. More companies will consider investing in proprietary app development.

Written content itself will change as well to appeal to mobile users, with shorter paragraphs, fewer slideshows, and an overall focus on small-screen simplicity, ScribbleLive survey adds.

Most consumers trust other consumers more than they believe brands. Businesses will work to leverage this fact in 2018 by embracing more user-driven content.

Expect to see customer testimonials and user reviews take up more real estate on company websites and social accounts in 2018, notes ScribbleLive survey, adding if you want to attract reviews and testimonials, make it easy for your audience.

Illustrations, diagrams, photography, and other visual aids will become crucial to content marketers as well.

“You won’t want to publish a single article or blog post in 2018 without a visual component. When you decide to include visuals in your content, it is essential for them to enhance any written material,” according to ScribbleLive survey.

#7 Influencer marketing will become more common

According to the survey, 94% of respondents believed that influencer-marketing campaigns were effective. Historically, influencer marketing has largely been the purview of big brands.

Going forward, though, expect more and more businesses to increase brand visibility with the help of celebrities, social media stars, and industry influencers.

Determining ROI for those campaigns can be a challenge. However, the significant boost that influencer marketing can provide — particularly for a brand’s social media presence — will make the hurdle worth it for many businesses in 2018.

Does your business have a video budget yet? If not, you will need to make room in your content marketing budget for 2018. Cisco has forecast that by 2021, video will account for 81% of all consumer Internet traffic.

Live video, especially, has been a massive boon for marketers, and content marketers will need to embrace live video to drive increased engagement in 2018, ScribbleLive survey adds.

#9 Content marketers will need to embrace consistency

Quality content matters, but so does consistency. Posting 16 blog posts each month won’t be as effective if you create all of them in a single week, according to ScribbleLive survey findings.

Likewise, pushing out four eBooks in a week and nothing for the next 6 months won’t help. You want people to follow your social media accounts to keep up with your blog or video series, so it’s much better to space out your posts (or content publishing schedule in general) and have them follow a predictable pattern.

This way, people will learn to visit your site for updates on a regular basis. Consistent content builds anticipation.

#10 Interactive content will be everywhere

According to a 2017 study conducted by the Content Marketing Institute, 46% of content marketers are currently using interactive content in their campaigns.

Expect that number to surpass 50% in 2018, ScribbleLive survey forecasts. With surveys, quizzes, games and other forms of interactive content, brands can engage customers, improve user experience, collect data, and generate leads.

In 2018, this type of content will be everywhere—from websites to social accounts to emails, and beyond.