The future of content marketing
While the core principles of content marketing remain tried and true, technology advancements and marketing trends incite interesting developments to the discipline that small and large companies alike can, and should, embrace.
Within the next year, content marketing experts from the agency and client side alike agree that we’ll continue to witness a surge in content marketing, and a refinement of strategy. Altimeter Group’s recent 4 month study of how 56 companies are balancing their traditional advertising initiatives with content marketing campaigns found that every single marketing executive interviewed planned to increase their investment in content strategy. To ensure your company is on the cutting edge, bear the following tenets in mind.
Focus on the mobile phone
Just as the digital advertising industry is scrambling to capitalize on the millions of consumers now using their cell phone or tablet to check the weather, sports scores and news headlines daily, content creators must ensure their work is mobile phone and tablet-friendly.
Embrace GPS-related software
As the Check-in Facebook feature and Four Square have demonstrated, users can’t get enough of GPS capabilities. Think about how you can incorporate technology in your next campaign.
Increase focus on design optimization
Once you get readers to your site or article, how will you keep them there? Entire companies specialize in creating environments that facilitate your desired end goal, whether that be keeping the user on the page or encouraging them to click on an exit link.
“Design Optimization is very important for a few reasons,” explains Cameron Hendrick, industry expert in Google Analytics and Enterprise Email Marketing at Endai Worldwide. “When you are optimizing a page, you are forced to ask yourself, ‘what action do I want a visitor to take?’ The answer could be anything—fill out a form, engage with the content, buy something, etc. But whatever it is, having clarity around the goal of the page allows you to focus your efforts on getting people to take that action. You may have many ideas as to the best way to make them take that action, such as arranging the content a certain way. Instead of guessing, try them all! There are tools that will produce combinations of these variables to help you figure out the best way to influence your visitor's behavior."
Hendrick suggests letting the data determine which option you pursue. “Often we are surprised by which combination of variables produces the most desirable result.” He also advises content marketers to constantly track and optimize their pages to increase results.
To see a successful content marketing strategy action, check this out.
