Content marketing is far more than a passing trend. It possesses so many benefits, including the ability to increase the visibility of your brand, enhance your credibility as an industry expert and generate improved traffic to your site.
60% of businesses implement content marketing strategies with incredible success, so no matter the type of business you operate, you should never turn away from content marketing.
But simply creating content is no longer going to hack it in a world where we are inundated with content from all angles and in all formats.
With that in mind, here’s exactly what you need to know about successful content marketing in 2018 and beyond…
1. Have a broad content marketing strategy in place
Basic content writing isn’t going to get you very far in this day and age. Instead, you need a broad content marketing strategy in place involving a team of writers who work diligently on the process.
Some of the many forms of content marketing your team needs to implement are:
• Social media posts
• Blog posts
• News articles
• Email marketing
• Information pieces
• Website content
• Infographics
• Banners
• Videos
• Webinars
• Podcasts
• White papers
• E-books
By starting off simply and continually working on your content, you will be able to constantly improve it and customise it for different audiences, and adapt it to some the many new formats that consumers are using.
2. A Diverse skillset
Some of the many skills content marketers need today include:
• Video production and editing
• Graphic design, illustration and editing
• Audio creation
• Communications and branding
• Advertising and media buying
• SEO
• Analytics, metrics and reporting
• Content distribution and promotion
Some of the most successful organisations are using a variety of content marketing tactics across a range of media types and channels.
3. Live video
So many customers are embracing live video, while 80% of companies said they want to create more video. This comes as no surprise especially when Facebook videos experience an average of 135% more organic reach than images, with users three times more likely to watch live videos than those that are no longer live. So get started today with a live video, giving your audience the chance to truly connect with your brand on a deeper, more authentic level.
4. Transparency is king
With every piece of content that you produce, transparency is king. With brand advertising attacking us from all angles, consumers are getting burned out and fed up with this sort of content, and prefer something more transparent, open and genuine. To adopt this strategy, stick to influencer marketing and endorsement, which is more important than ever before in building honest, open relationships with current and potential clients.
Adopting some or all of the above techniques will definitely improve your content marketing and help your business to achieve heightened success in 2018 and beyond.
Need a push in the right direction? Contact 8 Ways Media’s content marketing specialists to discuss your unique needs with a member of our team.