Gone are the days when SEO and content marketing were two different domains.
Today, if you are not producing high quality and reader-centric content, all your SEO efforts will go in vain.
Content marketing is more like a bridge that connects a brand with its target audience in an astonishing way.
Not convinced?
A report conducted by Design Matric suggests that content marketing costs 62% less than traditional marketing and generates about 3 times as many leads.
It clearly means that instead of investing millions of dollars on traditional marketing methods, you can take your business to the sky through content marketing.
But for this, you will have to keep yourself up to the mark with ever-changing content marketing trends.
Therefore, I have narrowed down a couple of incredible content marketing trends that will surely help your brand take edge over competitors in 2016.
Here you go…
1) Make Your Content As Much Captivating As Possible Through Visuals
A lot of content is produced and uploaded over internet on daily basis. But, not every content gets special treatment from its readers.
It is because people don’t want to read the same thing over and over again. In fact, the readers are always looking for some interesting content on websites, blogs and social channels.
However, it is only possible if you are using attractive visuals and creating your content around them.
She knows that what type content her audience demands and uses visuals to make her content exciting for the readers.
To be honest, people don’t have enough time to read a lengthy piece of article that doesn’t contain any relevant and actionable image. All they want to read a concise and to-the-point stuff that is easy to digest.
Therefore, keeping the demands of your audience in mind, produce content that can showcase some enthralling visual effects.
2) User-Generated Content Will Drive Results
If you want to take your content marketing effort to its next level in 2016, then you should be more focused toward user-generated content (UGC).
Super brands like Coca-Cola, Startbucks and Nissan constantly engage their audiences through UGC because they know that it is an awesome extension to connect with the potential customers.
Similarly, apart from producing top quality content, you should definitely run fascinating campaigns and activities solely based on UGC. As this way, you will experience a drastic growth in the form of more potential customers and brand awareness.
3) Compel Your Readers Through Effective Storytelling
It is simply not an era where you can meet your goals as a brand by promoting your products. In fact, you will have to put extra efforts to grow your audience and make long-lasting connections with them.
And for this, you really have to share stories that can stick your potential buyers to your brand every time.
Remember, once you are able to satisfy your prospects, they will always demand for more. In such a scenario, effective storytelling will quench their thirst for sure.
Share stories that can help your audience take positive actions. The stories can be related to your brand like what strategies and steps you and your team takes to satisfy your customers.
This way, you will certainly gain a lot of support and votes from your customers. Not only this, a lot of other people will also get attracted toward your brand.
4) If Content is King, Social Media is Queen
Yes, social media plays a pivotal role in when it comes to content distribution and promotion. And, it is an amazing channel that will give a solid boost to your brand in no time.
But for this, you will have to follow a results-driven social media strategy that can grab more and more relevant audience every single day.
Wrapping It Up:
Content marketing is turning out to be the life blood of many brands in 2016 and coming years. It is because apart from its cost-effectiveness, content marketing also eradicates all barriers between a brand and its intended audience.
So, if you want to make the most out of your content marketing effort, make sure to implement the aforementioned trends properly.