A Review of Content Marketing Trends in 2020
The year 2020 has been a rather odd one. The global COVID-19 pandemic unexpectedly swept the globe, causing a range of accelerated (and drastic) changes. Many of these changes are now likely here to stay, resulting in recent digital trends that are both interesting and unique.
Whether you're revamping your content marketing strategy or would like to alter the type of content you'll create moving forward, focusing on the most effective tactics will help you achieve your current and future business goals. Now is the time to create new opportunities based on 2020's content marketing trends.
Change Brings Opportunity
Plenty has changed this year, especially in terms of online business opportunities. While there has been a lot of uncertainty the past six months, upon reflecting on the year thus far, two things are certain:
- Content marketing will be more important than ever
- How content is created and delivered will continue to change
Key changes may force you to rework your current business strategy, which could work out in your favor — especially if you focus on the latest trends.
Read more: Why Now's a Good Time to Invest in Content Marketing
Now is the time to commit to a specific strategy or goal. Search engine traffic has significantly increased and new opportunities await. While focusing on this year's pandemic and the impact it had on digital marketing, it's important to focus on how you can leverage key changes. For example, now may be a good time to develop a campaign that gives back to your local community. It's also important to spread positive messaging.
2020 Content Marketing Trends You Need to Be Aware of
In the year 2020, brands are investing in content marketing more than ever before.
From the comeback of content personalization to the rising popularity of podcasts, there are trends that every business should know, regardless of your industry. Moving forward, remain mindful of the following trends, as they will help you stay above the competition and guide you towards ongoing success.
Consider the value of live video
While blog posts continue to be one of the most popular types of content, more and more companies are investing in video. After all, video increases engagement, keeping audiences more interested than any other type of content. In 2020, live videos were of particular interest. As reported by Facebook, people spend three times more time watching a Facebook Live video compared to a traditional video. Since live videos are delivered in real-time, this approach offers a true sense of authenticity. If your goal is to build trust and a greater sense of loyalty with your audience, this is a great way to do so.
Tip: Invest in scripts/outlines to guide your live video journey while keeping it as natural as possible. If you're leveraging Facebook Live, allow viewers to provide instant feedback so that they can ask you questions during your broadcast.
Voice search and conversational tone
Another 2020 trend is the use of voice search. Approximately 30 percent of online browsing in 2020 will be done without a screen at all, which is expected to increase to 50 percent by 2021. This means you'll want to ensure that voice assistants like Siri and Alexa will reference your content. To achieve this, you'll need to improve your Google ranking through the power of quality content.
Tip: Focus on your SEO strategy and conversational content (writing in a manner that sounds the way your audience would talk). This ties into conversational marketing, which is growing in popularity. Think of this approach as marketing that talks to consumers. This method will allow you to engage with your visitors and convert leads based on dialogue strategies. This guide will help you move past chatbots, implementing more human-like conversations.
Topic clusters help build authority and drive traffic
As reported by Hubspot, their website hit a major traffic plateau in the year 2017. After organizing their content into topic clusters, they saw a 25 percent year-over-year increase in traffic. This approach still works and is something that you should consider in 2020, as topic clusters are said to be the next evolution of SEO (while focusing on your SEO strategy, be sure to include the use of long-tail keywords). This approach will also help you establish yourself as someone of authority in your niche.
Tip: Create a main hub article that covers a broad topic as well as multiple pages related to that topic. The cluster content should link back to the main hub page. This is your opportunity to drive SEO strategies, defining keywords based on the topics you choose. When done successfully, this can help you significantly improve your ranking on Google.
Long content typically performs better
It's well understood that the majority of online users do not spend long on a single page. However, that does not mean that long-form content is dead. Far from it. Many companies are investing in long-form content this year, and for good reason. This approach will help you build trust with your readers, dive deeper into topics of interest, showcase your brand's personality, and improve your SEO.
Tip: While you should still publish some "bite-sized" content, aim to publish a few long-form posts each month that are more than 1000 words. Like all content you publish, quality is key. Make those 1000+ words count. This is your opportunity to create content that positions you as a leader. Read more about short-form vs long-form content here.
Implementing augmented reality
Pokémon GO quickly became a worldwide phenomenon in 2016 due to augmented reality (AR). This interactive content is predicted to become a bigger sector than virtual reality. Current applications of this technology include product visualization, enhanced information and training, wayfinding, and virtual try-on.
Tip: Depending on your industry, you may want to consider AR as we move into 2021. For example, retailers can use AR to optimize the customer experience in terms of digital shopping; and many brands are already considering the use of AR for their social media campaigns.
Quality Content Never Goes Out-of-Style
Regardless of what trend(s) you're drawn to, nothing is more important than the quality of the content you publish — and this is something that many brands have taken into consideration this year. If you have yet to move from a strategy that relies heavily on quantity vs quality, now is the time to take action.
Consumers seek the best answers to their questions and want those answers as quickly as possible. Whether you publish educational blog posts or social media posts that better explain your product/service, the content you publish will have a direct impact on customer loyalty and in turn, your bottom line.
While there is A LOT of content out there, the vast majority is less than great, and consumers are beginning to take notice. According to a recent study, although a larger percentage of online users now rely on web content, 65 percent believe that online content is unreliable. That's a shocking stat — one that showcases the possibilities in terms of you becoming an authoritative voice.
In 2020, value-added content is more important than ever before. That is why the content you produce needs to serve a specific purpose. Whether you plan to entertain or educate, the content you publish needs to be original. Customers should not be able to find your content anywhere else, which is why you need to invest in writers that will produce unique content.
Rework Your Digital Marketing Plan — Scripted Can Help
As we rapidly approach the end of 2020, it will be important to reassess, and in many cases, rework your current digital marketing plan. Whether you aim to improve your social media marketing or would like to simply create more relevant content, publishing high-quality content is critical.
Scripted is an all-in-one platform that will help you obtain the type of content that will drive your content marketing plan. Best of all, the hiring process is seamless. After you join Scripted, you will gain instant access to thousands of expert writers. Since we only accept the top 2 percent of applicants, it's easy to find the perfect fit. No need to sort through hundreds of unqualified candidates, we've done all the hard work for you.
Not only can you hire directly on the Scripted platform, but you can also communicate with writers and submit feedback once the content is delivered. From start to finish, everything is completed on the platform. This increases productivity, allowing you to save your most precious resource — time.
For those who prefer to delegate most of this process, we have developed Scripted's Marketing Agency Membership. This fully-supported solution includes a dedicated account manager and access to the platform's premium writer tier — meaning, the best of the best. Learn more about the benefits of this membership program here.
