Content Marketing Trends: What You Need to Know to Boost Your Business in 2017

One reason why content marketing is so fascinating is that it’s constantly evolving. Of course, that means producing powerful, optimised content can be a challenge for businesses. To succeed in 2017, you need to stay ahead of the game.

That’s why it’s crucial to get up-to-speed with the top 2017 content marketing trends. The predictions below are a great place to start when you’re looking to enhance your business’s 2017 content marketing strategy and outperform competitors.

More Tailored, More Targeted

Effective content marketing involves creating and promoting blog posts, infographics, videos and other types of content that have real value for your target market. In other words, businesses need to produce content that’s tailored to their customers.

Now it’s time to take personalisation further by creating niche content for specific segments of your audience instead of relying on a blanket approach. Each piece of content should have one particular group in mind so that it’s as relevant to those individuals as possible.

Recent research by Demand Gen Report found that almost 70% of B2B buyers rate relevant content as the most crucial part of a business’s website. There’s no better way to drive conversions than by directly addressing specific needs.

Showing Companies’ Human Side

To make more meaningful connections with their audience in 2017, businesses shouldn’t shy away from revealing the faces behind the brands. Try highlighting individual team members’ skills on your ‘About Us’ page or posting behind-the-scenes photos on Instagram.

Be inspired by the ‘People behind the brands’ feature on Dorel Juvenile’s site or the ‘I Am Reiss’ film – they prove even huge firms can successfully show their human side. Focus on the people at the heart of your company and you’ll draw attention to its vision and values.

Going Live…

Live video streaming is ready to take off in 2017, thanks to Twitter’s Periscope and similar apps. Receiving and responding to viewers’ real-time, off-the-cuff feedback helps you to deepen your understanding of your target audience’s tastes.

HubSpot’s overview of innovative Facebook Live videos includes Benefit’s ‘Tipsy Tricks’ series. It’s shaped by viewers and broadcast regularly, no doubt boosting customer loyalty.

Unlike business blogging – the cornerstone of content marketing – live videos aren’t for everyone. But if you want to appeal to a young, trendy crowd, give them a whirl!

Enriching Content with Rich Media

Technical wizardry doesn’t stop at live videos – cutting-edge 2017 content marketing will also encompass 360-degree videos, augmented reality, virtual reality and more.

Rich media creates immersive experiences, enhancing audience engagement and conversion levels. As reported by Adweek, 53% of consumers are more likely to buy from brands that use VR.

Specialist Skills

With content marketing becoming increasingly precise, technical and competitive, it’s likely that large numbers of businesses in 2017 will seek expert advice in pursuit of optimised content. Boosting your visibility on Google and among consumers requires specialist skills.

What the Trends Mean for You

Essentially, what the 2017 content marketing trends boil down to is the fact that businesses should aim to create more engaging, compelling experiences for their target market.

If that sounds daunting, keep these tips in mind:

• Be selective – you don’t need to try and cover every single trend
• Focus on forms of content you’re confident you can deliver effectively
• Consult an SEO and content marketing expert to help you stay on track.

Do you have any content marketing predictions of your own? Which trends will your business focus on? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the Comments below.

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