Top 3 Content Marketing Trends In 2019

• Content marketing is a powerful, inexpensive tool that can help businesses expand their reach and target new audiences. 
• Content marketing is king; however not all content is created and ranked equally. 
• Live video is gaining traction with users as it makes them feel more connected with brands.

Content marketing should be a priority for all businesses. It’s powerful, it’s inexpensive, and it allows small companies to compete on a level playing field with larger brands. Marketing is a key element of successful businesses; if you’re not prioritizing your marketing strategy, you’re simply not prioritizing your brand. 

Marketing is how you get people to learn about your company, your brand, your products, your services, your purpose, and your values. Within the realm of marketing, content remains king. 

Reports have found that content marketing is 3 times more efficient in creating leads than outbound marketing. Content, however, is not limited to the written word, and companies are increasingly using images, stories, and videos. In fact, Buffer’s State of Social 2019 found that only a mere 14.5% of businesses haven’t embraced video yet. 

One thing is for sure, content will only become more important and these are the top 3 trends you need to follow. 

1. Quality over Quantity

Wherever you look and whichever platform you use, fact is that there is content saturation everywhere. People are constantly bombarded with content and information. In order to stand out from the noise, companies have shifted their focus from the amount of content they produce monthly, to the quality of the content they produce. 

Companies should focus on creating in-depth content, like cornerstone pieces that cover a broad range of topics within one subject matter. Longer, in-depth content also tends to rank higher in search results, according to a study by Neil Patel. 

According to his study: “long form copy doesn’t just boost your conversions, but it also increases your rankings too”; the study also found that in social media platforms, people engage more with longer content. 

2. Diversification in Key

If you want your content to be viewed and shared, then you need to diversify the type of content you put out. Users expect companies to share content in various forms: infographics, images, video, audio, podcasts, gifs, and more. 

Sharing content in a variety of forms can also help with your content personalization efforts. Some people prefer to read text than watch a video, and the opposite may be true for others. Presenting the same message in different ways can ensure your message is seen and received by more people, and it can also ensure that they won’t be bored by what you’re saying. 

3. Don’t Forget Stories

Buffer’s 2019 State of Social report found that “the stories format has taken the social media industry by storm”, with data suggesting that more than one billion accounts now use stories globally. If people are using stories, then it only makes sense for companies to use it as well, as it provides them with an entire new platform to connect with their target audience. 

Buffer’s report also found that 57% of brands believe that stories have been “somewhat effective” or “very effective” as part of their social media strategies. 

Stories can also be used to share content in the form of  live video. Live video works particularly well when companies are participating in special events like trade shows, conferences, product launch parties, or the like.  

Companies need to be regularly creating content. However, figuring out which content will work best for you is not as easy. The below “2019 Content Marketing Statistics: What Type Of Content Works For You?” infographic, created by review42 can provide you with some insightful stats and figures.