Before
looking at the 2014 content marketing forecasts, content marketing needs to be clarified.
Content is important and what you do with the content is also significant to
your results. But - there is a big ‘BUTT.” Yes, I know I used two “T’s” in ‘BUT,”
but it was just to see if you were paying attention. That is how you write
content – engage your audience and provide value-added information that is not
easy to find online. Your prospective customer will consider you an expert, learn
to trust you, get to understand your brand and have confidence in the information
you provide.
If you
want your campaign to be successful when marketing content, you must establish
your brand and yourself as knowledgeable in your field. This is the foundation
for lasting and continuous business relationships.
To
simplify, content marketing is all about building strong relationships and not
only just selling a product or service. Some forms of content include:
·
Blog Posts
·
Podcasts
·
Social media Posts
·
Electronic Books
·
Online Videos
·
Guest Blogging
·
Email marketing
·
Webinars
·
Web Content
No matter
what format you use to publish content, you must have a “CALL TO ACTION” –
always and with no exceptions. Write content that will stand the test of time.
A good topic would be “Top 10 Places to Visit in Hawaii.” For someone looking
to visit this state, you will be the ‘go to’ person for valuable information.
What to Expect for 2014
For 2014,
where is the trend going as it relates to content marketing? What are the
challenges that online marketers face? With Google Hummingbird, Google Hangout
and Google Helpsout, alertness is required in order not to ‘make Google’ or the
search engine angry with you. This means marketers have to stay abreast of the
new algorithm rules and guidelines.
Most online
marketers use content marketing as part of their marketing approach. However,
it is safe to say that some of them may not really be able to express what
content marketing means to their business model. I truly think that many
business owners will be able to definitively express the concept of content
marketing in 2014 and how it aligns to the scope of their business. They will
also be able to tell why it is so important. It is not going to be a catch
phrase in the mouths of those who still say that “content is king,’ without
knowing what that really means.
The New Title
Companies,
in the past, hired someone to write content for marketing and would give them
the title of:
·
Freelance Writer
·
Marketing Writer
·
Content Developer
However,
now companies are placing more significance and emphasis on these employees’ positions
since it is much more than just writing content and so look for new titles like
Director of Content for 2014. No one will have any doubt; not even the
employee, of what the job entails. The improved awareness will force companies
to make adjustments and put more money into content marketing strategies.
Companies
that don’t go the extra mile to put more into their content marketing budget
will certainly lose out in 2014. Whether someone is assigned in-house or on a
contract basis, companies are going to need more in content creation and
distribution.
Going Mobile
Some
companies have not yet caught on to the mobile marketing craze. Mobile
marketing taking over and by 2016, companies not on board with this are going
to feel the ‘pinch.’ A strong content marketing strategy should be incorporated
into the mobile phenomenon. In fact, Google’s new algorithm, “the Hummingbird,’
and the complete cancellation of the previous keyword search tool from Google
Analytics is going to quickly force companies to embrace this. What does this
mean? Well, to reach your targeted mobile audience, your content must be more
concise, well-formatted to meet the guidelines and provide more actionable posts
since prospects will be viewing the content from their mobile devices.
If this
article was useful to you, please share it with a friend, your followers and
anyone who is in your contact. For business owners or companies that want to
embrace the concepts and improve their business model, you can hire my services
to write marketable content for you. In the meantime, check out my Amazon.com page where I have a list of
self-published books.
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