What every content marketer should know in 2020

Six emerging content marketing trends everyone needs to act on, fast.

Change the messenger

If you, as a company, tell the same story, over and over again, it loses its value and stops being very convincing altogether. Whereas if your customers would tell your story, in which they portray your values and your products; now that’s a gamechanger. People are overstimulated and would rather hear what products to use and what brands to work with from their peers. In a cluttered world, getting advice from people close to you seems to knock-out even the heaviest weights in the ad industry.

Become an investigative journalist 

Do you know everything there is to know about your field? By that, we mean: everything. There is so much information out there. If you don’t present it to your target audience, somebody else will. Aside from the added value perspective, it’s basically also the only way to keep up with the supply and demand for authenticity. People are smart, and they don’t want to hear the same story over and over again. Give them something that tickles them and inspires a new train of thought. Something that will give them a lasting memory of you and your brand.

People are overstimulated and want to hear from the people they know which products to use and what brands to work with

Stick with your core story

How to make valuable content? A question that’s always up for discussion. Our answer is simple, and remains simple: stick to your core story.  Why do you do what you do, and how do you do it? Let this shine through in all your communication, and you’ll be surprised at how quickly you’ll build a bond with your audience. Remember: having a purpose sticks.

Shorter text isn’t always better, but neither is longer

‘New research shows that short-form posts perform better on social media’ or ‘use longer texts on Facebook for better conversion’; the internet is cluttered with contradicting information on how long the optimal post, blog or product description is. So, what’s the magic number then? There isn’t one. Sad, but true. There is no specific science or one-size-fits-all solution. You’ll need to run your own tests. Frequently. Not quarterly, but monthly, perhaps even weekly. Use A/B testing methods and get to know your audience. Find out what works for them, to experience what it can do for you. 

Video is here to stay

If you thought that video content was valuable in 2019… The increase in the popularity of video seems to be never-ending and more and more small companies are hopping on the bandwagon. Which they should. If a photo tells more than a thousand words, imagine the impact of a short video. The good thing is that, due to the massive increase in usage by smaller brands and/or individuals, video production costs have started to drop. Especially for short video content. Which means that the use of video for marketing purposes has never been more within reach, even for companies with a smaller budget. 3…2…1…ACTION

The rise of podcasting

For a minute, it looked like podcasts would only be loved by a select few. We’d like to emphasize ‘for a minute’ – fast forward a few years and podcasts are more popular than ever. In the US alone, over 165 million people have listened to a podcast. A number that’s expected to grow exponentially throughout 2020, with the term podcasting not unlikely to make it in next year’s dictionary. Podcasts used to be dominated by individuals, but more and more brands have started to see added value in podcasts and are allocating tons of marketing budget towards the phenomenon. Considering a podcast for your company? Be sure to be helpful, transparent and, as always, authentic. Don’t lose sight of the core company values you’re trying to get across. 

There is no specific science or a one-size-fits-all solution. You’ll need to run your own tests.