As you might have guessed, Content Marketing will be at the center of our e-commerce efforts this year, too.
Why did this form of marketing become so crucial over the last few years? It’s the art of engaging with your audience on a deeper level. You can do so by presenting them content that’s relevant to their interests, values, and opinions. Well-executed content marketing is a great way for your brand to ditch the “advertisement vibe”, which we all know can make consumers feel uneasy.
The good news is that we’re getting better at generating content marketing, according to Forbes. Few!
As usual, this time of year calls for seeking out for next year’s trends. Here’s what marketers predict for 2017.
Customer Engagement & Personalization
The online world can get noisy; everyone has a voice and a story to tell. More and more users are enrolling on social media, so more and more businesses are following. Personalizing your content and engaging with your viewers is what will set your brand apart from the rest.
Adapt to your niche, try to pique their interests and start conversations! It shows your audience you care and humanizes your brand.
Visual and Video Content
We all scroll down beautiful Instagram feeds or watch YouTube videos such as vlogs, news updates, recipes under 2 minutes, sports replays, funny videos, DYIs, movie trailers, music videos…
Accompany your content with images or videos. It peaks viewer’s interests and captures their attention while getting your message across instantly. Black-on-white text just isn’t that appealing anymore… Whether you plan on launching a product, sharing tips, customer experiences, or simply engaging with your audience in the new year, make sure to add visual content.
Mobile Friendliness
Google says 61% of users are unlikely to return to a mobile site they had trouble accessing and 40% visit a competitor’s site instead. Mobile email opens have grown by 180% in the last three years.
Considering we’re almost in 2017, consumers have no patience for non-mobile friendly emails, websites, and blogs. It’s a MUST for businesses to adapt to mobile devices. We reach most of our audiences on mobile devices through Social Media and email marketing, after all. What’s the point of having a captivating post showcasing your product on Facebook if it leads to a frustrating purchasing experience when on a mobile device?
Facebook LIVE Broadcast
Broadcasting live events on Facebook permits you to connect in real-time with your audience. Plus, the viewers get to see the people behind your business, and not just the logo. There are no edits, cuts, or captions on live events which makes your business look very real and transparent.
User Generated
More than ever, consumers look at fellow consumers to inform their purchasing decisions:
– 90% of consumers read online reviews before even visiting a website,
– 88% of consumers trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations,
– 72% of consumers will take actions ONLY after reading a positive review.
User-generated content builds your brand’s credibility while creating a strong sense of trust with your consumers. It’s also a great way to engage and showcase your audience’s love for your product.
Influencer Marketing
“Influencer Marketing” is the next best thing after user-generated content. Consumers strongly value their favorite online personalities’ opinion.
True, sending PR packages to influencers might not seem appealing considering the gamble of the process. But, if your product reaches the right Influencer, the outcome can be powerful. They could showcase and recommend your product to hundreds, thousands, and sometimes even millions of their followers.
Influencer marketing is great, but another option would be to buy real Insta followers.
Native Marketing
Native Marketing, previously known as Sponsored Marketing, is one of the original forms of marketing. It’s been around a while, because it’s effective. A few years back, businesses were spending 80% on content creation, while only 20% on content promotion. This method is turning around. Now, advertisers focus on the quality of the content instead of the quantity and back it up with muscles.
You can reach out to Influencers, events, artists, and different causes you support for Sponsorship opportunities.