8 Redefined Content Marketing Trends of 2020

Indispensable to any communication strategy, content marketing allows you to make your brand speak on different platforms and to enrich your company’s culture.

Content marketing is evolving before our eyes, and specialists need to be aware of the changes to stay relevant. Being up to date with content marketing trends can be a challenge, but the trends of the past few years have given us an idea of ​​what to expect in 2020.

1. Content marketing will become omnichannel

Younger social media users, for example, use fewer platforms but spend more time on those platforms than older social media users.

Content marketers must ask themselves how they can reach the widest possible audience without duplicating their content.

The answer is to create an omnichannel strategy. It may sound simple enough – brands should already be present on all platforms to publish the same content – but that’s not how omnichannel content marketing will work in the future. Instead, brands will need to create a refined strategy that takes into account the specific needs of the user of each platform.

Check out our Content Marketing Guide for Building a Successful Strategy

For example, a Twitter user is looking for brief news, while an Instagram user is probably looking for inspiration and things to buy. Snapchat users are an entirely different demographic that only wants to be entertained.

You cannot use a single strategy for content marketing trends in 2020 and beyond. You will have to adapt your omnichannel content as well as the e-commerce channels that you adopt.

2. Live video will gain importance

Video marketing has been dominant in the past few years, but the statistics aren’t quite additive. Video is expensive and takes time to produce – Brands had to replace entire content teams in order to focus on video production.

However, live video content is another story. (Read: Video Marketing Trends for 2020)

Live video is personal, engaging, and fairly easy to produce. Brands take on a human face and people feel more connected because they see a person, not a logo.

According to a Digital Information World study, 13% of internet traffic will consist of live videos in 2021. The reason? The main social networks support the broadcasting of live videos – Facebook, Snapchat, Twitter, Instagram, et al.

On Facebook, 1 in 5 videos is live. Its asset? Be much more attractive, since a live video is viewed 3 times longer than a recorded video. Live videos are considered more authentic by the public, they bring a human touch to your brand and offer an opportunity for real-time discussions with consumers.

2020 will, therefore, be the year when you have to pass in front of the camera. This will allow you to retain your new customers, gain others, and prove your expertise. This is something that needs to be factored into content marketing trends & strategies in 2020, as live video can make a huge difference in your social media numbers without hurting your budget.

3. Voice is essential in the creation of web content

In 2016, voice searches accounted for 20% of queries on Google. This figure should reach 50% in 2020. More and more consumers are using connected speakers to find a local business. By 2022, voice commerce will represent $40 billion in revenue.

Hence, you’ll need to factor voice search into your content strategy. In other words, your articles must answer questions frequently asked by your prospects. For this purpose, your content marketing must contain articles starting with: “what is”, “how”, “where to find”, “what to do”, etc. In general, favor long-tail keywords if you want to have a place in the voice search results.

If you own a local business, consider including geolocated keywords in your title tags, meta description, and internal links.

4. AI and Chatbots will dominate

If there is one technology that has evolved considerably in recent years, it is artificial intelligence (AI). Artificial Intelligence from a few years ago has nothing to do with what we have now, and brands should take note.

AI has improved considerably with machine learning software – it has become more sophisticated and is constantly learning from new inputs. As a result, more and more companies are starting to incorporate Chatbots to help with tasks such as planning.

Chatbots make it easier for the business and the customer. For example, if customers want to schedule an appointment for a salon, they can use the Chatbot in the salon to specify the service and time of the appointment.

Machine learning chatbots will not completely replace customer service agents, but they will make the customer request process more user-friendly. Chatbots can give quick responses to simpler queries and, with machine learning software, they can tailor responses and suggestions based on user needs.

Obviously, brands will need to integrate Chatbots into their content marketing strategy and following content marketing trends as soon as possible.

5. Content marketing will become more personalized

There has been an obvious movement towards personalization in content marketing and this content marketing trends is expected to continue in 2020.

Data will become an increasingly important product – marketers will need to study customer behavior to understand not only what customers need, but how they need it.

More emphasis will be placed on understanding the context of the buyer’s journey – how and why they are on the path they are taking, not just their end goal.

We are already seeing some of this personalization factor in content marketing as market segmentation is implemented at all levels in email marketing and social media. Market segmentation refers to knowing your target audience.

Once you know who your primary customer is, you can start collecting other types of data, such as:

•       Life situation

•       Level of education

•       Spending habits

•       Values ​​and priorities

•       Future goals

•       Interests

Market segmentation and the creation of personalized content take time to plan and implement. But brands can outsource the project.

6. Brands will focus on community development

Instead of engaging with the Internet as a whole, consumers spend more time in groups on Facebook, WhatsApp, Quora, Slack, or Microsoft Teams to interact with their peers.

This will have an impact on how brands target their audience. It will not be enough to post on a page and wait for people to see your content and come to you.

Marketers and brand representatives will need to join groups and build meaningful relationships that will help them build communities and give their brand a more human touch.

Community building will not only impact how marketers and brands reach their audience but also how they create visuals and mockups. The content should be personalized for the group, rather than focusing on amplifying a brand voice.

7. More brands will collaborate with each other

In 2019, brands collaborated with influencers, celebrities, and other brands to build brand awareness, and we’ll likely see this trend continue. For example, Baskin Robbins teamed up with Netflix to promote Stranger Things, and Sephora teamed up with the Museum of Ice Cream for an unusual new set of cosmetics.

The brands also collaborate via guest blogs.

We will see even more brands come together to promote awareness of complementary products and services and draw from their respective audiences.

Brands have gained a lot of traction by influencer marketing in their field, and this will continue to generate brand awareness and sales beyond 2020.

Marketers will need to look into their markets and find like-minded brands, influencers, and bloggers who can deliver relevant content while reaching new audiences.

8. AR will become more popular than VR

The phenomenon of virtual reality (VR) has disappeared, which is a relief for brands who did not know how to tackle VR on a low budget. On the other hand, augmented reality (AR) is accelerating and will be the main method of creating interactive content in 2020 and beyond.

The reason that AR dominates VR is because of its ease of use. An application on a phone can create AR elements and environments around people. VR, on the other hand, needs headsets that are often expensive to implement.

In addition, AR is integrated into social networks via filters and Snapchat and Instagram games. Brands can now create their own brand filters with AR to make the user experience more immersive and memorable. For example, eyewear companies like Lenskart use AR filters to allow customers to “try on” different frames before purchase.

This allows customers to easily interact with the products of an e-commerce company. Ikea and Sephora, for example, have implemented similar technology, allowing customers to see furniture in their home and try on cosmetic products before purchasing.

Companies that use AR to demonstrate and allow customers to “try” products establish a relationship of trust between the brand and its customers.

Content marketing will evolve in 2020

Content marketing is changing all the time and the brands that manage to keep up with these changes are also the ones that continue to make an impact in the digital sphere.

Content marketing takes a milestone every year. 2020 will be the year of Artificial Intelligence, qualitative automation, interactive formats, and ultra-personalization! Prepare now and rethink your content strategy by incorporating these 8 content marketing trends.

Look at current trends and see how you can slowly adapt your strategy to reflect the changes, so your brand can reach its audience “when and how” they need it.

If you need more clarity or have some ideas, let’s connect and discuss what an ideal strategy for your business should be.