Here’s your Content Marketing Weekly, featuring the latest news and trends in the world of content marketing. This week, learn about which brands are killing the live video game, some tough lessons from social media marketing and much more.
Content Marketing Trends to Watch for 2018
Via Content Marketing Institute
When everything starts coming up pumpkin, that means we’ve only got three months until the end of the year. While you’re drinking your gourd-spiced lattes and beers, take some time to look toward the new year and what it has in store for content marketing.
This piece by Content Marketing Institute founder Joe Pulizzi can help you, as it explores the trends that marketers should be on the lookout for in 2018. As the industry continues to evolve, brands that stay ahead of the curve and implement new methods are the ones that are going to succeed.
One trend on the horizon is companies putting more money and resources into content marketing. Pulizzi highlights research revealing that marketing budgets are expected to grow even more next year as businesses look to expand their creation and promotion practices. In the past, content marketing has been treated like advertising and has been budgeted as such, but this isn’t the case anymore. Brands must treat their marketing efforts as a separate department – and budget.
Yet another trend marketers should be aware of is the boost in original content. Larger brands such as Facebook and Amazon are investing more in this type of content versus repurposed content, and while most marketers may not have huge budgets to match these players, they should still look into original content and the benefits it can bring.
To gaze into the future, check out all of the trends.
5 Brands That Prove Live Video Is The Future of Content Marketing
Lights, camera, live action!
Chances are, you’ve seen your share of live videos on social media. The use of live video has skyrocketed recently, and brands have taken notice. On Facebook, users are three times more likely to watch live videos over traditional ones. This emerging media gives businesses the ability to connect more effectively with their audiences and engage them in a more personable manner.
Marketers who are looking for a bit of guidance and inspiration can take some cues from the five brands featured in this article from Jeff Bullas. These companies are killing the live video game:
- Chevrolet: The car manufacturer went live at this year’s Consumer Electronics Show to showcase the unveiling of its new all-electric 2017 Bolt EV.
- Ultimate Fighting Championship: The UFC went the way of Netflix by providing Fightpass, a streaming service that allows users to watch live videos of various fights.
- Dunkin’ Donuts: The donut and coffee brand added the live aspect when providing a video tour of its facilities, interviewing employees and showcasing the donut-making process.
- Space X: Not only has SpaceX figured out how to land rockets for continued use, but it also provides live webcasts for people to view launches and landings (one of which is featured above).
- BuzzFeed: The master of viral content, BuzzFeed has utilized live video to showcase a variety of aspects and activities, including an exploding watermelon.
Live video is all the rage, so find out how to use it successfully.
‘Likes Lead to Nothing’ And Other Hard-Learned Lessons of Social Media Marketing
Via fortune.com
These days, you can’t have a successful content marketing strategy without social media. And while many brands have implemented social into their marketing methods, they’ve found it’s not an easy practice to perfect. Social media marketing involves a lot of trial and error, but one slip-up can cost businesses money and customers.
Forbes dives into some of the lessons that companies have learned when launching social strategies. One major lesson is that brands shouldn’t use social media mainly for advertising but instead use the platforms to converse and engage with prospects in a more personable manner.
Another mistake companies have made is using trending news and topics to create tone-deaf social content. The source highlights Cheerios as an example, after the cereal brand sent out a tweet (pictured above) following the death of singer Prince. Many people found the post to be insensitive, which prompted Cheerios to remove it.
But it’s not all social doom and gloom. Forbes also features more positive lessons on what businesses are getting right when it comes to their social savviness, including utilizing platforms for effective customer service and inserting a more humorous side into content.
To bring on social success for your company, read the rest here.
Is It Time to Trash Your Content Marketing Strategy?
If you’re creating content, that’s great. If you’re creating content just for the sake of creating content, not so great. While an important piece of the content marketing puzzle is getting your resources out there for search engines, if you’re not developing it to fit the needs and wants of your audience, then you’re not going anywhere.
This article from the American Marketing Association features highlights from a presentation at the AMA 2017 Annual Conference given by Robert Rose, chief strategy advisor at the Content Marketing Institute. In his speech, Rose said that if brands find their content strategies aren’t working, the first step is to throw it out. There’s no use in continuing on a path that has proven unsuccessful.
Fortunately, Rose also provided a foundation on which companies can rebuild their strategies. It’s all about determining the four Cs:
- Competency: Becoming smarter and gathering more insight about your marketing data.
- Campaign: Making sure you are bringing in a significant amount of qualified leads.
- Customer value: Developing content that satisfies customers and turns them into brand evangelists.
- Cash: Figuring out how to bring in revenue with your content strategy.
For more guidance on revamping your strategy, check out the article here.
As Porky Pig says, “That’s all folks!” For this week, at least. Come back next Friday for the latest trends and updates in content marketing.
