The Year in Content: 2015 Predictions for Content Marketing Domination
What will rule the content marketing space in the next year, and will you be ready to take full advantage when the time comes?
What will rule the content marketing space in the next year, and will you be ready to take full advantage when the time comes?
As 2014 comes to a close, I have done a lot of reflection on where content marketing is and where it is going in 2015. Luckily, my hunch is content marketing is going to continue to go far and be central in any modern marketing organization. This is good for me, as content marketing is what I want to be doing and where I want to stay!
Throughout the time I have been running content marketing for Marketo, I have seen the discipline change quite a bit. When I first got to Marketo, about three years ago, we were very focused on creating B2B-specific content — mostly e-books and our flagship definitive guides (see our latest definitive guide). But I have seen our content and the industry as a whole grow quite a bit with interactive content, infographics, videos, and more.
I think 2015 will be an even bigger year for content marketers and here are my predictions.
There is a ton of content out there. A ton! And it is becoming increasingly difficult for marketers to get heard through the noise. Your typical B2B-focused e-book on products and features is simply not going to stand out from the crowd. I see B2B companies, Marketo included, moving toward storytelling, in more of a B2C-like fashion.
B2C brands have really excelled in creating content that tells compelling and humanistic stories through multiple channels. It is a buyer’s emotional connection with the content that helps to cement brand relationships. Telling stories through multiple mediums with relatable themes and characters will be critical for B2B companies to start to break away from the pack. Remember, even though your buyer may be from an enterprise company that sells medical devices doesn’t mean she isn’t a person! And people want to hear good stories that they can respond to in an emotional way.
It’s nothing new that mobile is big. But, content marketers haven’t done a great job innovating with content in this area. I think in 2015, as mobile becomes even more central to every great marketing campaign, content will become increasingly more optimized for mobile and interactive viewing.
Think about how many of your buyers are reading your emails on their mobile phones. It only makes sense that they are accessing your content on their mobile devices as well. But, content isn’t as easily accessible on mobile. Brands will start to think about how to create interactive, mobile-specific content.
Marketo’s creative director and I were discussing 2015 predictions and he mentioned that digital publishing will start to become the focus in content. Instead of static e-books, companies will start moving toward more interactive electronic media. E-books and other written content will have embedded videos, interactive graphics, social integrations, and mobile optimization.
And then what about wearables? How will these add to the mix? I expect to see wearables gain popularity and content marketers will start to come up with interesting and intriguing ways to connect with consumers through these devices, providing a unique experience on-the-go.
What are some other predictions that you see for 2015? We would love to hear your thoughts.
* Sponsored content in collaboration with Marketo. Views expressed in this article are those of the guest author and do not necessarily reflect ClickZ’s opinions.