Content Marketing In 2018: Trends And Tools For Success

Gary Henderson in Forbes.

As technology and search engines change, so do the strategies marketers use to engage their customers online. If you aren't staying on top of the newest trends in content marketing, your brand will be left behind, plain and simple.

But the average business owner or marketer can get overwhelmed trying to stay on top of all the newest, shiniest strategies. That is why I did the research for you, so you can quickly get up to date on the latest content marketing trends for 2018 and find out what tools you should be using to get the most for your efforts.

Before we dig in, let's look at what content marketing is in 2018.

According to Content Marketing Institute, "Content marketing is a strategic marketing approach focused on creating and distributing valuable, relevant, and consistent content to attract and retain a clearly defined audience — and, ultimately, to drive profitable customer action."

And it isn't just a fad — 89% of B2B marketers and 86% of B2C marketers report they are using content marketing to increase leads and drive their brand forward. But the content marketing landscape is changing to focus more on video and less on branded content. Staying ahead of those changes can give your company a competitive edge in a crowded market.

So, what content trends should you be paying attention to in 2018?

If you have been holding off on doing video, now is the time. Video was expected to be huge in 2017, and that trend is not slowing down. HubSpot reports that video is a growing priority, with 48% of marketers planning to add YouTube to their marketing plan in the next year, and 46% plan to add Facebook video.

You no longer need an expensive camera or high-tech editing software to make a professional-looking video. All you need is a smartphone, a phone tripod and a social media account to leverage live video on Facebook. Or, use a tool like Magisto, which uses AI to help you edit and market videos in just a few minutes.

Content marketing isn't going away. You can no longer afford to put off content marketing until next year. In fact, 2018 is the best time to invest in content marketing. As the industry pivots away from branded content aimed at selling (even gently), to content as a vehicle, there are wide open opportunities for new brands to enter the market and grab the attention of consumers.

If creating a plan and getting buy-in from stakeholders seems overwhelming, start small with a one-page content marketing plan and build as you learn.

It is time to stop asking how your content marketing can drive sales and start asking what your content can do for your audience.

Full story and image source credit: https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesagencycouncil/2017/11/27/content-marketing-in-2018-trends-and-tools-for-success/#7a21bff87896