The prophecy that content marketing is dying has been around for many years. Many articles have proclaimed content marketing as already dead and encouraged companies not to waste time on it. It is true. It is no longer enough to write 1000-word blog posts and get a lot of customers. But is content marketing actually dead?
In this article, you will learn how content marketing has changed over the last couple of years. For more insights from experienced entrepreneurs, sign up for our EWOR Platform and gain access to over 17 courses and a plethora of resources.
What Is Content Marketing?
Before diving right into whether content marketing is dead or alive, it is essential to understand what the term means.
Content marketing is a marketing approach focused on creating and sharing valuable information to promote products or services. For example, in the form of blog posts, emails, social media, videos, newsletters, etc. But it is not just about writing something and publishing it. Content marketing also tailors its strategies to engage with the customers to make a business successful.
The Change in Content Marketing
Many people think content marketing is dead because it is not the same as it was a decade ago. It has developed with time to fit the needs of the customers. With the rise of social media, it changed its form from text to more visual content. In 2021, Statista conducted research that claims that 69% of respondents said they would invest in video content marketing. Of course, other forms of digital marketing, like email, search engine optimisation (SEO), and blogging, are still popular today.
People all over the world engage in content marketing, and as long as they are going to do so, content marketing is going to be alive. Let’s look at how content marketing has changed and what caused it.
Interaction With the Audience
Engaging with an audience is more important than ever. Most people don’t like to read articles written by unknown people. But if they can reach out to the creator of the content and ask questions, it creates a connection. Interaction with the audience makes them feel appreciated and valued. Hence, they start to feel good about your brand or company. It improves engagement and helps you get immediate feedback. Nowadays, even if you open a blog post, you can see a comment section down below where people express their thoughts and have lively discussions.
No Clickbait
Do you remember the times when clickbait was on top of its popularity in the late 2000s to early 2010s? Seeing a nice picture or a prompt and being eager to know more was soon replaced by disappointment. The good news is these days are over. Quality content is now on the rise. Fewer people are using clickbait as it is only a one-time thing. People are going to open a page and then close it. But if the quality of your content is amazing, they will scroll down and maybe even start engaging with more content by your company.
More Competition
One of the reasons clickbait is not popular anymore is also because of competition. With more and more articles in easy access, content creators needed to find a way to stand out. They started creating unique content and making up stories, recording podcasts and eventually started recording videos. The need to retain customers is now greater than ever because finding good content is quite easy. Moreover, customers can compare the services and products of different companies and choose the best ones. This is why having quality content and products is now more important.
Use of Video
Stories are a powerful tool in content marketing. People love sharing stories or listening to the life experiences of others. Influencer marketing has become very popular because of it. Influencers from Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube are now treated like celebrities. Their followers trust them and are willing to buy almost anything they recommend. The reason behind it is simple. By opening social media, you get to know everything about the journey of a particular individual, a company, or both. When people see the struggles, someone goes through, it is easier for them to relate to them. Seeing what someone is doing on a daily basis and interacting with that person creates a connection that is almost impossible to replicate with blog posts or emails.
How To Succeed in Modern Content Marketing?
Change is a natural process. That is why learning how to adapt to it is crucial for success. Here are some of the things you can do.
Use of Various Marketing Channels
Writing blog posts or recording videos is no longer enough. When you open almost any company’s website, you can see the different social media platforms they use. Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, YouTube, newsletter subscriptions, and podcasts are all the channels different brands use to keep the audience engaged. Using all the channels helps them to increase their engagement and promote products and services on all platforms. As a result, more people are going to see a certain product and click on it.
Take a Different Approach
Innovation and creativity are valued a lot these days. Everyone gets tired of seeing similar products and services, blog posts, trends on TikTok or videos on YouTube on the same topic over and over. At first, it is quite interesting, but later boredom sips in. Seeing something unique and unlike anything you’ve seen before can pique your interest and make you invested in it.
Answering a question no other company has addressed, exploring a new topic, or taking a new perspective can help your business thrive. Broadening the areas of interest and products or services offered can give a competitive advantage.
Track Performance
Understanding what’s working and what’s not is essential for good content marketing. Tracking the most common products and services and promoting them more, while at the same time getting rid of what’s not giving any benefits, can improve engagement with the audience.
Focus on Quality Over Quantity
Nowadays, quality content is more important than quantity. More people are getting tired of following hundreds of people and brands on social media or other platforms. As the result, they decide to reduce the amount of information they consume. Seeing hundreds of posts with no informational value bores the audience, and people choose to stop following such companies or content creators. Only the most informative and life-changing posts or videos make the cut. Thus, quality content is appreciated above anything else.
So, Is Content Marketing Dead?
Content marketing is far from dying, but it has changed its form from textual to more visual. Now, using clickbait and low-quality content is no longer enough. High-quality content is now appreciated more than ever. To succeed, you need an effective content marketing strategy, engage with your audience, and use various marketing channels.
