Businesses use content marketing to increase revenue, build brand awareness and personalize the customer experience. And, with all of the advanced technology, artificial intelligence and social platforms available now, creativity and possibility with content marketing is at an all-time high.
Here are three forms of content marketing — providing both convenience to consumers and reach to audiences — that will grow increasingly popular in 2019.
Brands will start incorporating augmented reality
One of the biggest challenges for online retailers is how to bridge the gap for customers who want to experience a product before purchasing it. In 2019, the answer to this question seems to be augmented reality (AR).
With computer-generated images that make you feel like you’re interacting with the real world, AR offers a unique experience because, unlike virtual reality, customers don’t have to purchase a special headset to interact with this content. This makes it an easy strategy for most businesses to adopt.
More than 80% of mid-market businesses are already incorporating using some form of augmented reality in their marketing efforts. And the market for it is expected to exceed $100 billion by 2024.
Apple has been working on incorporating augmented reality features into the iPhone for several years now. CEO Tim Cook called augmented reality the “future of computing” and Apple will begin producing AR glasses by 2020.
Many retail brands are also using augmented reality to market their products. With the Ikea Place app, for example, customers can scroll through over 3,000 products and then use their phone to place those items in the room, giving an idea of how the piece will look in the space before having to make the purchase.
With over 98% accuracy, AR is an invaluable tool — especially for digitally native brands like Wayfair and Madison Reed.
Diversify your content marketing across a variety of formats
Companies are increasingly starting to research, learn and invest in a variety of content series to appeal to a larger demographic in different ways. Two of the biggest formats expected to continue rising in 2019 are video marketing and podcasts.
For instance, video is still one of the most widely shared forms of content, with 54% of consumers wanting to see more video content from businesses.And with 75 million people in the United States watching videos every day, video content generates 1200% more shares than images and text alone.
Podcasts are another great avenue for content marketing. In 2018, 26% of Americans listened to podcasts every month, which is a 2% increase from 2017. And 20% of podcast listeners have an annual income of $100,00 or higher.
Fortunately, you don’t need a ton of professional video or recording equipment to get started with either option. With some practice, creating simple, professional videos and entertaining, engaging podcast recordings can be done with ease.
Companies are increasingly starting to research, learn and invest in a variety of content series to appeal to a larger demographic in different ways.
Optimize your content for voice search
Think Amazon’s Alexa or Google Home: The adoption of voice-assisted devices has grown to 47 million in the United States alone.
And, according to recent research, one in five Americans has access to a smart speaker. This has a big impact on the way customers search for and interact with content.
Often, when businesses create content, they think about what keyword phrases their customers will be searching for in Google. While this is still relevant, now businesses also need to begin considering what customers will be asking Alexa.
This can be challenging because Google is largely built around long-tail keywords (three to four keyword phrases), whereas voice search is built around questions. For instance, if you were trying to look for a nearby Mexican restaurant, you might type “Mexican restaurant” along with your zip code in Google. With voice search, you’d probably say, “Alexa, what’s a nearby Mexican restaurant?”
A good way to get started is by looking at each of the pages on your website and considering what questions they answer for a potential customer. Think about the questions your customers are asking and then build content around them.
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