You asked, so we’re answering! Before boarding a flight to Cleveland last month for Content Marketing World (CMWorld), the largest content marketing conference on the globe run by the Content Marketing Institute, we asked on LinkedIn for a vote as to what we should keep an eye on throughout the conference. An overwhelming 81% of you voted for “Hottest Trends for 2023.” The seven of us who attended compared our notes, and so, as promised, here are our top three:
Trend #1: Focus less on volume, and more on quality.
Every attendee at CMWorld this year seemed to agree on one thing: If brands are overwhelmed by the amount of content out there, audiences definitely are, too. So what is a content marketer to do?
The answer seems to lie in trust. Your audience will consume your content when they trust that it will hold value for them. The only way to build that trust is to create content that consistently brings value to the audience. You stand a much higher chance of doing that if cadence is a secondary priority. Audiences would much rather receive a monthly newsletter with truly helpful content than a weekly newsletter that gets skimmed and deleted.
Trend #2: Good can be good enough, as long as it’s perceived as authentic.
Let’s address the paradox in the room. You’re likely thinking, “Wait, wait. You just said high quality is the key. Now you’re saying being good can be good enough?” First, it’s important to clarify what we mean by “quality.” Quality in this context is referring to relevant, relatable and valuable. We’re not talking about production value. Your team can produce a silver screen-worthy docuseries, but if the tone is stilted and corporate, or the messaging doesn’t resonate, the quality won’t make a difference. Likewise, a 60-second video shot and edited on your phone may look less polished — but if the content is relevant, relatable and valuable, the engagement metrics will reflect that.
Trend #3: Give SEO the attention and resources it demands.
It’s clear that SEO is now far too competitive to be a secondary consideration. SEO isn’t just metadata. It’s not a headline analyzer tool, and it’s not a ranked keyword query. Today’s SEO is a comprehensive content suite strategically targeting dozens of keywords. It’s the content marketer’s job to map how all those long-tail keywords relate, then publish thousands and thousands of words addressing the possible user intentions behind those keywords.
The only sure way to see material increases in organic search traffic is to dedicate time and resources to SEO-focused content.
Let us help you create authentic content and boost your organic traffic.
These trends are right up our alley. If you’re trying to figure out what authentic content looks like for your brand, or what a realistic cadence is, or where to even start on the SEO front — we can help! Please reach out with any questions, and we’d be more than happy to jump on a call.
