If a marketing format involves any type of media creation or sharing, we call it Content marketing.
A couple of years ago many companies did not see having a blog as necessary and quite a few even thought it slightly unprofessional.
However in 2013 it is the complete opposite. If your company does not have a Facebook, Twitter or Google+ account, then you are falling behind.
These days a blog is a must have regardless to what your brand is – implementing the basics is not enough anymore.
There are many ways you can get your brand out there with content marketing and some of the ways are relatively inexpensive, if not free – Social Media for example.
Social Media has become a lot more accessible and easier to use over the years and with most social networks it is free to have an account.
Between 2011 and 2012 the numbers of people using social networks increased by 13% in give or take six months.
Social Media plays a large role in content marketing strategies and is a valuable instrument for content distribution.
Nowadays video has become a great deal cheaper to produce without compromising quality so why not pick it up – no matter what you brand is you can post a video about it.
Try using YouTube here, over the years it has become a way for business to post any tidbits or behind the scenes videos.
This helps you connect on a personal level with your clients and bring in traffic to your site.
Another trend most companies dabble in is Collaboration.
No matter what business you are in each and every member in your organisation has a role and specific qualities that are needed in order for operations to run smoothly.
Each member is a content strategy resource waiting to be utilised. In 2013 there will most likely be a boost in cross-departmental collaboration.
A trend that is more brands specific would have to be Gamification.
Many are still under the impression that games are for kids, but this is no longer the case.
In fact content marketers are now using gamification to generate sticky content that customers want to engage with.
People are becoming tired of internet marketing so this is a great way to keep their interest while still getting your brand out there.
Something else to try out is Community-Driven Content.
In 2013 we will be seeing many content marketers listening and taking hints from customers. This is brought on by the rise in demand for interactive and continuously evolving content strategy.
Thanks to Social media we can have real-time conversations, access to all types of media,
and can check up on article and forum discussions or comments making it easier to find out what questions need answering.
On last thing to keep in mind this year with content marketing – almost all companies have their own unique competitive edge, do you?
Use your competitive advantage and do the things that your rival companies cannot. Find a content strategy that works well for you and execute it.
Lyn Arbuckle works for Jobvine Johannesburg as an online copywriter.
Content Marketing In 2013
