Print is Making a Comeback
For years we heard about the death of print, but research is now showing the reemergence of print as a popular form of content marketing. Believe it or not, much like retro clothing trends, print is becoming popular again simply because it is NOT being done. It has become a way to creatively connect with your audience on a different level. Letting people take a break from screens and devices to look at a tangible piece of marketing really has a profound effect.
With so much noise and competition, not just with your competitors, but with all other content online, grabbing and holding your audience’s attention can be difficult. With print, people usually view one item at a time and something about print is more personal, as it can be sent directly to your audience. This doesn’t mean to abandon digital marketing efforts, but to consider mixing traditional with digital marketing to expand your efforts and stand out from your competition.
The New World of Audio
During COVID-19, people are home and more apt to use their at-home audio devices to find audio content. Smart speakers such as Alexa and Google Home are making it easy and convenient for people to voice search information, listen to podcasts, find products and services, and even order those products and services. This makes audio a content type you want to keep at the front of your mind. From creating a podcast to advertising to making sure your website is optimized to show up with voice search, there are many ways to use the audio format to further your brand.
It is estimated that 55% of adults will have a smart speaker by 2022 and 43% of companies already invest in technology to enable voice marketing (Content Marketing Institute). With many different ways to make use of audio marketing, it is good to analyze your goals, audience, and what works best for your business.
SEO and Keywords are Still Important
With the new COVID 19 environment and new tactics to consider, don’t neglect your SEO and keyword strategies. You should still prioritize time and resources for your organic search tactics. Tactics like backlinking, quality content, and keyword research will still play an important role in your success. One thing to consider related to SEO and Keywords are the ever-evolving algorithms of Google Search Engine. More and more, Google is trying to keep the user in the “Googleverse” which means allowing people to find answers to their questions right on the search results page. Elements such as snippets, Google My Business, people also ask, and Google Shopping are all meant to allow a user to find what they are looking for without clicking through to a website.
This has an effect on click-through-rates and the amount of traffic coming to your website even if you have quality content. The trick is answering the burning questions in your industry within your content so you can win as many snippets related to your industry as possible. Snippets are the answer boxes that sometimes appear when you search a question such as “what is” or “how to.” Having your content appear in these snippets will increase the chance a user will visit your website for more reliable information.
Keyword research and making sure you are utilizing your industry keywords on your website and in your content will go a long way in winning you snippets and “people also ask” spots. While these attempts by Google to keep users on the Google platform are affecting click-through rates, you can still use keyword and SEO to your advantage to win positions and therefore have your website and company stand out among the competition.
Video and Live-Stream
It is no surprise that video and live-stream content is very popular. With many people working from home and online, it is an ideal time to make use of this medium. With nearly every social media platform supporting video posting and live-streaming, and these content forms performing well with audiences, it goes without saying that a well laid out video strategy can be successful. There are many video structures to choose from such as webinars, Q & A sessions, product demos, behind-the-scenes, and interviews with experts. With most cell phones having the capability to capture production quality video, it is becoming easier and easier for companies to create video and live-stream content.
Video is a great medium to use to stand out and create something that resonates with your audience. Studies show videos tend to capture and hold attention better and longer than written content. Another great factor that comes with video and ties into the rise in popularity of audio is it is also becoming easier to transfer video to audio-only content such as podcasts or just repurposed and shared as audio-only session.
A Great Time for Content
These recent events in our country are creating a need for imaginative and creative approaches to content marketing. These trends can be used with your cu
rrent content marketing strategies or as a part of a whole new content plan. Blogs, newsletters, and other traditional methods are still very effective tools for your content toolbox, but it is important to keep up with emerging trends that will amplify your efforts and bring your strategies success.
For help planning and creating content and content marketing strategies, contact us at pburns@arc3communications or call Patrick Burns at 678-907-2478. For more information visit www.arc3communications.com. We look forward to working with you to achieve your goals and develop successful content marketing strategies to help your trade association, business or non-profit grow.