With a new year comes a whole host of thought-provoking ideas and strategies. As businesses make a move from the tried and tested into the previously untouched, they create mountains of new content. So here are just some of our predictions as to what you can expect from your favourite brands this coming year and suggestions for how fine-tuning your content creation could be the key to success in 2020.
Why Should your business care?
Ridiculous question, isn’t it? You wouldn’t believe the number of customers we have come across who still aren’t optimising their content. We understand that it can be challenging to find the time, but any great marketing and design agency can provide content plans and actual content creation, for an increasingly affordable price…
Recent figures show that 50% of potential customers will view between 3-5 pieces of your content before making contact. Therefore, in an increasingly difficult time for start-up businesses and business in general, can you really afford to be way off the mark with your content? Personally, we think not!
This figure is strengthened by the finding that 70% of potential clients would rather hear about all of your up-and-coming products through innovative content than any traditional advertising methods. So, start thinking as soon as possible, or look at hiring a local design agency to take the stress off your already stretched schedule.
What content is going to work the hardest this year?
Our favourite forms of content for the coming year are actually more focused on resurgence rather than innovation.
For example, with trends like voice search technology beginning to throw its weight around in the marketing space there will undoubtedly be advancements, but we see it being a while before these formats are accessible to everyone. So for now, let’s create a blog based on content that everyone can access and create.
If you do want to read more about what we believe will be the all new singing and dancing trends of 2020, read this blog.
The revival of the reader (that’s you!)
The more we interact with customers, the more we seem to be finding that old habits do actually die hard. Or, in the case of reading, they have a complete revival after looking like they might have been on a one way trip to the funeral parlour. People want to read again! And personally, we think it’s brilliant.
So, where is your blog? What does it talk about? And is your content any good?
For the coming year, we would suggest an interchangeable feed of subjects including tips, hints, cheat codes, opinions and thought-provoking pieces. Your potential customers want to know how you think as a company and how your opinion shapes the work you do. For example, would you hire a Manchester-based graphic design agency, if your product was engrained with northern soul? Of course, you would!
However, letting people know how your business thinks is potentially a slippery slope if you don’t go about it the right way. We would advise bringing a content creator in to work alongside you. This would allow not only a specialist opinion, who would be able to work your SEO search terms into your content but also a fresh set of eyes to pick out vital mistakes.
Warning! If you are going to steer clear of a professional, it’s pivotal that you tread on certain subjects like the first of the winter snow. A light, refreshing opinion is one thing, upsetting people and alienating potential customers is completely another.
The year of home movies
Video is irreplaceable for your business, and making a good one just got a whole lot cheaper. In reality, all you need is a phone, an idea and some editing software like Adobe Premiere Pro or After Effects. As Instagram and TikTok continue to dominate the fast-paced social media world, why isn’t your business taking part?
Over half of consumers say they would rather see video content than any other format and video content has always been championed for its fantastic ROI, by those in the know. As always, you must know your audience, but our immediate advice would be, make them short, snappy and with a lot of punch! Memorable videos are perfect for your business even if they are totally removed from your company’s everyday business.
Although its no new fad, live video is thriving more than ever before, and we see 2020 being its biggest year yet. Having live video content is the cherry on your marketing cake, and let’s face it, it can be an awful lot of fun too. Who remembers the melting Ice Lolly video from LadBible? It took the outline platform by storm by putting four of the nation’s favourite ice lollies out in the summer sun to see which melted the slowest. People up-and-down the country watched those lollies melt rather than heading out into the sun themselves, baffling but brilliant.
The use of content for native advertising!
The more technologically savvy the general population has become, the more they have noticed the countless adverts being thrown in their faces. The endless flurry of irrelevant banner ads and adverts that follow you around from website to website are something we hope stay in 2019.
2020 will see a drastic increase in native marketing. By that we mean, adverts that fit in rather than stand out. So additional links from your favourite new site offering more information on a product or story. Native advertising is something that has flourished in the ‘news’ and ‘fake news’ sectors for a few years.
So, could it be worth reaching out to a local media outlet to offer your industry expertise on a particular subject? For sure. So get writing, vlogging and reaching out, whatever your next step may be. Or in fact, how about having a look at some of our other blogs regarding content.
If you need any help with anything mentioned above, we would love to hear from you, give us a call.
