Future of content marketing: How people read and engage with content
Technology innovation has enabled incredible changes in human behavior that disrupted the status quo. The future of content marketing is in the hands of the people: how they read and engage with content. In the mid-90s’, people sought information with a whole new way of marketing online. Also, in the early 2000s, online social networks had to develop a playbook to engage with the customers. In the late 2000s, smartphones gave instant access and marketers had to ensure their content was mobile-friendly.
Global browsing trends
People have dramatically increased content consumption in the last two years: Facebook: 57 %+ increase, Twitter: 25%, and LinkedIn: 21%. The use of mobile notifications has also increased substantially by 34 percent. These browsing habits will require content distribution onto different platforms instead of hosting it on their website. You must find out where content is followed, and whether it’s dispersed to a social network or consumed through mobile aggregators.
Content consumption trends
Facebook and other social network start to dominate; marketers need to ensure their content is on these networks. Likewise, your technology stack must support mobile browsers that find your content directly. The options are endless for content marketers, knowing what type of content generates the most attention in readers, such as video content followed by social media posts and news articles. Blog posts, long-form content, and podcasts are more likely to skimmed by readers.
Content Marketing needs globally
Globally, videos ranked at the top, followed by social media posts, blogs, and interactive tools. Online browsers in the APAC and LATAM want more business-related content compared to other regions. EMEA based respondents are less enthusiastic about videos, compared to research content. If you’re focused on a specific market, tailor your content to the region’s preferences. A blog that works in Latin America may not get the same traction in Europe.
Content requirements for mobile first consumers
To gauge people’s browsing habits, respondents considered their primary device to access the internet: 33% said their smartphone, and 44% preferred devices running a mobile OS. Unsurprisingly, people who use their smartphone want mobile content notifications or text messenger notifications. Mobile users also seek more social media and video content against long-form content, podcasts, or research. Prepare a mobile strategy offering the option to sign up for mobile notifications to specifically attract more mobile traffic.
Voice search adoption
As Mobile device usage increases, voice search technology is still being refined. A good deal of traction in usage: 37% use Siri, 23% are using Microsoft’s Cortana AI, and 19% use Amazon’s Alexa AI at least monthly. These rates are sure to increase as voice search results give just one answer. What are the implications for companies who are still trying to ascertain the impact a shift to voice search will have? The consensus seems to be that things are going to change dramatically as people read and engage with content.
