Without a doubt, content marketing offers one of the best ways to market your business online.

But if you want your content to convert, and be able to compete with everything else that’s out there, you’ve got to keep track of the dominant content marketing trends.

Otherwise, your content may end up being much less relevant, and you could miss out on some amazing techniques and tools to help you improve your content marketing strategy.

Now, if you’re someone who doesn’t know much about content marketing, at this point, you may be wondering, “What is the point of all this?”

Truth be told, that’s a pretty loaded question, and I could easily write an essay on that subject alone.

But in short, the point of content marketing, and following content marketing trends, for that matter, is to use relevant and valuable content to attract and engage a target audience, building trust and awareness of your brand, while ultimately guiding potential customers toward making a purchase decision without trying to sell them anything directly.

That being said, the reason why so many marketers focus on content marketing is because it works, and as I pointed out in my last article on blogging, it offers one of the highest returns on investment of any marketing channel.

And as many marketers will attest, as time goes on, content marketing is only becoming more important.

For example, survey data published by the Content Marketing Institute last year, which compiled responses from more than 1,100 content marketers from around the world, found that the vast majority of them believe that content marketing is becoming increasingly important.

Research has showed that 71 per cent of B2B content marketers surveyed said they believed content marketing was more important that year than in the previous year, and 70 per cent of B2C content marketers said the same thing.

There’s a reason why so many businesses are leveraging content marketing, and why its popularity continues to increase.

So, if you want to inform your content marketing strategy for the coming year, or you’re just looking to learn more about the content marketing trends 2024 will be dominated by, then this is an article you’re not going to want to miss.

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Read: How the Benefits of Blogging Can Seriously Help Your Website and Boost Your Business in 2024

If you’re looking to leverage content marketing, it’s important to understand not just what it is, how it works, and what’s trending, but also the benefits it can offer your business.

From enhancing your website’s SEO to gaining a better understanding of your target audience, content marketing provides no shortage of advantages to those who choose to use it.

So, if you’re thinking about using content marketing for your business, and you want to learn more about all the benefits it has to offer, this article will tell you everything you need to know.

Keep reading on our website.

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5 Content Marketing Trends For 2024
As much as you may want to, when it comes to content marketing, you can’t just throw stuff at the wall and hope it sticks.

And if you want to create the best content you can, you’ve got to be aware of the content marketing trends that are set to dominate in 2024.

With that in mind, below I’ve listed the trends that I believe will dominate the world of content marketing over the coming year, along with why they’re so dominant, and what you can do to make use of the tools and techniques offered by these trends.

1) Artificial Intelligence (AI)
Whether it’s using ChatGPT to create textual content, DALL-E to create AI-generated images, or something else entirely, there’s a reason why artificial intelligence is at the top of my list of 2024 content marketing trends.

Artificial intelligence is set to dominate content marketing in 2024 due to its ability to enhance efficiency, personalization, and targeting, while providing valuable insights and automating content creation, which enables marketers to focus on strategic priorities and more effectively adapt to the ever-changing and fast-paced world of digital marketing​.

Businesses can leverage AI for their content marketing by using natural language processing for content creation, AI-driven analytics for audience insights, and machine learning for personalized content recommendations.

Moreover, AI can be used to automate email marketing campaigns, segmenting audiences based on behaviour and preferences for more targeted messaging, and AI-powered tools can even optimize SEO strategies, suggesting keywords and content topics that are likely to perform well.

But if you’re using ChatGPT to create blog articles, for instance, make sure that you don’t just take what it gives you and post it to your website as is, otherwise, it’s going to be pretty obvious that it was written solely by artificial intelligence, and that’s never a good look.

In any case, you’re still going to need to do some editing to add your brand voice, humanize the content, and edit out any telltale signs of AI-written content, which people are starting to recognize, such as the overuse of certain kinds of formatting, punctuation, words, and phrases.

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2) Short-Form Video Content
I hate to say it, but as the years go by, people’s attention spans are only getting smaller.

And when you look at the kind of video content people are consuming, this becomes obvious, as seen by the meteoric rise in the popularity of platforms like TikTok and Instagram Reels, both of which make use of exclusively short-form videos, offering quick, engaging, and easily digestible content.

These platforms provide higher engagement rates and shareability, making short-form videos a powerful tool for brands to quickly capture attention, convey messages, and drive viral marketing campaigns that can significantly enhance their online presence and audience engagement​.

That being said, short-form video content will continue to dominate content marketing in 2024 due to its alignment with the fast-paced, mobile-first consumption habits of today’s audiences, especially younger demographics like Gen Z.

Businesses can use short-form video content in their content marketing by creating things like engaging product demos, behind-the-scenes looks, customer testimonials, and short how-to guides. These videos can help brands showcase their personality, highlight the features of their products and services, and answer common questions in an entertaining way.

3) Search and Social Media Integration
One thing that many people tend to forget about social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram is that they are also search engines.

And considering the surging popularity of these platforms, it’s important to understand that consumers are shifting their focus from traditional search engines like Google to the search engines found on social media sites.

With that in mind, content marketers will need to focus not just on consistently creating authentic, relevant, and relatable content, but also on optimizing their content for discoverability on these platforms, where so many people are consuming content today.

Businesses can harness search and social media integration for their content marketing by creating platform-specific content that is optimized for the search features of social media sites frequented by their respective audiences.

In addition, by using relevant hashtags, participating in trending challenges, and engaging in popular conversations, businesses can increase their visibility on these platforms. And by leveraging the search intent data from social media, businesses can tailor their content to ensure it answers their audiences’ questions and addresses their needs, which can make it more discoverable.

What’s more, by incorporating user-generated content and interactive elements such as polls and quizzes, businesses can further boost engagement and foster a sense of community, driving brand awareness and customer loyalty.

4) Value-Driven Content
Content that reflects a brand’s values will become much more important in 2024, as the trust economy continues to grow, and consumers increasingly choose to give their business to brands whose values align with their own.

That being said, marketers will have to focus on creating content that showcases their brands’ stances on relevant topics if they want to maintain a positive relationship with their target audience​s.

Value-driven content is a trend that’s been around for quite some time, but it’s poised to dominate content marketing in 2024, as consumers today are more likely to want to do business with brands that reflect their personal values and understand their societal concerns.

Content that authentically aligns with issues like sustainability, diversity, and social responsibility will stand out from the rest, fostering deeper connections between brands and their audiences. And by prioritizing transparency, ethical practices, and community engagement, and highlighting these things in their content, businesses can build trust and loyalty, turning casual consumers into brand advocates.

Businesses can use value-driven content in their content marketing by sharing stories that show their commitment to social responsibility, sustainability, and community involvement.

For example, businesses can publish blog posts about their eco-friendly manufacturing processes, create videos showcasing their support for local charities, produce infographics that educate audiences on important social issues related to their industries, incorporate customer testimonials that resonate with their brands’ values, and engage in social media campaigns that promote positive social change.

5) Branded Communities
The term branded community is a relatively new term that didn’t show up until around the turn of the century. In the context of digital marketing, it refers to an online space created by a brand to foster interaction, engagement, and deeper relationships with its customers and between those customers.

These communities are built around shared interests, values, or enthusiasm for a brand’s products or services. They might take the form of forums, social media groups, or dedicated platforms where members can share experiences, offer feedback, participate in discussions, and gain access to exclusive content or support.

Branded communities have become more and more popular in recent years, and I believe they are set to dominate the world of content marketing this year, as we continue to see more and more examples of the benefits these communities can offer for their brands.

Not only do they offer a unique platform for deepening customer engagement and loyalty, facilitating direct interaction between brands and consumers, but they also allow for things like personalized experiences, peer-to-peer support, and user-generated content.

A great example of this is LEGO Ideas, a branded community where fans can interact with other users, submit their own LEGO set ideas, and vote on submissions. Selected ideas may even be turned into official LEGO sets, with creators receiving recognition and a share of the profits.

Businesses can use branded communities in their content marketing by creating exclusive spaces where customers can engage in discussions, share experiences, and provide feedback.

What’s more, these communities can also be platforms for launching new products, conducting polls or surveys for customer insights, and encouraging users to create their own content.

Want to improve your company’s content marketing strategy for 2024? Why not book a free 30-minute consultation with me to find out how we can help?

To your business success,
Susan Friesen

Author's Bio: 

With over 20 years of experience in the industry, she is an expert in helping businesses establish their online presence and create a strong brand identity.

Her passion for empowering entrepreneurs and small business owners to succeed in the digital world has earned her a reputation as a leading authority in the branding and marketing industry.

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