Content Marketing Trends for 2021

There’s no shortage of predictions and speculations for what content marketing will look like in 2021, and how these trends will shape the industry in the foreseeable future. Let’s take a look at five of the broadest trends that are already developing this year and are expected to continue into the next year.

1. Embrace online marketing

The events of 2020 have only solidified this fact, as thousands of younger and older people have become more reliant on the internet after widespread lockdowns. The internet isn’t going anywhere soon either, so don’t think you can sit this one out and hitch a ride on the next big trend because you’ll be waiting a long time.

Marketing online is simultaneously the most important, expansive, and cost-effective means of getting your products or services in front of people. As more people get wise to content marketing, it’ll become more competitive, so it’s best to get in as soon as possible. Even if you don’t have much to invest in online marketing, there are always creative ways to game the system to get ahead of the big dogs with the big budgets.

2. Video/live content is here

So, you need to be online, but what shape is that online marketing going to take? The answer is probably right in front of you. If you’ve paid attention to any live news shows, you’ve seen that video conferencing has grown in popularity; look at the meteoric rise of Google Meet and Zoom. Video and live content has only grown from strength to strength in the last decade and 2020 is set to exaggerate that in a big way.

Video streaming is a great way to access influencers and generate niches, and they can also be monetized depending on where you’re hosting this content. There are more practical reasons that video streaming has been on the rise before the pandemic. It's a quick and easy-to-consume means of getting your message and brand out there. Podcasting is a particularly effective form of video streaming that can also be converted into audio-only, diversifying, and expanding the net that your online marketing campaign casts.

3. Be economical with your content

Speaking of diversification, you should try to make your content go as far as it possibly can. One of the joys of digital content is that it’s almost infinitely scalable. You can transform and transfer your content far and wide across multiple channels to get the most benefit out of the same material. This will also give you more feedback data on the different demographics you’re targeting and the effectiveness of your marketing strategy as a whole.

You also need to meet people’s needs at that moment, or what’s known as Google micro-moments, where potential customers want a direct answer right now, and you want it to be your content or products that they’re looking for. Don’t just make your content go further, make your words go further too, say more with less so that your copy is easy to read.

4. Improve the content experience

As smartphones came up, mobile-friendly site optimization was all the rage. It’s still important, but expect to see the on-page optimization arms race accelerate once again. If everyone optimizes their sites for smartphone devices nowadays, you want to make your online presence even more mobile-friendly and add even more content-driven personalization to your websites. Part of having good content is getting it in front of your users in a convenient and unobtrusive way.

Where smartphones are concerned, getting an app for a service you offer would be a good idea. If not, just make sure your conversion funnels aren’t cluttered by including an instant buy option to hit those so-called micro-moments. Also, don’t expect people to thumb-type through your lead-generation form; make it snappy.

5. Content personalization is king

This cornerstone of content personalization is the ability and means to check back in with visitors to your site, whether they’re past customers or not, so that they feel acknowledged. This will only become more important as more businesses embrace the internet. It’s easy for a customer to feel like they’re just a number trawling through a company’s online store, so a site that makes them feel differently will be remembered.

The older strategies should still work for the foreseeable future, such as email lists and chatbots, which will only become more sophisticated as AI-based tech develops over the next decade. Social media advertising will also become more critical; just make sure you’re hitting the sites where your target demographics are roaming.

Building a community around your product or service is a great idea and can be done inexpensively through Facebook and other social media sites. It’s also a great way to make your content go further, which is good for business and your wallet.

If you want a more in-depth breakdown, you can find troves of information and speculation on content marketing trends for 2020, 2021, and beyond here.