2017 Content Marketing “Musts”

Forecasting the trends in the wide world of marketing for the upcoming year is big right now, and we’ve no doubt been paying attention to the industry chatter.

Guided by insights offered by Joe Pulizzi, founder of the Content Marketing Institute, who has spent the last year amongst enterprise marketers from around the world and exposed to ongoing research on all things content marketing, we too are weighing in projections for the biggest trends of 2017:

Creation of a Real Content Marketing Strategy

You guessed it folks, in a world driven by instant accessibility to a wealth of knowledge and information, content that is unique, creative, educational, thought-provoking, useful, or masterfully all of the above plus some, is in high demand.

Pulizzi: “In almost every keynote speech I give, I ask the audience members if their organizations have a documented content marketing strategy. Sadly, most do not. Our research tells us that those organizations that do have one, and that review it consistently, are more likely to be successful. Even though you (the expert reading this) might think this is basic, it’s not. We are still too focused on campaigns and talking about our products, instead of truly driving value outside the products and services we offer.”

Professional Copywriting

Think back to the last thing you read (or scanned at the very least) that was linked, directly or indirectly, to the promotion of a business. I’d bet with the utmost confidence that it happened within the last hour for most. Written content can be repurposed in a wide variety of ways, and make no mistake, it has the potential to profoundly impact your target audience when done properly. From telling your story to delivering need-to-know information, this form of communication and it’s often untapped potential is not to be ignored by those whose goal is to build their brand.

You can leverage the power of your voice (by way of good copywriting) to build credibility, promote engagement, shape perception, foster a deeper connection, deliver pertinent information, add value to your relationships…I really could go on and on, but I’m sure you get the point. You’re not only achieving the goal of establishing yourself as a key resource, but you’re backing it up and driving your point home better than anything else out there.

Pulizzi: “Writing still counts, perhaps more than ever. More than not, marketers are abuzz about social media and video without comprehending that most of our communication is still text-and story-based. And frankly, most marketers are really bad at writing. From finding freelancers to becoming a better digital writer, we have more sessions dedicated to writing than ever (yes, even in this age of social media).”

Content Promotion

So you’re generating more content…fantastic news! But how are you promoting it? If it doesn’t have legs, it’s stuck in place, and thus not able to fulfill its purpose. With the right vehicles for delivery, it’s put in front of the right people, in the right place, and at the right time.

Pulizzi: “Great content is one thing, but if you don’t build in a strategy that makes sense for a user experience or leverages technology in the right way, we are all doomed.”

To conclude our findings, we’ll again turn to Pulizzi, who makes a point that is probably quite familiar to you Strictly Business readers who have kept up with my monthly column. “One thing is for sure: Content creation and distribution in the enterprise, outside of the content about our products and services, has become both more important and more integrated over the past year.”

We’re confident based on our 20+ years spent in the business of promoting our clients through an effective content marketing tool that this will continue, and encourage you to get started!

(Source: Content Marketing Institute The Biggest Content Marketing Trends in 2017 contentmarketinginstitute.com/2016/08/content-marketing-trends)


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