Strategy is everything – especially when it comes to content marketing. Amongst constant new developments and changes to the various platforms where you distribute your content it can be difficult to pinpoint what and crucially how to make it work for your brand or business. With this in mind, this blog will share the top content marketing tactics you’ll need to be aware of and consider implementing for 2023.
Short-Form Video
Video was the top media format used by marketers in 2022 for the third year running according to HubSpot. Short-form video in the form of Instagram reels and TikToks are the big dominators – being the fastest growing platforms within the last year. And for good reason! Short-form videos can convey your brand’s message quickly and creatively whilst also being relevant, relatable and building rapport with your target audience.
It’s not just these two domineering platforms that are championing short-form video either – you can take your reels and TikToks to YouTube Shorts and Pinterest too to further increase your exposure to people who may be interested in your products and services.
Whether you’re a small business or an international conglomerate – short-form video has so much potential to help you build a community around your brand and is one of the top drawers of engagement on socials right now. So don’t forget to include it in your 2023 content marketing strategy! (and do give me a shout if you need any assistance with this)
Have a Sense of Humour
You take your business very seriously right? But when it comes to your content to paraphrase The Joker ‘Why so serious?’. Research shows that the most effective content is the funny stuff. Why? Because the second we see something funny, we want to share it with others. Bonus points if it’s also relatable.
‘But Abbey, I work in the driest industry’ I hear you murmur.
Doesn’t matter friend, you can still hop on the funny ferry.
Brands like Innocent Drinks base their whole social media content around humour – particularly relatable humour but they also cleverly mix in mentions of their products by posting fake conversations they have with their stakeholders around advertising them in their posts.
This doesn’t mean you need to turn your timeline into a meme page. Just think of some ways you could use humour in a way that aligns with your brand or objective. Could you use it as a device to inform your audience about what you offer or to show your brand’s personality? If nothing else, you’ll make someone laugh… and I’d say that’s definitely worth it!
Be Interactive
As humans we love connection – one of the ways to capitalise on this in your content marketing is to include opportunities to connect within the content itself. Here are a few ideas on how you can be more interactive in your content:
- Make use of poll and question features on social media platforms (and respond to the answers!)
- Insert polls or ask questions within your blogs (not just at the end!)
- Design quizzes and surveys
- Introduce a gaming element to your content
- Go live on socials – could you do an ask me anything, a demonstration or have a discussion?
Each of these things will help you to build a rapport with your audience whilst also collecting valuable first-party data about them that will help you to understand more about them and therefore market to them better.
Read the Room
Knowing who you want to sell to is one thing but marketing to them in the right place at the right time is another. This is where a careful consideration of your whole customer journey is needed – from the moment they finish reading a blog or finish listening to your podcast, think about what happens next.
What’s the next action you want them to take? How easy and appealing are you making that action? For instance, do you have share buttons on your blogs? Can customers shop right from your blog posts?
It’s important to get the balance right too. You don’t want to bombard people with too much information or calls to action but you also don’t want to be too vague or not engage at all.
Be mindful of anything going on in the wider world too – like the current economic crisis. Do you need to adapt your messaging or how you position your product? Could you supply your product or service at a range of different price points? Could you reiterate the value of your products – i.e. the problems they solve, their USPs or the how they make people feel.
Show Your Process
Behind-the-scenes and authentic content that aligns with the how and why of your business is very effective. With so much choice when it comes to buying these days, consumers are looking to ‘marry the brand’ i.e. purchase with companies who’s values align with their own, who can back up the claims about their products and/or services and are passionate about sharing their journey with others.
So let your customers, current and prospective in on your process – show them how you go about whatever it is you do and why it matters. Show them why they should choose you over others.
Authenticity is a big one too – especially if you’re positioning yourself as an expert in something. Think about the experiences and credentials you have at your disposal to prove you know what you’re talking about – and share them. You can even be brave and share the challenges within your industry or process, along with the solutions. It goes such a long way and shouldn’t just be reserved for crisis management.
Own Your Own Channels
When websites like Facebook, Instagram or TikTok go down or change prioritisation of content in the feed, many brands despair over how they will reach their audiences. Owning your own distribution channels frees you from having to worry about these events – because you control the output and can design them to fit around the entire customer journey.
These distribution channels could include:
- A blog on your website
- An email newsletter
- A podcast
Those that subscribe to your newsletter, blog or podcast are worth way more to you than any single follower on a social media channel because they’ve committed to receiving regular updates from you. Keep your content relevant, informative and educational to them and you’re far more likely to see a return on investment.
From experimenting with popular formats to building a community around your brand and owning your own distribution channels. there are lots of things you can do with your content marketing to entice and engage your ideal audience. I hope that this blog has given you a few ideas – do let me know your thoughts in the comments below!
Want some assistance with your content marketing? From designing social media graphics to writing blog copy, putting together reels and more, I can help! Simply get in touch today!