2011 was a big year for content marketing, the technique of creating and distributing relevant information to engage with a target audience with an ultimate objective of driving profitable action. A recent survey by HiveFire, a provider of content marketing solutions, found that 82 percent of B2B marketers today use content marketing.
The tactic will grow up even more in 2012, says Pawan Deshpande, founder and CEO of HiveFire. Companies have to be prepared to offer relevant and engaging content, not just marketing materials. Gone will be the days of marketers singularly promoting their brands without also keeping an eye on industry news and trends, Deshpande says. He cites some emerging trends as well as some common practices that you’d be smart to avoid.
Messaging
What’s Out:
Passing off marketing materials as content. Companies that were new to content marketing last year have learned that to attract customer interest, they have to be prepared to offer relevant and engaging content, not just marketing materials. Gone will be the days of marketers singularly promoting their brands without also keeping an eye on industry news and trends.
What’s In:
Incorporating your brand’s message into a larger story. Content produced by companies will begin to take on a more journalistic feel, and those marketers that are really getting it right won’t shy away from culling content from their competitors as well.
Channels
What’s Out:
Traditional content channels. Deshpande says 2011 saw the decline of existing content channels (e.g., RSS feeds) and the shift to new content vehicles (e.g., Twitter). Increasingly, readers who seek content are moving away from sites, such as traditional news websites, in favor of more real-time social media channels.
What’s In:
The next big thing. My prediction for 2012 is that we will continue to see emerging content channels steal the spotlight from more-established news media. A new online channel (think the Google+ of 2012), a new physical channel (2012’s answer to the tablet), and a new medium for content (the next infographic) are all on the calendar for the next 12 months.
Curated Content
What’s Out:
Stealing content from other sources without proper attribution. Linking to the original source may drive traffic away from you momentarily, but doing so makes you more credible for identifying relevant content in other well-known publications.
What’s In:
Curating content from multiple sources, including your competitors. If your company’s goal is to establish thought leadership in your industry by providing your customers with the most compelling and relevant content available, it will be impossible to do so without occasionally curating your competitors’ content.
