content trends 2020

It’s 2020 already! Are you ready to seize the new decade by the horns? I sure am! We’re just a few short weeks into the year, and it’s already shaping up to be an exciting one in the world of writing. If you’ve been paying attention to what’s happening in content marketing, then you’re already a step ahead of the curve. Several ideas and innovations are maturing, bringing us more possibilities when it comes to writing and distributing our most magnetic content. Wondering what the future of content marketing looks like? Check it out. I’ve rounded up my best predictions for the 2020 trends in content marketing. This year is already roaring along at full speed, so we’d better get started! The 5 Biggest Content Marketing Trends for 2020 You Must Embrace 1. “Good” Is Not Enough! Readers E-A-T Only the Best Content Topic-Focused Content Builds Authority Results-Focused Copy Builds Relevance Customer-Focused Marketing Builds Trust 2. Pictures Become Worth 1 Million Words – If They’re Living Visual Media Is Becoming Interactive 3. An Emphasis on Lasting Relationships 4. Brand Authenticity Approaches New Dimensions Authenticity, Storytelling, and Story Creation Conversational Marketing 5. We Cannot Ignore the New Ways to Search [bctt tweet=”Excited to start the new year with fresh ideas to boost your content marketing to the next level? @JuliaEMcCoy shares the best content marketing trends in 2020 you should start following right now. ” username=”ExpWriters”] The 5 Biggest Content Marketing Trends for 2020 You Must Embrace While 2019 was all about refining what worked, the energy of 2020 signals that it’s all about seizing the day – or year. We’ve practiced, honed, experimented… Now it’s time to put all that newfound knowledge to work to build those dreams as you’ve never built before. Without further ado, here are the five content marketing trends for 2020 you must absolutely watch. 1. “Good” Is Not Enough! Readers E-A-T Only the BEST Content The phrase “content is king” has been floating around the internet now for almost a quarter of a century. (Thanks, Bill.) It’s a deceptively simple statement. Yet, 24 years later, we’re still discovering exactly what it means. 2020 may be the year that we (collectively) finally get it. An emphasis on good content has existed for a while now, largely spurred on by Google’s constant (and often revolutionary) updates to its search engine algorithms. Last decade, we saw several seismic updates that completely altered the nature of search. Google has a knack for doing that. However, the last several core updates such as Google BERT and the January Core Update have been relatively unique. Not only have they continued to tailor their algorithms to the human element, but they’ve now begun sending a pretty clear message to the content creation (and SEO) community with every update: Google really, really, REALLY wants you to stop overanalyzing the SEO situation every time it updates its algorithms. Why? Because in 2020 SEO has ONE main rule: Focus on delivering the best possible content to your readers. Oh look, another deceptively simple statement. In 2020, content and search engine ranking are fusing. It’s no longer going to be about either optimizing for people or optimizing for search engines. By crafting exceptional content, you’re now doing both. If there’s anything you take away, it’s these three points for content trends in 2020. (Which are so important, we made an image for you.) 1. Topic-Focused Content Builds Authority To establish authority in the search engines, you’ll need to prove to Google that you know something about a topic. That doesn’t mean posting one or two articles on the subject and calling it good. The average content pillar has been 2,000 and 10,000 words with 6-8 sub-topics (or pages) linked. 2. Results-Focused Copy Builds Relevance Craft content with a purpose. People use search engines to find answers to problems, but only 21% of searches lead to more than one result getting clicked. If your copy isn’t laser-focused on achieving a specific result (like solving the problem that person searched for), you won’t make it to the top of the list. 3. Customer-Focused Marketing Builds Trust In 2020, the primary means you’ll build trust with your readers is by delivering helpful, useful content. Such content indicates a willingness to be helpful, to give without expectation of monetary returns. Turns out it works. According to research by Conductor, customers are up to 131% more likely to purchase from brands that provide early-stage, educational content. [bctt tweet=”Don’t settle for good this 2020, go for GREAT! How? Focus on these three important points: the right topics (to build authority), ️ results (to build relevance), and customers (to build trust).” username=”ExpWriters”] Take a moment to absorb these three points. They’re what underlie the rest of the content marketing trends for 2020. BTW – Google is setting a high bar for what is considered quality content. And unsurprisingly, Content Marketing Institute found that 84% of brands outsource their content creation to pros. If you’re concerned about quality, this is the route to take. [bctt tweet=”Did you know? @cmicontent found that 84% of brands outsource their content creation to pros. Stressed for time? Maybe it’s time to trust a pro writing partner. ✍️” username=”ExpWriters”] 2. Visuals Become Worth 1 Million Words – If They’re Live Remember the first infographic ever made? (Probably not – it was published in 1821.) It rocked everyone’s world. Today, infographics and visuals remain incredibly powerful. We’re going to keep seeing them – but they’re getting a refresh. How? Visual Media Is Becoming Interactive Infographics are neat, but unless they’re designed and optimized for social media sharing (like Pinterest, Instagram, or Facebook), they’re surprisingly limited. They can pique our interest for a few minutes or flash across our social media feed… but they can’t do much else. In contrast, live video content is an experience. When something is real-time, we’re primed to think it’s unique. Plus, the real-time nature of the media amplifies the exclusivity and sense of connection with the … Read more