It's time to get serious about your content marketing efforts in 2019. Content is at the core of our digital and social, always on, always connected and always learning mobile world of communication.

As the technologies expand in capabilities, marketers become more savvy at how to use them, robots replace jobs, it becomes even more competitive for brands trying to grab any second of our attention that they can.

Content is at the center of the heartbeat between your brand and your customer. It is either going to open their minds and heart to pay attention and care that your brand exists, or it won't.

If you can connect with your audience in an authentic, human way leveraging content to deepen relationships, vs only sell, your results will exponentially increase.

Here are 7 content marketing trends you can't ignore:

1. Content Marketing Plan: Bottom Line You Need One

You must have a content marketing plan that helps you align your content to your business goals.

You must find that sweet spot where you can ideate, create and publish content that both serves your audience incredible value in a personal and meaningful way as well helps you achieve your goals. This is not going to come as easy as it may have in prior years.

Smart marketers are already working on their plans and likely have a content calendar being populated with content to delight and engage their audiences.

The days of lazy marketers throwing social content spaghetti at the virtual walls of Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram and Twitter are over and done. They will not win in 2019, period.

Action: Download the Ultimate Content Calendar Template. 

2. Original and Relevant Content – NOT Click Bait 

Did you know that 78% of consumers say that personally relevant content increases their purchase intent (*Marketing Insider).

Your content needs to be original and relevant. It's pretty simple. Create your own content. Use your own ideas. If you are short on ideas, hire a consultant, writer or agency to help you create them.

No more lazy marketers copying the hottest viral headlines and topics and fooling themselves into thinking they are “making it their own” or adding their own personality when in reality they are almost word for word copying and pasting.

Consumers and decision makers are getting smart at avoiding click bait. They are looking for real content that can help solve their problems quickly and easily. They want you to earn their trust.

Our greatest asset as humans is time. Respect the timeline and mindshare of your readers, viewers and listeners and they will love you for it. They will reward you with organic free reach and amplification of your brand as they share your amazing content with their friends and colleagues.

Action: Download our Audience Analysis Worksheet 

3. Micro-Influencers 

Influencer marketing is not new. However, it is very much mis-understood by marketers and business leaders.

You don't need to hire the Kardashians. Instead think about local and national leaders in your industry and niche. Look inside your own company as your own employees as well as current customers may be your best brand advocates and evangelists.

Influencer marketing is not about finding a famous influencer and bribing them to post about you on their own platforms and social channels. Instead, think about how you can partner with them. Consider co-created content and ask them to also post content on your platforms that you can then leverage and promote as evergreen content that lasts years, not minutes.

When tapping into the power of influencer marketing, don't fall prey to the lazy influencer agencies who only spam influencers with copy / paste spam virtual outreach and wind up hurting your brand more than helping it.

I do a lot of work as a hired influencer for large and medium size brands as well as help drive the strategy for our agency, Marketing Nutz, to help brands create and launch influencer marketing strategies and programs.

I know from both being an influencer myself as well as helping companies build programs that relationships are the key to success. Don't just think short term, “how can I make this tweet or video go viral” but instead “how can I build a relationship that we both win and also serve our audience value at the same time.”

Micro-influencer marketing is a game changer for businesses of all sizes. It is often the fastest way to brand awareness, amplification and a true connection with your target audience.

Choosing the right influencers is key to success as well as a well thought out program to maintain relationships, set goals and measure results. It's not as easy as throwing a few bucks at an influencer and expecting overnight success. Be ready to work.

4. Voice Control and Search 

Instead of planning and optimizing your keywords for someone typing them into a device thinking “how will my target customer type in a search into Google or Facebook” marketers must be thinking, “how will my customer ask a question with their voice into their smart phone or Amazon's Echo?

Big changes are coming with search and this my friends is voice. Marketers can not ignore the power of voice search. Some of your content must answer quick questions with quick answers if you want your content to show up in search in the future.

Marketers must be thinking about the words people SAY, not just type with a keyboard.

Also, mobile responsive and mobile optimized sites are also incredibly important as most of these voice activated searches are done on a mobile device. Google prioritizes mobile optimized sites in search results.

As people invest more in voice controlled devices, these trends will increase. Definitely an area savvy content marketers are watching closely.

5. Test New Formats Such as Video, Audio and Short Stories  

If you haven't already started using video in your marketing, maybe 2019 is the time to start? Haven't started a podcast? Haven't tested using a bot such as Facebook Messenger to provide better customer service? Maybe 2019 is the year you do.

The secret to success in 2019 is going to be having the guts to try new things without becoming immediately addicted. Try new formats and mediums but be willing to ditch them fast if they are not working.

If you've been doing mostly long form content, it could be beneficial to test out shorter, bite size snackable content formats such as stories on Instagram and Facebook.

If you have primarily focused on short format video and content, try testing longer form content that can rank well in search, increase traffic and offer SEO benefits.

Just as I mention in trend #2, original and relevant content is key to success. Don't “do video” just to do video. Don't do a podcast just because everyone tells you to do a podcast.

Instead take the time to plan out a solid content strategy that attracts your dream customers, serves your current customers  and helps you achieve your goals. If video is what will help you do it, then go for the video.

Have fun with formats you maybe haven't as used so deeply in the past such as video and don't get stuck on the shiny object thinking “it has to be live” or “it has to be fancy.” Instead the only thing that matters is that it HAS to provide VALUE to your audience.

Instead think of how you can leverage video to create an amazing experience, share content in a unique way and tell a story that touches the soul of your audience.

6. Brand Storytelling 

Learning how to leverage brand storytelling is a skill not all marketers have mastered. Many think it just means they are entitled to talk about themselves more or that they need to get other people to talk about them more. Wrong.

Brand storytelling goes much deeper into who you are and why you are doing what you are doing. Brand storytelling is more about the experience you create and engage your customers, vs how you brag about yourself. Big difference.

What is the story and roots behind your brand and success? What are the hard roads you travelled to get to where you are? How did those bumpy roads then create amazing experiences for your clients, and why?

It takes 6-7 brand touches for someone to remember you and your brand. Maximize every touch to create experiences that matter and are based on an intent to truly shape the people and businesses your organization touches.

7. Data Driven Decisions Cure Social Shiny Object Syndrome

Your content marketing strategy, plan and tactics must be prioritized and based on data driven decisions.  This is the ONLY way you can cure yourself from the chasing social and digital shiny object syndrome.

You do NOT need to be the first marketer on every social network that launches. You don't need to be the best on every social network either.

Instead focus on being the BEST at serving your customers. You won't know if you are good at serving them or what content is helping you serve them best if you do not become addicted to the data.

When you develop a plan that is based on data and the needs of your customers, this also frees up time for you to be more agile. Being agile then empowers you to more easily test new things without having to deep dive heads first on every new technology you read about on Facebook.

Trust me, as the New Year approaches there will be many posts like this one touting the next new social media and technology shiny object. Success is not going to come by being the fastest at chasing them, but instead at choosing the right ones that help you win. If you want a winning content strategy in 2019 you must take time to plan for it, and then be willing to do the work to make it a reality.

Supporting Resources:

• 2019 Content Editorial Calendar Template

• Audience Analysis Worksheet (worksheet to help you prioritize your niche)

Need help taking your brand to the next level? Social Profit Factor Training Academy and Marketing Nutz Can Help! 

Social Profit Factor can help you ignite your content and brand architecture to grow your online tribe and business with social networks such as Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram and Twitter. 2019 is where those who have simply been “hustling” to get by realize they must hustle and work smarter. Before you even think about posting that video on Facebook you must know who you are, what your audience needs from you and how your efforts are going to deliver value for your audience and your business.

You need a structured plan to be successful using social media. Social Profit Factor will help you develop your plan with goals, objectives and priorities within 30 days!

Sign up now to become a founding member.

Need help honing in your branding strategy, architecture, message platform, online presence,  or launching a new product or service? Want to leverage social media, digital marketing and branding to grow your business? Our agency, Marketing Nutz can help you build, launch and  optimize your digital and social brand presence to achieve your goals. Give us a shout and let's get to work!