Ten content marketing game changers to look for in 2016
Marketers’ tenacity to stick with the game plan will be tested and we’ll see some “me too” content marketing efforts stutter and stop.
But the marketers who stay the course and focus on their strategy (and measurement) will emerge as long-term winners, both for themselves and the brands they represent. Budgets will continue to grow, but will require more justification than ever. 2016 will not be the year for the weak.
As the hype (and the noise) dissipates, we’ll see plenty of opportunity for brands that want to rise to the top. Here’s a list of all the things we have to look forward to in 2016:
1. Integrations will become the norm
Over a billion dollars of venture capital have been poured into content marketing startups since 2006. Now that there are thousands of marketing vendors, CMOs’ lives have become more complex rather than simplified. Marketing tech vendors will have to integrate into existing systems and the larger players will become the systems that the smaller startups will have to plug into. Not everyone can build a unicorn system that does it all.
2. The rise of the communication platforms — WeChat, LINE and more
Already ubiquitous in Asia, communication platforms such as WeChat and Line will start taking over the rest of the world. And marketers will have to pay attention. Starting off with chat, these platforms have quickly grown into mega platforms for everything (including payments, transport and commerce). If most consumers’ lives are spent inside these platforms, that will be the next great canvas for content marketing.
3. Content will come to life
The written word and visuals aren’t going anywhere. But static content will start to be replaced by more interactive and immersive experiences (see virtual reality below). These “living” content experiences will encourage consumers to take action and spend significant time engaging with the brand.
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Quality, tech and personalisation: the key issues for content marketing in 2016
The Economist EVP on the power of content as a strategic marketing resource
