Content marketing changes at a rapid pace, but don’t let all the glittery headlines fool you! It has always been about the people and that’s just as true in 2020 as it’s ever been.

There’s nothing wrong with changing your strategy for the better, and the best way to jumpstart your content marketing for 2020 is to make sure you’re grounded in the fundamentals that have worked for so many others.

In this post, you’ll learn how to prepare your content strategy not just for 2020, but for many years to come.

Trends To Bring Into 2020 ✔

Focus On Your Readers
That doesn’t mean you have to stop advertising or monetizing, but it does mean you have to invest more time to listening to and getting to know your audience. Use social media and online surveys to gather all the intel you need, such as an NPS score! 

Generate Customer Journey Maps
What is the searcher thinking as they type a query into Google? What is their most pressing need? Searcher intent is the thought process behind a search query. A customer journey highlights the desire behind a search query, allowing you to better segment your audience so you can use the right approach for each segment.

Immerse Yourself In Your Industry
Part of the value of your content comes directly from your expertise. If a reader is interested in a product or niche, it’s safe to assume they’ve done their own research. If they know more about a product or service than you, they’ll never view you as an authoritative source of value in that industry. You have to be an expert in your field. If you’re not adding knowledge, you’re not adding value.

Remember That Content Is More Than Just Blogs
Many content marketers focus solely on blogging and written content. While blogging is super effective for businesses, it’s not the only facet of content marketing. Visual content is incredibly effective, especially on social media platforms. Infographics, videos, charts, timelines and other “linkable” assets are essential to a great content marketing strategy for 2020.

Use Social Media For More Than Ads
Far too many brands use social media platforms for advertising purposes only. In reality, social media platforms are invaluable for social listening, audience research, and so much more. Spend time getting to know your consumers in their natural habitats and build rapport.

Curate Great Content
Think of your website as a museum displaying your work and successes. Your social accounts are too! Curating great content from other sources adds value in more ways than one. Not only do you benefit from the expertise of someone else in your niche, but you present yourself as a fair and friendly brand. By promoting a competitor’s piece, you’re telling your audience that you care about them so much that you’ll provide them with great content even if it isn’t your content.

Include Calls-to-action
It might sound strange, but sometimes consumers need to be told what to do. Many of us are followers, so when a well-crafted CTA pops up, we either take the desired action or at least recognize a benefit. But CTAs need to do more than just offer benefits, they also need to fill a need.

Take Risks
Lastly, never be afraid to color outside the lines or to think outside the box - or any other cliche you want to add here 😉. Building your own brand takes guts. The only way to stand out in a growing sea of content is to take risks and be different. Here are some great examples of brands that stand out in the marketplace.

Content marketing shouldn’t be an uphill battle. Most of it comes to you naturally as long as you remain humble, grounded, and focused on your audience. What are some content marketing tips that you’re bringing into 2020? Let us know below! 👇