Content Marketing Strategies for 2023
by Federica Rustico
12 min read
Last Updated: May 26, 2023
by Federica Rustico
Here we are again: as marketers get ready to ring in the new year, it’s time to think about the digital marketing trends that will dominate it. Any guesses of what 2023 will bring? While none of us have a crystal ball that can say for sure, we can definitely make some predictions. The digital landscape is constantly evolving, and so are the strategies that businesses use to reach their target audiences. But the key to success in content marketing is to stay ahead of the game and be aware of the trends and strategies that are shaping the industry. Whether you are just starting out or have been doing it for years, we'll explore the latest trends in content marketing, from cutting-edge AI-driven strategies to the tried-and-true methods that have been around for decades. So grab your jetpack and your time machine, and let’s dive into the world of content marketing strategies of 2023.
Before we head into the future, let’s make sure you know what content marketing is and why it’s your number one friend to navigate the overly-populated digital marketing world! In a nutshell, according to Content Marketing Institute, "content marketing is a strategic marketing approach focused on creating and distributing valuable, relevant, and consistent content to attract and retain a clearly-defined audience — and, ultimately, to drive profitable customer action". Contents of this kind might range from blog posts and web pages to books, infographics, GIFs and even video. Sounds simple, right? Think again!
Before you create a new post on your WordPress website, you should know that there is much more to content marketing than just putting out a piece of material with the hopes that people will stumble upon it. There are two mains types of marketing — inbound and outbound. Inbound marketing is a type of marketing that focuses on drawing customers in, rather than outwardly pushing a product or service. It is a customer-centric approach that involves creating content, such as blogs, videos, and social media posts, that are tailored to the interests of a target audience. For example, a business selling health and fitness products might create content about healthy living tips, or a business selling technology products might create content about the latest trends in the industry. Instead, outbound marketing is a form of advertising or marketing activity where a company actively reaches out to potential customers to promote a product or service. Going back to our previous example, an outbound marketing strategy for a health company could include creating and distributing flyers or brochures about a new line of vitamins or supplements, hosting promotional events to offer discounts on health products, or creating and running a TV or radio ad campaign to promote healthy lifestyle habits. While this may sound cool, you have to know that there has been a decline in the effectiveness of outbound marketing methods (or anything that disrupts your audience) in connecting with and converting modern audiences.
Why? Because we’re not in the 1990s anymore. To connect with your audience in the modern era, your material must appear organic, a.k.a. inbound. One great strategy for doing this is to tell a story with your content. Doing so will lend your writing more credibility, interest, and specificity to the readers. That’s why content marketing is a big deal, because it’s the medium through which you grab your audience’s attention and slowly redirect it to your products or service in a completely organic way! The objective is to get your message out there and boost awareness, interest, sales and brand loyalty. Instead of just announcing what you’re doing, show your audience how your products and services solve their problems to enhance conversions, relationships with your company, and client loyalty. Make people feel like they're a part of something bigger than your brand.
So now that you know what content marketing entails, it’s time to dive right into this year’s top content marketing strategies. Ready, set, go!
Understanding the trends in the market can help your business identify new opportunities and capitalize on them before your competitors do. Not to mention, it can help your brand better understand your customers' needs and develop campaigns that are more likely to resonate with them.
It's not hard to see why so many companies put money into social media marketing when you consider that there are more than 4.7 billion social media users worldwide. TikTok, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, Pinterest, LinkedIn, and Snapchat are just a few examples of the many available channels for content creation and distribution (e.g. photos, live videos, pre-recorded videos, stories). Sure, it’s difficult to predict what the state of social media marketing will be in 2023, as trends and technology are constantly shifting. But it is likely that even with the inability to track users like we used to, social media marketing will still be a viable strategy for businesses in 2023. As users become more aware of how their data is used, they are likely to become more savvy and take steps to protect their privacy. So businesses may need to adjust their strategies to take into account the new realities of social media marketing. But thankfully, new technologies such as artificial intelligence and machine learning may help businesses track user data in more effective ways, allowing them to continue to leverage social media for marketing purposes.
Hyper personalization is a content marketing trend because it allows for a more tailored experience for customers. By understanding individual customer behavior, companies can create content that is tailored specifically to each customer and their needs. This can lead to a more effective and engaging customer experience, as customers feel like their needs are being met and that they are being listened to. Hyper personalization also allows companies to create more targeted campaigns and messages that are better suited to the individual customer, leading to higher conversion rates. A study by Demand Gen shows that businesses which employ personalized lead nurturing see a 20% boost in sales prospects. Data plays a crucial role in the personalization process. As a result, the more information you have about your target audience, the greater your chances of crafting effective communications. You'll have to figure out what data you need, such as who they are, what's most important to them, what they like, what they don't like, and how they plan to use your product or service.
To begin with, you won't have a lot of information. Even if a prospect only provides their name and email address in exchange for a single piece of content, that's progress. Third-party sources will provide you with more information, and you'll have a better idea of what really piqued the prospect's interest.
Using a subscriber's name, email address, and the subject matter of their previous email, you can tailor a campaign to send them more material on the same subject through email. Then you can see if they opened the email and followed any of the links you sent them. The deeper their involvement with your brand, the more tailored the experience may be.
Video content will continue to be a major trend in content marketing in 2023, with more brands leveraging the power of video to engage their audiences. Videos will be used to convey complex messages, showcase products and services, and tell stories in a more compelling way. You can distribute your videos on several channels, including social media, landing pages, or even the website of a co-marketer.
Whatever industry you're in, it's likely that the market for your material has already been flooded to capacity. That's because the vast majority of businesses in that sector produce content that's essentially identical. There will be a continued uptick in difficulty in attempting to improve your organic ranking for specific keywords.
One strategy some firms are doing to combat this and stand out is to provide extremely specialized content for a small but dedicated audience. In order to identify this market, you must typically combine a service you provide or a product you sell with a specific market. For example, a software development company could create tutorials that explain the latest technology and best practices in the field. This content helps to establish the company as an authority in the industry and gives customers a better understanding of the company's offerings. Creating niche content also helps to differentiate the company from its competitors and build brand recognition in the industry.
Between Spotify and Apple Podcasts, there are more than 60 million podcast listeners. This is why a growing number of corporations and media organizations are producing and distributing their own podcasts for their target audiences. Podcasts provide a wide range of opportunities for originality because they can cover any subject. In addition to deciding how often new episodes will be released and for how long, you also get to control the other aspects of the podcast.
User-generated content (UGC) is now the backbone of e-commerce content promotion. To put it into perspective, consider this: 85% of people rely on user-generated material. That's a huge benefit, so make sure you use it wisely. What is the process for accomplishing this? With the option to upload user-generated material, you give your audience a voice and increase the likelihood that they'll return to your site.
There are countless benefits to this:
IKEA is a great example of a company that has successfully integrated user-generated content (UGC) into their marketing strategy. As part of their “IKEA Ideas” campaign, IKEA encourages customers to share how they use their products in creative and unexpected ways. IKEA has created an online platform where customers can upload photos and videos of their IKEA products in action. IKEA also uses UGC to promote their products in their online and in-store marketing campaigns. By tapping into the creativity of their customers, IKEA has been able to create engaging content that resonates with their target audience.
We’re all still fighting for customer’s attention, which is exactly why GIFs will continue to rise in popularity. But don’t just think of GIFs as funny pictures that can be used only for reactions, dig deeper! GIFs are a great marketing strategy for 2023 because they are a powerful way to capture and engage customers’ attention. They are eye-catching, easy to share, and can convey a lot of information quickly. GIFs can also help brands to make their content more memorable and fun, which makes them ideal for social media. Two companies that have effectively used GIF marketing in 2022 are KFC and Nike. KFC used GIFs to promote their new product launch, creating an exciting short animation that quickly caught people’s attention. Meanwhile, Nike used GIFs to highlight the features of their new sneakers, creating a playful and engaging campaign that was shared widely on social media. But they aren’t the only ones riding the GIF marketing wave. Apple used GIFs in an ad campaign for their new AirPods Pro; Coca-Cola used GIFs to promote their new flavor, Coca-Cola Zero Sugar; while Netflix used GIFs to promote their new series, Stranger Things! If they’re doing it, it’s time you do it too, don’t you think?
Blogging is a great way to create fresh content that can be used to inform and engage your target audience. It can also be used to establish your brand as an expert in your field, attract more traffic to your website, and generate leads. Additionally, blogging can help to improve your search engine rankings and increase your visibility online. For example, Apple uses its blog posts to introduce new products and features, share customer stories, and showcase the company’s values and culture. For example, Spotify’s blog, “The Sound of the People,” features interviews with artists, music-related tips, and stories about how people are using Spotify.
Because of the proliferation of media and the decline in people's attention spans, it's more challenging than ever to capture the interest of modern audiences. In order to leave a long-lasting impression on their intended audience and encourage greater participation, several brands are resorting to interactive content.
Unlike static information, which is just consumed by the audience without any input from them, interactive content encourages two-way discussions and invites the audience to take part in creating the material themselves. Quizzes, tests, calculators, polls, and surveys are all examples of interactive content that can provide users with individualized insights and solutions to problems or pressing questions. When it comes to advertising, virtual reality (VR) is quickly becoming the cutting edge of consumer engagement and entertainment. Users have a good time with interactive material since it's enjoyable to both view and engage with. Insights gained from visitors' actions on your site after you've successfully engaged them will inform your lead generation and optimization efforts in the future.
For instance, Burger King launched an interactive content campaign in 2022 to introduce their new Impossible Whopper. The campaign included an interactive quiz to engage customers and encourage them to try the new burger. Customers were asked to answer a series of questions about their preferences, and then the quiz would suggest which of the two Whopper options was best for them. Another example is American Eagle, who launched an interactive content campaign in 2022 to promote their latest collection of denim. The campaign featured an Instagram story with an interactive quiz that asked customers to answer questions about their style preferences. Based on their answers, customers were shown different outfit recommendations, which they could then purchase directly from the American Eagle site.
Yes, content promotion through infographics is still a good idea in 2023. Infographics are a fantastic tool for conveying information because they combine concise text with easily understood visuals. They're useful when you need to simplify a complex or instructive issue for the benefit of your entire audience.Additionally, infographics are also very shareable and can help extend the reach of your content. Don’t have any ideas? Why not create an infographic outlining the benefits of the product or service being promoted? It should highlight the features that make the product or service stand out from the competition, as well as the value it provides to the customer. For instance, Adobe regularly produces infographics that showcase their products and services, as well as industry trends and statistics. They use infographics to engage their audience, to drive traffic to their website, and to encourage social sharing.
To connect with your audience in the modern era, your material must appear organic, a.k.a. inbound. One great strategy for doing this is to tell a story with your content. Doing so will lend your writing more credibility, interest, and specificity to the readers. That’s why content marketing is a big deal, because it’s the medium through which you grab your audience’s attention and slowly redirect it to your products or service in a completely organic way.
The future leaves less space for intrusive marketing strategies and embraces interactive and engaging marketing strategies that create a connection with the consumer. This, along with hyper personalization driven by AI and machine learning, will be at the forefront of 2025 marketing trends.
1. Social media marketing
2. Hyper personalization
3. Advertising with video content
4. Niche content
5. Podcasts
6. UGC
7. GIFs in advertising
8. Blogging
9. Interactive content
10. The use of infographics
