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Top 7 Content Marketing Trends that Matter
in 2017
Being great at content marketing was harder to do in 2016 than ever before. That’s because there’s more content in more places, with more topics and more faces.
And that trend isn’t going to stop in 2017 — it’s only going to multiply. The key is going to be understanding how to take a more nuanced, informed approach, so your content works smarter and harder.
We want to help you do just that, so we’ve compiled a guide of the top 7 trends that matter most in 2017.
Hope you enjoy!
Mapping customer micro-moments1
2017
Photo credit: Cristian Ungureanu
Traditional marketing funnels are going the way
of the dinosaur☒
That’s because customer experiences aren’t measured in pieces of a funnel
Awareness
In-store buying experience moments
Conversion
Retention
Customer experiences are created in micro-moments
Visits store
In-store buying experience moments
Visits competitor retail website
Looks up reviews on Amazon
Compares prices on phone
Cashier won’t price match
Waits in line at store, browses
phone
Sees content for online price matching
Gets retargeted by competitor
Complaints on social are ignored
What is a micro-moment??An intent-rich moment when a person turns to a
device to act on a need—to know, go, do or buy.Credit: Think with Google
To understand how to reach customers in the right place, at
the right time,
brands need to map users’ micro-moments,
from start to finish.
Start by plotting every interaction on their path and their happiness level at each stepStart by plotting every interaction on their path and their happiness level at each step
Visits store
In-store buying experience moments
Visits competitor retail website
Looks up reviews on Amazon Waits in line
at store, browses phone
Sees content for online price matching
Compares prices on phone
Cashier won’t price match
😃 𐆋𐆌𐆍𐆎𐆜𐆠
😡😐
𐆋𐆌𐆍𐆎𐆜𐆠😃
𐆋𐆌𐆍𐆎𐆜𐆠𐆋𐆌𐆍𐆎𐆜𐆠
Gets retargeted by competitor
Complaints on social are ignored
😐
DON’T DO THIS
Determine what content was most useful to them in making a decisionDetermine what content was most useful to them in making a decision
Visits store
In-store buying experience moments
Visits competitor retail website
Looks up reviews on Amazon
Compares prices on phone
Cashier won’t price match
Product page
Ratings & reviews
Comparison blog
Other user complaints
Waits in line at store, browses
phone
Sees content for online price matching
Gets retargeted by competitor
Complaints on social are ignored
Understand what content could have been more useful to themUnderstand what content could have been more useful to them
Visits store
In-store buying experience moments
Visits competitor retail website
Looks up reviews on Amazon
Compares prices on phone
Cashier won’t price match
Customer serviceresponse
Better product information
Clear pricematching policy
Retargeting paid ad
Waits in line at store, browses
phone
Sees content for online price matching
Gets retargeted by competitor
Complaints on social are ignored
Clarify price matching
Analyze how multiple, different channels work together to support your customersAnalyze how multiple, different channels work together to support your customers
Visits store
Customer journey map example: purchasing a product in-store
Visits competitor retail website
Looks up reviews on Amazon
Compares prices on phone
Cashier won’t price match
Gets retargeted by competitor
Complaints on social are ignored
website
Waits in line at store, browses
phone
Sees content for online price matching
website
website
in person
social/website
website
social
paid media
in person
Once you map your customers’ micro-moments, you can deliver truly
helpful content — the very moment your customers need it.
Need help mapping your customers’
micro-moments??We can help.
Creating content for current customers2
2017
40%40% of existing B2B businesscomes from existing customers
2%2% of budgets are allocatedto keeping those customers
yet only
5new shoppers
Retailers must bring in 5new
shoppers
to equal one repeat purchaser
“Creating content only for acquisition
is crazy.”
1/3 of complaints are NEVER answered, most of them
in social media.
Customer service is treated as a necessary evil, but that’s when content for customer
retention becomes critical
You should answer
Every Complaint,in Every Channel,
Every Time
Social platforms are even catching on to in-channel
customer service.
Facebook users can now chat with brands directly through
Messenger.
However, many don’t use private contact
methods for customer service !
Thanks to social media, customer service has become a spectator sport
5
expect a reply in
complain in social media40%40%
6060minutes.
The average response time from businesses is
5 hours!
of customers who
!And all of it has a financial
impact on acquisition
and retention
In order to know what
works, you have to test content$
that retains,that retains,not just attracts.
Create content
Every content marketer in 2017
Create content
should be listening to their customers and creating
retention-focused content.
not just attracts.
We think it’s so critical,
we created a course for it
50+ Videos 8 Modules
Learn exactly how to IMPROVE customer retention, BOOST profits
and turn customers into VOLUNTEER marketers.
It’s one click away!
KEEPYOURCUSTOMERSCOURSE.COM
On-the-fly content creation3
2017
Photo credit: Jason Howie
Buzzfeed Tasty has filmed and posted dozens of recipe how-
to videos
Each with thousands or millions of views
In the time it takes to film one traditional :30 commercial…
With real-time marketing, time is a luxury we can’t afford.
That means branded content can no longer be crafted to
glossy advertising perfection.
But just remember…Creating
content quickly
≠ Creating
content poorly
Social platforms have made it easier to adapt, by building
in-app storytelling and editing capabilities
Native slideshows, videos,text overlays, music, filters and more
✓
Some mobile devices are also faster and can even outperform
professional cameras
“If you're a hardcore photographer, go for the iPhone 7 Plus.” - CNET
✓
Specially made mobile device accessories are cheaper and more accessible to today’s
modern marketers
Tripods + mobile camera lenses + editing apps
= amazing content
✓
Now, all marketers need to create high-quality, on-the-fly
content is a mobile device (or two) and some know-how
📱
Brands move from fiction to non-fiction4
2017
Photo credit: Rupa Panda
Businesses are obsessed with storytelling. Even we talk about it all the time.
podcast
Listen to the latest episode online!
But the pendulum is swinging the
other way, and fast !
Storytelling will make a shift to nonfiction, whether brands like it or not
Unfortunately, some brand stories are just that…
Polished
…works of fiction
Real
They don’t want to be sold to. They want to buy in on their own.
Consumers are getting savvier about spotting
marketing wolves in sheep’s clothing
Now that live video is becoming the
new social media standard,
brands need to embrace unfiltered, documentary-style
communication… warts and all.
Even Southwest’s COO recently issued a real, newsroom-style apology via
Facebook Live
2017 will be the year we find out what happens when brands
stop being polished, and start getting real
Need help moving your brand to nonfiction?
We’ve got you covered
?
Content testing52017
"If you’re not ‘all in’ with your content marketing program, you should stop.”
- Joe PulizziContent Marketing World 2016
What exactly does that mean??
"Slow the *&%^$ down and do your content marketing right — or don’t do it at all.”
- Ann Handley
After the latest Content Marketing Institute survey results, it’s easy to see why this
mandate was given
89% of marketers are using content
marketing !But only
19% think current efforts are very successful
62%say their efforts are more effective than
last year !41% have clarity on content
marketing success
But only
41% say they are very committed to content marketing
But only
37% have a documented content marketing
strategy
!
!In order to go “all in,”
you have to know what
works
In order to know what
works, you have to test content?
!In order to go “all in,”
you have to know what
works
In order to know what
works, you have to test content✓
-20%
more conversions
+50%+50%
-20%paid
spend
Testing helps everyone slow down and
see what’s working
A/B Testing
Multivariate Test
Examples only. Not actual results.
Back up your decisions with content testing, they you can choose to go big, or get out.
0
17.5
35
52.5
70
0
15
30
45
60
Test 1 Test 2 Test 3 Test 4
Get out!
Go big!
Augmented reality and virtual reality6
2017
Photo credit: OyundariZorigtbaatar
Pokemon Go was one of the biggest successes of 2016
Biggest mobile game in US history
Surpassed Twitter for daily active users
Higher engagement time than Facebook
in US history
daily active users
than Facebook
Source: Techcrunch
Part of its success was the use of
augmented reality, which overlays
digital information onto our physical
environment
https://www.nianticlabs.com
But it wasn't the first to embrace
augmented reality
Pokemon Go may have be a cultural phenomenon…
Snapchat’s now-famous filters use
augmented reality to enhance the simple selfie
In 2009, Yelp Monocle layered digital reviews onto
physical streets
Photo credit: David Berkowitz
!For most brands, augmented reality will most likely be a
longer-term initiative
However, early adopters will use 2017 as their testing playground
Testing smart windshields
and displays
Testing virtual Modiface
mirrors in some stores
Augmented reality won’t work for every brand…
… but those who use it in meaningful ways will be able
to break new customer engagement ground
Goodbye, specialist. Hello, generalist.7
2017
Historically, marketers defined themselves by their specialty
I’m an email marketer.
I’m an SEO strategist.
I’m a social media specialist.
Defining ourselves by siloed, vertical titles has led to siloed, vertical work
I’m an email marketer, but I
don’t code.
I’m an SEO strategist, but I don’t create content.
I’m a social media specialist, but I don’t
design.
It's time to say goodbye to the specialist, and hello to the generalist
Hello! I do a little bit of everything.
That’s because technology has leveled the playing field
Investment in and access to new tools has enhanced
marketers’ skills.
In addition, platforms have made it easier for users of all
skill levels and abilities.
In 2017, the best marketers will know just enough outside their specialty to
be dangerousI’m an
email marketer, AND I know HTML.
I’m an SEO strategist, AND
I help create branded content.
I’m a social media specialist, AND I know photoshop.
Soon, it will be acceptable to simply say: “I am a marketer”
I am a marketer.I am a marketer. I am a marketer.
Before you throw out the org chart and do away with titles, just know:
Every single member of your team should be on board with
becoming a generalist
Finding the right team members will require hiring for outlook as much as hiring for
skills.
