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As content marketing trends continue to evolve, the Google Helpful Content Update in late 2022 and other developments have set a new standard for success in 2023. Visuals, videos, text, and other media have all had their part to play in this transformation—so let’s explore what these changes signify for each area going forward. Join us as we take an in-depth dive into the state of content marketing trends today.
Written Content Trends in 2023
Optimized written content on your website gives you the best chance of bettering your SERP placement.
In 2023 it is vital for companies to keep up with current trends in material written for the web. SEO optimization, helpful content, long-form content, and voice search optimization are all key components of a successful digital marketing strategy in this continuously developing landscape.
SEO Optimization
Search engine optimization (SEO) is the foundation for any digital marketing strategy. Making your website and its content visible to potential customers through search engines like Google, Amazon, or Youtube is the main goal of SEO optimization efforts. To maximize your visibility online, it is necessary to create keyword-rich titles and descriptions for each page on your website as well as include relevant keywords throughout the body of your text. Additionally, it is necessary to optimize images with captions and alt tags so that they appear in image searches as well.
Long-Form Content
Longer pieces of content are more engaging than shorter ones because searchers want to walk away with an answer to their query. If you produce shorter content that only answers part of your targeted search query, then your site visitors will have to consult other sources to get information. In order to keep your audience’s focus on your content you need to provide comprehensive coverage of a particular subject while avoiding repetition or filler words that could detract from the overall message you’re trying to convey. This type of content also has greater potential for organic reach since it tends to rank higher in search engine results pages (SERPs).
Helpful Content
One of the biggest changes in the last year for written content was the Google Helpful Content Update that rolled out in September of 2022. This update put a magnifying glass on AI-created content and content that is produced with the intent of merely gaming the Google algorithm. In order to present the best product possible to their consumers, Google needs to push the content that is the most comprehensive and helpful to their audience. Instances of keyword stuffing and genuinely unhelpful content getting top rankings became a major problem. That is until the Helpful Content Update came along. The update penalizes inauthentic, unclear, misleading, or keyword-stuffed content. So, in order to hit the best possible rankings in 2023, you need to make sure your content avoids the pitfalls we mentioned—like keyword stuffing—and make your content reputable for readers and for the Google algorithm.
Voice Search Optimization
Voice search technology is becoming increasingly popular among consumers due to its convenience factor—people don’t need access to a keyboard or mouse when using their voices instead. That’s why optimizing written content for voice searches is essential if you want your business’s web pages and blog posts to appear prominently when someone asks Alexa about a specific product or service-related query. Make sure that natural language phrases such as “what type of…” and “how do I…” are included within the body copy alongside targeted keywords in order for these types of queries to be picked up by virtual assistants like Siri or Cortana correctly.
Written content trends for 2023 will focus on optimizing for search engine visibility, creating longer-form content, and leveraging voice search. As we advance in the realm of digital promotion, graphic design patterns should also be taken into account.
Key Takeaway: Businesses should make sure their website material is tailored to SEO and voice searches, plus develop detailed, helpful content that fully explores topics in order to fully answer targeted search queries. By taking these steps, your company can begin optimizing content and seeing results in the form of higher SERP rankings, site traffic, and conversions.
Graphic Design Trends in 2023
Adding simple, purposeful designs to your content helps to convey your brand
Graphic design is an essential element of content marketing that can grab your audience’s attention and effectively express your message alongside your written content. In 2023, we will see a continued trend in the use of minimalism and flat design, bold colors and contrasts, animation, and motion graphics to create visually appealing designs.
Minimalism has become increasingly popular as it helps to keep designs, graphics, and logos simple yet effective. Flat design is a form of minimalistic graphic design that uses basic shapes, lines, colors, typography, and icons without any gradients or shadows. This makes it easier for viewers to understand the overall message quickly. By using fewer elements on a page you can focus more on delivering key messages rather than overwhelming users with too much information at once.
Utilizing color strategically is essential when crafting visuals for digital marketing campaigns in 2023. Employing bold hues can help the most important elements of your visual content stand out from the crowd, while muted tones may be used to invoke feelings of tranquility. Your color choices will ultimately depend on the nature of your campaign and your target audience. Contrasts between different shades are a must when attempting to draw attention to specific areas within a composition. This type of contrast is accomplished by experimenting with light/dark combinations or warm/cool hues according to what look you’re aiming for.
Animation and motion graphics are other ways to create engaging content that will “hook” your audience. Moving graphics help add an extra layer of interest that static images cannot achieve alone. Animations tell stories through moving images which helps support your brand messaging. Whether your design team is introducing characters or creating graphics to demonstrate how products work, adding movement makes everything feel more alive. Motion graphics also have the added benefit of being able to explain complex topics visually, so they are great if you need something eye-catching but informative at the same time to enhance your existing content
Key Takeaway: In 2023, content marketing will be dominated by minimalism and flat design, bold colors and contrasts, animation, and motion graphics to capture attention. Animations bring stories alive while motion graphics explain complex topics in an eye-catching way – it’s all about making visuals engaging so audiences can connect with your brand messaging.
Trends for Images in 2023
Using your own assets or stock photos, you can ensure readers stay engaged on your site
When selecting high-quality images, it is always important to look for ones that have a clear resolution, vibrant colors, and interesting composition. Professional photographers can provide unique shots that will capture the attention of viewers while also conveying a certain emotion or message about your brand. Stock photos are another great option if you’re looking for something more affordable yet still visually appealing. Just make sure to choose one that isn’t too generic or overused by other brands in order to keep things fresh and original. It is also important to note that stock photos that feature people tend to be more engaging to audiences that those that feature objects or locations. When your audience sees content full of images that include people, they will be more likely to spend time on your content.
Overlays & Captions
Adding text overlays or captions to your images is another way to engage viewers and add context to what they’re seeing on screen. Text overlays should be kept short but informative so as not to distract from the main focus of the photo itself—think catchy phrases rather than long paragraphs. Captions offer a chance for you to expand upon what was already said in the text overlay while providing further insight into why this particular image was chosen by you—use them wisely.
Alt Text
You should also take full advantage of alt text when you are adding images to your content. Alt text is a tiny bit of text that describes the image as accurately as possible. First and foremost, having alt text on your images is a part of keeping your website ADA-compliant. If people viewing your content are visually impaired, they will use a service to have your site read aloud to them. In this case, there is a lot of context and information that can be lost if you fail to include alt text in your images. That’s why you need to include an alt text description on every one of the images you use in your content. Not to mention, alt text is also a great place to use your target keywords—only if they make sense, of course.
For visual storytelling through images to be effective, each image should contribute something meaningful towards constructing a unified narrative about your business. Get imaginative with angles, perspectives, and lighting effects – anything that can bring out the best in whatever subject matter is being featured in the shot. Use keywords judiciously throughout the captions and alt text to ensure your content resonates with viewers and effectively conveys who you are as an organization. Embrace your artistry and don’t be afraid to experiment – it’s not like you’re dealing with a complex scientific concept. Overall, Image trends in 2023 will be heavily focused on creating visually appealing, high-quality images and stock photos to engage the audience.
Key Takeaway: Now more than ever, visuals are playing a greater role in connecting with viewers and telling brands’ stories. To make an impactful impression on audiences, businesses should invest in high-quality images or stock photos, including text overlays, alt text, and captions for context. It is also essential to create unified narratives with unique angles, perspectives & lighting effects.
Video Trends in 2023
Though video content can be difficult to produce, it has the biggest viral potential in 2023
In 2023, marketers need to stay on top of trends in order to create videos that are optimized for different platforms while still delivering a powerful message about their brand, product, or service. To make an impact, brands should strive to craft short-form videos (under one minute) with high-quality visuals and engaging storytelling elements such as humor or suspense. Additionally, using keywords, phrases, idioms, and colloquialisms will help capture viewers’ attention quickly and effectively.
TikTok
This phenomenon of short-form content has been majorly evidenced by the continued explosive growth of TikTok. Since 2020, TikTok has become the main, culture-shifting application of the younger generations and the general public as a whole. Short-form video content has become the most sought-after form of content with the most viral potential. While not every brand will mesh well with TikTok short-form video content, we definitely encourage all brands to try their hand at making fast, punchy, and attention-grabbing short-form videos as content.
Live Streaming
Utilizing real-time engagement, live streaming has grown in popularity as an effective way for brands to interact with their audiences. In 2023, live streaming will be even more prevalent as people seek authentic connections with trustworthy brands. Brands should take advantage of this opportunity by using interactive features like polls or Q&A sessions during their streams in order to increase engagement with viewers and build relationships with them over time. This is another excellent opportunity to take advantage of TikTok. TikTok Live is one of the main live streaming platforms currently available in addition to Twitch and Instagram Live. These live interactions help humanize your brand to your audience and give your team the opportunity to answer any questions that your audience may have.
Interactive Features to Increase Engagement with Viewers
Interactive features such as polls or Q&A sessions can be used during live streams in order to increase engagement with viewers by allowing them a chance to give feedback directly through your stream rather than having them comment afterward via social media posts or separate comment sections. This type of direct interaction helps foster stronger relationships between brands and their customers which leads to increased loyalty among fans.
Augmented Reality (AR) tech has also been making impressive advances recently in terms of video production. With AR you can craft interactive experiences like never before. By combining virtual objects within a real-world environment, your company can bring stories alive like never before.
For example, if you’re running a furniture store and producing a social media ad featuring products from your store, you could use AR technology to help users imagine what your furniture would look like inside their home before they even step foot into the showroom. This is kind of immersive experience could lead potential customers to make purchase decisions much faster than traditional methods.
Video, live streaming, and AR trends in 2023 are pushing the boundaries of digital marketing and providing new opportunities for businesses to engage with their audiences. In order to keep up, digital marketers must stay informed on the most recent tactics that can assist them in achieving their objectives as content marketing progresses.
Key Takeaway: With the rise of video in content marketing, marketers must stay ahead of the curve in 2023 to create videos that are optimized for different platforms and engage viewers. Live streaming is becoming increasingly popular as it allows brands to interact with their audiences directly; interactive features like polls or Q&A sessions should be utilized during these streams. AR technology can also provide an immersive experience that could lead potential customers down a path toward making purchase decisions quickly.
How Content Marketing Has Changed Since Late 2022?
In just the last year, the rules have changed significantly
Since late 2022, content marketing has seen a shift in focus from quantity to quality. Businesses are recognizing the significance of crafting a great user experience, and are dedicating more effort to producing content that is designed specifically for their desired demographic. This means that marketers must be creative and strategic when it comes to developing effective campaigns that will engage customers and convert leads.
The latest trends in content marketing for 2023 are largely in response to the Google Helpful Content Update in late 2022 and the lengthy, meteoric rise of TikTok that doesn’t show any signs of slowing down.
When it comes to the Helpful Content Update, the types of content that once worked to drive traffic to your website are likely no longer working. If the content is messy, incomplete, or lacks the necessary elements for proper SEO optimization (images, links, etc) then it will no longer get the desired metrics you expect from your site’s content. Additionally, with the rise of AI-produced content, there is a need to keep a finger on the pulse of the human heartbeat for written content. That is to say, Google can tell if your content is being written by a robot.
And now we move on to TikTok. As we previously discussed, TikTok has completely taken over social medial. In fact, other applications like Instagram, Snapchat, and Spotify have taken steps to make their platform more closely resemble the User Interface (UI) of TikTok. It has also led to the proliferation of fast-moving, short-form video content. When this type of content is produced, it is valuable to content marketers because it can now be placed on a number of platforms. If you produce viral TikTok content you are not only limited to that application, your content can be reposed across Instagram Reels, Youtube Shorts, and more.
Personalization also plays an important role in modern content marketing strategies. Consumers today expect brands to understand their needs and preferences – this includes providing personalized messages through email campaigns or other targeted advertisements. Additionally, personalizing webpages with dynamic banners featuring products related to the customer’s past purchases is another way companies are meeting consumers where they are.
Key Takeaway: Content marketing is seeing a shift towards high-quality content tailored to the target audience, with marketers needing to focus on optimizing search engines and personalizing messages. Additionally, interactive features such as polls and quizzes are gaining traction in order to engage viewers while collecting valuable data – pushing campaigns up a notch by incorporating innovative solutions like augmented reality videos.
FAQs About Content Marketing Trends
Creating content is a complicated process, that’s why we’ve provided some additional insights to help you get started
If you’re still feeling confused when approaching content marketing, take a look at our FAQs to get a better understanding of how to get started!
What Are Content Marketing Articles?
Content marketing articles are pieces of written content that provide valuable information to a target audience, with the goal of generating leads and driving traffic. These marketing articles can be educational, entertaining, or informative in nature, helping readers understand complex topics related to a particular industry or product/service offering. Content marketing pieces can be employed by companies to draw in potential clients and turn them into purchasers, as part of their overall online promotion plan.
What Are the Key Trends in Content Marketing?
- Automation is becoming increasingly important in content creation, allowing for faster production times and increased efficiency.
- The 2022 Google Helpful Content Update requires content to feel human and completely address search queries.
- Long-form written content tends to be the most helpful and ranks better than shorter blogs.
- Live streaming is an excellent way to humanize your brand.
- Always use high-quality images optimized with captions and alt text.
- AI-driven analytics tools provide insights into customer behavior and preferences, helping marketers tailor their content more effectively.
- Short-form video content is currently the most sharable type of content you can produce
- Personalization has become a critical component of successful campaigns; using data points such as demographics or purchase history to create personalized experiences helps boost engagement rates with customers.
- Mobile is still essential for reaching the ever-increasing number of people who access the internet mainly via their mobile devices.
As we look ahead to 2023, content marketing trends are sure to continue evolving. It is clear that businesses must be prepared for the Google Helpful Content Update and beyond by optimizing their written content, graphic design, images, and videos accordingly. Staying up-to-date with these ever-changing trends in the industry of digital marketing can help organizations stay competitive while maximizing their reach potential and achieving success within this dynamic landscape.
Grow your business with the help of RedShift’s content marketing trends expertise. Our team will provide you with a tailored strategy to maximize traffic and lead conversions. Contact us today to get started!
