Every couple of years (barring 2020) we get to watch the world’s greatest athletes compete for gold in the Olympic Games. These athletes shatter the records of their predecessors and inspire us all with their incredible feats. Then a few years go by and someone else does the same thing. The world is committed to progress and achievement, and it’s not slowing down. Today, Hubspot is showing us the evolution of content marketing: how it’s changed and where it’s going in the next decade.
How Content Marketing Evolved in the Past Decade
Google’s Zero Moment of Truth study in 2011 found that 88% of shoppers start their buying process with research and discovery. This underlined the importance of SEO as a crucial step for brands to get their messages in front of consumers. Furthermore, the strategy of ‘keyword stuffing’ became old hat as Google shifted its ranking algorithm.
During the same decade, social media rose to prominence like nothing the world had seen before. The ways people interact with search engines vs social media is much different. Search engines offer answers to more pointed questions, but on social media content finds its way to you. The difference is the individual pursuing the content vs the content pursuing the individual. Bite-sized, attention-grabbing pieces of content spread like wildfire on social media and became an effective marketing method.
How Content Marketing Will Evolve in the Next Decade
Video shows no signs of stopping. Video is taking hold with various formats optimized for different viewing experiences. 85% of brands today use video for marketing whereas only 24% did in 2016. Video is a mainstay of the mobile experience, and it’s transforming social media in many ways.
Speaking of mobile, the majority of Google searches take place on mobile devices. Marketers know the importance of optimizing for mobile as well as desktop. As the capabilities of mobile devices change, so will the opportunities for mobile content. For instance, many companies are investing in virtual reality experiences and capabilities that are becoming mainstream.
Keep reading for more of what this next decade holds.
