By Regan Cosper
As 2019 approaches, marketers can’t help but notice how the digital media landscape is rapidly changing. As consumers are becoming more knowledgeable, they are also startingto rely on the quality of online content and information that they are receiving rather than advertisements themselves. Most consumers have enabled adblockers on their internet browser, or simply don’t pay attention to the ads in front of them. According to Business Insider, about 30% of internet users will have ad blockers enabled on their browsers by the end of 2018. To combat this trend, marketers will need to shift their focus to create quality content on social media platforms and websites in the new year.
Effective content marketing requires consistency, research, creativity, and the ability to create strategic promotions. The idea that one could take a picture of a tasty meal, post it on a social account and expect to immediately get impressions is unrealistic. Successful posts come from an engaging strategy.
The first step to creating an engaging content marketing strategy is identifying a target audience. Researching a target group that you would like to engage with your content to identify current trends within that audience. After identifying a target market, one needs to identify what they would like to promote. A specific goal will make it easier to develop keywords (such as “family” or “Tampa”) that will improve search results, help develop content ideas, and make it easier for people to find the general business. Once a target market and specific promotion are identified, all that is left to do is find a way to be creative and get viewers to read past the headline.
One way to engage users past the initial headline is to create engaging online videos. Recent research has shown that, in 2019, the average user will be viewing 2.7 hours of online video per day. This statistic also means that online video will finally be catching up to television statistics. “Snack ads,” or short 10-second video clips, are another great way to connect with prospective consumers. For example, one could broadcast a short video walking an audience through something new that they are working on.
Finally, consistently uploading content is just as important as creating interesting content. According to BeMedia.com, “80% of the internet users still prefer good-quality original content over canned solutions, 85% of marketers in 2017 believe that their work succeeded because of good content, and visual content is expected to reign in the coming time more than blogs and articles.” Therefore, the clock is ticking! Start planning your digital media strategies for 2019 and be prepared to post often. The most committed marketers will find the most success in the coming year.
