1. Helpful Content Is Queen Once Again

Google announced the ‘Helpful Content’ update in August 2022. The sole purpose of the algorithm change was to start an ongoing process of ranking websites based on the quality of their content. More specifically, if the content were written for search engines, not people, the entire publishing website would drop in rank and, in turn, traffic.

This Google update isn’t a one-and-done type of thing. There will be regular changes that systematically improve the algorithm’s output. 

So, what does Google expect from content marketers? 

Value. Google expects content to provide readers with accurate information and valuable insights. The content must be written to the reader, not the algorithm. Search engine optimization (SEO) remains a critical part of content marketing. But, the way you share your keywords and phrases is now the focus.

2. The Rise of The Connected Home

Content marketers have been preaching for years that voice-activated search is the future. Still, widespread adoption of the practice has been slow.

Do you have an Alexa, Google, or Siri at home? The responses returned by the AI are based on actual content published online.

For your content to have a chance of being picked up by voice-activated search, it must be publicly available and include questions and answers that are accurate and concise. 

As more people upgrade their homes with voice-activated technology, the need for sharing questions and answers in content grows.

3. Video Content is Increasingly Popular

If you’re thinking, ‘I know video is popular,’ I’ll ask, ‘Are you making videos to sell or share?’ Have you ever made a video for followers about you? Not about a product or service or your knowledge or expertise – about you as a person.

Video content is increasing in popularity among your viewing audience who’re looking for honesty and transparency, something many companies have struggled to provide over the years. Think about it, if a CEO refuses to share a more personal side, are they running the business for profit or for people? CEOs no longer have the option of being solitary because the customers who keep the company alive want more, and that desire is growing.

What should your company and management share with viewers? Videos that celebrate employees, explain the business history, share company home runs, and admit to foul balls. Does your company volunteer in the community? Share that. Is the CEO retiring soon? Share that. 

Video content needs to show what’s behind the curtain, things people wouldn’t know if you didn’t tell them.

4. Audio Content Sees Continued Growth

A short while ago, Joe Rogan was unseated as having the #1 podcast on Spotify. A brand new podcast from Meaghan Markle, The Duchess of Sussex and Prince Harry’s wife, took over the top seat. That’s a significant accomplishment because Rogan has thousands of listeners. People love podcasts.

Podcasts are the most common means of sharing audio content. Anyone can start a podcast, but not everyone is. 

• Why wouldn’t a real estate agent share market reports via audio?
• Why wouldn’t a fashion brand share seasonal trends via audio?

If we kept going, eventually, those questions would number in the thousands, potentially millions, and each one has the same answer – because they don’t understand why they should.

First, podcasting is flexible in that listeners can consume it at work, during a commute, at home, outside, on a run, or anywhere. If you think back, how many people have you seen with an earbud plugged in? Everyone in that group is in your target audience. 

Then, there’s the fact that more people listen to podcasts regularly today than ever before. In a consumer-driven world, meeting the customer’s needs is a requirement for success. When a customer says, ‘I want audio,’ it’s time to adopt audio content marketing.

5. Storytelling Stays BIG

Going back to trend number three, in 2023, business marketing must include storytelling. Being relegated to online commerce for most of the pandemic, consumers have grown used to virtual spending – just ask delivery drivers from UPS, FedEx, or USPS. 

Look no further than the finance industry to see that mega-retailers like Amazon, Walmart, and Target are seeing massive drops in stock prices. People aren’t shopping in-store like they used to, so now they look for familiar faces in the online space.

Detach yourself from content marketing for a second and think about how you’d hold an initial conversation with someone new. Not a customer or client, just a person you met at the bus stop. 

You might not tell them your address, but maybe you’d share where you were born and raised. You might not name your spouse and children, but perhaps you’d share that you’re married with two kids. You might not even share your last name, but you’ll share your first name.

The point is that your customer wants to be treated like a real friend. They want to know your history, where you are now, and where you’re headed in the future. They want to know you’re REAL. As the saying goes, people buy from people, so share your story and say it out loud. When your customers are happy, they share your company with everyone around them and that’s free word-of-mouth marketing!

6. Personalization is The Name of The Game

A content marketing trend that amped up in 2022 is handwritten notes. The AI-powered pen plotters responsible for handwritten notes at scale have advanced to the point that the end result is almost indiscernible from a human hand.

If you’re catching on to the underlying theme, customers want a more personal experience with their chosen businesses. It doesn’t matter if it’s a mortgage brokerage, HVAC repair team, or hair salon; every customer wants to feel like they are your only customer. 

That’s where handwritten notes for marketing come into play. Notes service providers utilize adaptable templates to reach a large audience while ensuring each message sounds like it was sent to a single person. Customized graphics, handwriting style options, and QR codes nail down the idea that only one note was sent when all along, you know, hundreds were sent.

If you want to learn more about handwritten notes, see these blog posts:

• Handwritten Notes: The Be-All, End-All Guide You Need
• 4 W’s of Handwritten Marketing: A Quick Start Guide
• Handwritten Notes Plus: 10 Marketing Tactics to Partner With Notes

7. Emojis in Content Capture The Reader’s Attention

Everywhere you look, there’s an emoji. Text messages, Instagram posts, Facebook updates, email subject lines, and now website content. These tiny images bring fun back to content marketing trends, but you must know how to use them to your advantage.

If we were to put two rules in place for choosing when and how to use emojis, we’d have to say naturally and sparingly. 

Naturally include emojis in places you already do in social media posts. Your followers are familiar with the emojis you use on social, so bringing that into website content supports brand awareness and familiarity.

Sparingly use this content marketing trend. Overusing emojis leaves your content jumbled and difficult to read. 

Ideally, space out emojis in content marketing. As mentioned, in August 2022, Google released an algorithm update to weed out content written for search engines instead of people. Suffice it to say, anything that can be explained in mathematics is something they can use to target content. 

What does that mean? If you choose to add one emoji every 100 words, you’re creating a pattern Google could eventually read as ‘unhelpful content.’ Let emojis happen naturally, don’t evenly spread them out on purpose.

8. Snackable Content Increases Click-Through Rates

There’s a good chance you’re already using snackable content if you’re active on social media. If you’ve ever shared a quote graphic, meme, gif, or infographic, you know how effective snackable content is. Chances are, however, even if you know snackable content increases click-through rates, you may not be taking full advantage of that power. 

Snackable content should always lead to a long-form blog, article, or other complimentary content. For instance, after publishing a blog post of 78 Celebrity Quotes for Handwritten Notes, create 78 pieces of snackable content (one for each quote) and share naturally. Some platforms don’t allow a unique URL per post but you still want to share snackables there as well. 

As another example, a blog post on Free Tools for Creating Eye-Catching Videos for Marketing could be broken into one bit of snackable content for each tool the post shared.

9. Need For Content Audits and Refreshes Reaches Critical Levels

No content is 100% evergreen. If we tell you the top 100 pages on our website today, the list will change tomorrow. If you share the top five home improvement tips, the list is obsolete as soon as a new project soars in popularity. 

There’s an ebb and flow to content that must be respected to ensure your followers are reading the most accurate, up-to-date data information. Content audits and refreshes are no longer optional; they’re necessary. 

If you’re unsure where to start your content audit, try Google Search Console. Your console gives you access to content data, including how many impressions a keyword gets and how many clicks those impressions lead to. 

You’ll likely find several with significant discrepancies – 20,000 impressions and one click is an important red flag. In this case, you may want to rewrite meta descriptions for underperforming content.

As for content refreshes, download a spreadsheet from Google Analytics or Google Search Console that lists every piece of content and traffic received in the last 90 days. Sort with the lowest traffic on top and start editing. 

Double-check facts, update research, add new content, and remove outdated content. This is a time-consuming task, which is why many companies hire someone dedicated to content audits and refreshes.

What’s Next for Content Marketing Trends?

What else can you expect from content marketing trends in 2023? 

• AI-generated content will attempt to fight off Google’s recurring ‘Helpful Content’ algorithm updates. Google says content requires a human touch. Don’t worry; AI can fill in some gaps.
• Marketers using video as a pillar for content marketing will start moving into live streaming. 
• Content will grow more interactive, thus engaging readers to stay on the page (site) longer. 

There are tons of up-and-coming content marketing trends primed for growth in 2023. It’s an exciting time to market content.