Content marketing has continued to flourish this year. Nothing has changed because users want to see high quality, relevant and engaging content that adds value to their lives. Impersonal marketing like banners, popups and ads continue to be intrusive and ignored.
But whilst content marketing has not been pushed off its throne as one of the leading strategies, it is nonetheless evolving. This article looks at what content marketing looks like in 2021 and what we can expect in the year to come.
Video Has Become the Most Popular Marketing Format
Blogs and infographics are a thing in the past. According to Hubspot, in 2020, video has become the most commonly used format for content marketing. This means visual content creation now has a strict focus – and it is a moving image.
It’s no surprise why video should have become so much more popular this year. 87% of marketers claim video has increased traffic to their website, and 80% claim it has increased sales.
But video marketers aren’t just creating anything. Promotional videos and brand storytelling are the most essential tools for brands in video marketing.
Social Media Became the Undisputed Place to Post Content
Facebook led that charge by becoming the primary channel for visual content and otherwise. Going forward, marketers intend to invest much more into Facebook Video and even YouTube as new marketing channels.
2021 also saw an increase in an appreciation for statistics and data. Marketers have now understood the value of social media metrics to see how customers engage with content. Rather than aiming to improve clicks and likes, the name of the game is shares and comments. 56% of marketers now rely on such engagement metrics, compared to a smaller number of marketers that care about conversion data.
Live Streams Gained Momentum
After the global disconnect from face-to-face connections in 2020, it is no wonder that live stream has begun to show its true potential in 2021. According to Search Engine Journal, Facebook live posts achieved 178% higher average engagement than regular posts.
Live stream falls right in line with the focus on brand storytelling. Authenticity is key. There is nothing more authentic than a real-time connection with audiences in which you can answer questions, talk sincerely about your brand, and introduce your team.
The Average Length of Content is Increasing
You might think this trend implies quantity over quality, but the opposite is true. Readers have come to appreciate more in-depth, thought-out posts over the years. So whereas the average blog post was 808 words in 2014, this number has gone up steadily.
Now, top-performing posts have an average of 1447 words.
It’s easy to attribute this to the trend we mentioned in the intro: Audiences want relevant, high-value content more than anything. The problem with short blog posts is that brands can knock them out more easily just for the sake of populating their pages. This has saturated the market and led to more thought out posts rising to the top.
Longform content is not just popular for blog posts, however. In 2021 and beyond, we also see brands take more risks with long-form videos.
Make the Most of Video in Your Visual Content Creation Strategy Next Year
One trend is clear as day: Video marketing has risen to the top of visual content creation and will stay there for years to come. Now that brands are churning out video content, it is more important to cut through the noise with brand storytelling and promotional videos to engage the viewers most effectively. This is where High Stakes Films comes in – we are a creative video production company in London that specializes in brand storytelling. We work with authentic, ground-breaking brands to help them stand out for what makes them unique. Get in touch today to learn more.
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