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For most brands, content marketing is the cornerstone of their marcomms activity.
Quality content can drastically increase a brand’s reputation and share of voice. It can generate viable leads and increase customer retention. And, it’s imperative to SEO and digital authority – to list just a few of the function’s capabilities.
It’s a function that’s been steadily on the rise for the better part of two decades, but recently, the power and diversity of content has skyrocketed.
By the end of 2024, the content marketing industry will have a projected value of around US$600 billion worldwide.
Part of this comes down to fundamental shifts in consumer and user behaviour post-2020. More consumers stayed at home, more businesses adapted their marketing to suit the “new normal” – and we saw a surge in spend towards digital activity. A rise in functionality and targeting capabilities compounded this, giving businesses greater outcomes than ever before.
According to BrightEdge, over half (51%) of content interactions are a result of organic search, and 76% of marketers use the channel to generate new leads.
The function is just as impactful for establishing long-term customer loyalty and can lead to up to 6x higher conversion rates. Not to mention the obvious benefits to SEO and brand authority.
The bottom line? Advancements, behavioural evolutions and market competition will accelerate how we invest in content marketing in 2025. And subsequently, the function’s impact for businesses of all sectors, shapes and sizes.
Budget is of the utmost importance right now, and we’d all like to know which baskets to put our eggs into. In lieu of a crystal ball, here are 5 significant content marketing trends likely to grow in the coming years.
While it’s unlikely that AI will become a content creator in itself anytime soon, usage to support content ideation, research and deployment will likely grow in 2025.
Video is also becoming more cost- and time-effective to produce and deploy, and with a wide variety of channels, it’s never been more accessible – or creative.
Interactive formats work well for gamification of decision-making and can bring brand experiences into the digital world.
To do this effectively, you’ll want to look at introducing long-tail keywords into your content, and more conversational terms.
There’s no right or wrong, per se – but hiring a full time content marketer versus a freelancer will give you different outlooks.
A key benefit of hiring a permanent professional is that they’re dedicated to your brand and yours alone. They’ll become familiar with your USPs, products and services, and be bought-in to objectives. Plus, you essentially have someone on call.
Having said that, there are downsides. Unlike independents who will be tuned into the wider industry, it can be tougher for perm hires to maintain that same level of acumen. Freelancers need to understand the competitive landscape, how it’s evolving, and what that might mean for their clients to succeed.
One of the key benefits of opting for an independent is flexibility. You gain access to insights, strategic direction and delivery, but you’re not bound by traditional employment regulations – or costs. The ability to scale support is particularly beneficial for startups.
Another plus is speedy recruitment and turnaround. In the time you’re waiting for a hire to complete their notice period, your independent could complete their research stage, develop a content marketing strategy, and begin market implementation.
If you do opt for a freelance content marketer, there are typically two paths to go down: generalist or specialist.
A specialist can be anyone from a content strategist, to an SEO writer, to a videographer. Most of the time, all of these will have a good understanding of the content intersection, and they may not offer certain services, they’re likely to have a good network of professionals who can.
A generalist often provides strategy and delivery in various formats, and a consultative view. They may not offer all content formats (in fact, it’s extremely unlikely) but they’ll be able to critically assess your needs, and provide recommendations.
If you’re looking to invest in video or any type ofcontent for your 2025 marketing strategy, we can help with that. We have a network of over 5,000 professionals worldwide with specialisms across the marketing functions. Drop us a line today to find out more.