Every year, content marketing trends evolve and what works in the SEO world changes. With the rate of technological advance, the introduction of new tools like AI, and the ever-changing whims of the algorithms and customer tastes, you can’t stand still for a minute when it comes to marketing.
So, with the end of the year fast approaching, we thought we’d take a look at some of the content marketing trends to keep your eye on in 2024. Let’s jump straight in!
8 content marketing trends in 2024, predicted
1. Artificial intelligence
Let’s get the big one out of the way. Artificial intelligence (AI) burst onto the scene this year in dramatic fashion. Not that it wasn’t already a tool being deployed by businesses — including marketers — everywhere but with the introduction of the latest version of ChatGPT, everything changed.
AI is set to become increasingly important as the technology continues to be refined and optimized. It is already capable of creating convincing copy, images, audio, and even video content. Leveraging AI in an intelligent and ethical way will be crucial for marketers in 2024 and we suspect long into the future.
It is also important to watch out for any changes to how Google prioritizes AI-generated content moving forward. At the moment, AI content won’t necessarily help your search rankings but with Google working on their own AI and the pace at which the tech is moving, anything could happen next year.
2. Diversify
Speaking of images, audio, and even video content, branching out into different forms of content looks set to play an ever greater role in the future. It’s already best practice to include a few images in your blog posts but experimenting with different content types could take your marketing efforts to a whole new level.
In fact, given that 91% of businesses are now using video as a marketing tool, if you’re not, then you’re already behind the curve. With the aforementioned AI now open to pretty much everyone, creating different types of content has never been easier. So, what are you waiting for? Diversify!
3. Speed
Speed continues to be a priority for online search rankings and conversion. And we don’t just mean how fast you’re putting out content, although this is obviously important. No, what we’re talking about is how quickly your website loads when someone navigates to it.
Webpages that load slowly experience far higher bounce rates than their speedy counterparts and, as a result, far fewer conversions. Ensure that your pages are optimized for both desktop and mobile and address any issues that might be slowing them down if you want to keep up in 2024.
4. Have a bit of heart
For a few years now, consumers have been looking for more from the brands that they choose to engage with. No longer is it enough to just make, market, and sell products and services. Now, you need to have something more about you.
In 2024, don’t just focus on what you’re selling — focus on the why.
And that something is authenticity. Customers — particularly Gen Zers — are looking for their brands to communicate authentically and to stand for something. Brands must make a conscious effort to ensure they operate ethically, sustainably, and transparently. This, in turn, means that marketers need to find a way to communicate these values to their audience.
In 2024, don’t just focus on what you’re selling — focus on the why.
5. Meta
No, not the guys in charge of Facebook. We’re talking about meta descriptions — or the little piece of text that shows up in search results giving you a quick overview of what the web page or blog is about.
Meta descriptions are nothing new but they are still as important as ever. Not only do they help you rank on Google, but they also provide customers with a little taste of what awaits them should they click your link. A good meta description could be the difference between a tap and a pass, so make sure you’ve got yours dialled in for 2024.
6. Personalized and social-first content
Given the sheer number of people using social media (spoiler: it’s most of them), it only makes sense to focus your marketing efforts towards socials in some form. Again, this has been true for a while but there has been a distinct shift in the type of content that performs well on social media.
As we discussed above with authenticity, customers don’t just want to see adverts any more — they are looking for something more. They want content that is personalized to them, talks about the things they are interested in, and is relevant. Do your market and audience research, find out where they are spending their time, and learn what interests them, then tailor your content around that.
7. Backlinks are not a content marketing trend, they’re here to stay
Another SEO tool that has been around for a while but still holds weight today is the use of backlinks. High-quality backlinks from reputable sources can help build your authority and flag your website as a place that can be trusted by Google’s algorithm.
As we move into 2024, don’t forget to keep adding those backlinks to your content to make sure that you get spotted in the search results.
8. Add value
We recently published a blog exploring why Spotify Wrapped is such a marketing masterclass each year. There are many reasons but one of the key ones — in our humble opinion — is that Wrapped adds value for Spotify’s customers. Not only does it take you on a musical journey through your year but it comes with a snazzy animation, loads of cool insights, and a great new playlist for you to enjoy.
Building off of our previous point, customers want personalized and relevant content but they are also looking for content that adds value. Ensure you’re giving something back to your audience in 2024, not just asking for their hard-earned cash willy-nilly.
That’s all we’ve got for you today! Hopefully, those content marketing trends have given you a few things to keep in mind for 2024 and to help bring your content marketing and SEO efforts to a whole new audience next year.
If you’re looking for more tips and tricks on everything content marketing, check out the rest of the Scribly blog. We’ve even got a podcast now, so give it a listen if you fancy!
