What will content marketing look like in 2022? Content marketing and content creation as a profession and business necessity have grown steadily in recent years. The importance of content as part of the overall marketing strategy shows no signs of slowing down, although the way it is used and best practices quickly follow developments and changes.

Read on for the top content marketing trends to watch in 2022.

Content marketing trends are changing rapidly, with the advent of new technologies, changes to Google’s algorithm, new social media platforms and the ever-changing nature of the digital world. Innovation and creative thinking are huge assets for any content marketing approach. There is hardly any such thing when it comes to content marketing ideas – guaranteed if you don’t, someone else will.

So with that in mind, keep your skills up to date and stay on top of these latest trends in content marketing:

1. Reuse, update, reuse

Any content marketer worth his salt knows the value of reuse as part of content strategy. Competency involves creating a piece of content that can then serve several different purposes and purposes. For example, a blog post can be created for SEO, but then maybe split into a series of short videos to post on YouTube or IGTV. This means that you are not only serving your content marketing strategy, but your social media goals as well.

In 2022, the possibilities for reorienting content should continue. Look for unique, new, and forward-thinking ways to repackage and repartition your content, such as through an interactive infographic or a companion how-to guide.

Also take a moment to not only reuse your content, but also refresh old pages. This is usually a fairly quick process for big rewards. You can refresh articles with outdated information or update your keywords on an article that no longer responds as accurately as it could to search intent.

2. Real-time engagement

Consumers today seek authenticity from the businesses they follow on social media or through a mailing list. Give your brand personality and engage with your followers by answering questions and sharing the UGC. 2022 will also be the year of even more live video – use Instagram Lives, Facebook Lives, and LinkedIn Lives to encourage real-time interactions.

Another aspect of engagement is customer service. More than ever, consumers expect their question or grievance to be answered directly through social media, not through traditional channels. Make sure your brand is set up to handle consumer complaints and questions on social media with templates and pre-written copy for common questions.

Increase your engagement efforts so you never miss a mention, with a social engagement solution that lets you do it all from one place.

3. Short form, long form and ephemeral video

It’s no secret that video is more engaging than static images or messages. This trend will certainly continue in 2022. What to remember are the many formats now available and take advantage of their popularity in your content marketing. You no longer need to force content into a box that doesn’t really work.

For example: Don’t have enough time to write and produce a 10-minute multi-clip YouTube video? Instead, start with Instagram Reels or Stories. (But if you’re up for producing longer videos, we’ve got some great YouTube tips to share!).

The ephemeral video content is still going strong (although it’s important to note that Twitter and LinkedIn deleted their versions of the “Story” in 2021). Instagram is therefore the place to be for short videos.

4. Interactive content

The walls between the places where interactivity can and cannot crumble are crumbling. Just as video content is more engaging, so is any kind of visual content that involves animation or movement. Not only is it more fun for the reader, but it also keeps them engaged with your content for a longer period of time – rather than bouncing off another site.

Consider creating interactive guides or reports, with expandable sections or animations to illustrate a point. Social media quizzes and surveys are also extremely popular, and as an added bonus, they give you quick and easy information about your consumers. Interactive infographics are also a great idea for reusing content.

5. AI (Artificial Intelligence) & MGC (Machine Generated Content)

Maintaining a constant flow of content has been a struggle and a pain point for content managers since the beginning of online content. It’s a fact that more content means more keywords, means more pages for search engine bots to know what your business is, means more search results, means more users clicking on your page.

AI-powered content marketing is an important trend that will continue into 2022, and well beyond. Use it to improve the personalization of your site’s content, whether it’s recognizing repeat visitors and offering in-app suggestions or launching specific email campaigns based on user behavior and purchasing habits.

MGC (Machine Generated Content) is the way of the future to evolve searchable content on your site. Before you cringe and pull out the forks, listen to us. It’s true that MGC is still a bit behind when it comes to the human voice. But he’s grown in leaps and bounds over the past couple of years and it’s important to keep an eye on him. 2022 could be the year you get a head start and examine how AI-powered content marketing and CGM can augment, not replace, your content creation machine.

6.AR (augmented reality) and VR (virtual reality)

While we’re on the subject of interactive content, one of the fastest growing content marketing trends is AR – augmented or virtual reality programs that immerse people in 360 * artificial worlds, offering new ways to sample and shop with just the touch of their phone.

This type of content is now bubbling into the mainstream and promising to be the next step in the evolution of brand and product marketing. For copywriters and content writers, clear explanatory texts and CTAs will be essential to encourage users to take advantage of your augmented reality features. If you’re working in VR, this will require strong visual and written storytelling skills, as well as an ability to match the two seamlessly.

7. Virtual and hybrid events

The pandemic has created a rapid transition from meetings and in-person events to an almost entirely virtual world. As companies scrambled to adapt, many of these changes were tinkered with “MVP” versions or short-term fixes. In 2021, with a world struggling to bounce back, but still a long way off, virtual and hybrid eventsalways reign supreme.

2022 will be the year when this trend solidifies as a new reality, adapting to both personal comfort and hybrid work situations. From a content marketing perspective, virtual events present an exciting new set of challenges, whether you’re hosting a webinar or managing a live social media feed. It will be crucial to continue to innovate on the learning gleaned in 2020 and 2021, especially since this space is now more crowded than ever.

8. Wider social universe

Just as the MCU (Marvel Cinematic Universe) enters its next phase, we are also entering the next phase of what you might call the “Expanded Social Media Universe.” From new features on the old watches to maturity of TikTok as a platform, to the Wild West for marketers (think Clubhouse and Discord), new content marketing opportunities across a wider range of Social platforms will be a trend to watch in 2022.

What’s not changing in content marketing?

Some fundamentals of content marketing have remained fairly constant since it became such an important part of the digital marketing ecosystem.

1. Backlinks are still essential

Google is infamous for changing its algorithm rules very regularly, sometimes without ad. It is only once SEOs start to notice abnormal drops or spikes in rankings that the news seems to corroborate the results. (And of course those frantic emails to your SEO friends).

Creating backlink-worthy content is a key thing to keep in mind when determining your content marketing goals. Use the new content marketing trends above to find out what that might look like. Is there an old blog post that could be turned into an interactive infographic for example?

2. Mobile first

Part of content marketing is getting the most attention to your content. However, arguably more important is keeping those eyes and encouraging a second action like signing up to your mailing list or making a purchase. One way to dramatically increase the likelihood of these actions occurring is to optimize your content for “mobile first”.

More than half of global web traffic is via a mobile device (54.8%) and that number is expected to increase. Making sure your content is optimized for mobile viewing will make it much easier to capture today’s consumer.

Achieve excellence in content marketing in 2022 by staying ahead of these trends. Want to know how Meltwater can help you? Complete the form below to be connected to a representative today.