Content Marketing Tactics You NEED in 2016
Content Marketing, or creating and publishing relevant, consistent content, is here to stay in 2016. Early adopters of the strategic marketing approach are learning how to connect, educate and engage their audiences while increasing brand awareness and positioning themselves as industry leaders. In 2016, using content marketing tactics will be the reality for all small businesses. Here are some tried and true fundamentals as well as future marketing tactics to pay attention to.
1. Personalized Content
With the increasing availability of high-quality content, marketers are facing the challenge of creating content that people will read and acknowledge. Content should be created and curated specifically for each audience, so supporters will feel a personal connection with the company and what they have to offer. Personalizing your content in 2016 will set your efforts apart from others and cultivate meaningful relationships. Starbucks nearly doubled their digital revenue with mobile sales in 2015 by developing a mobile app that promoted engagement with their digital audience while driving up revenue and in-store traffic.
2. Mobile Optimization
Mobile optimization for all businesses will become increasingly important in 2016. In short, if people can’t easily read or search your site on their mobile devices, you will lose their attention and business. In 2015, this proved as a necessity for Google’s modified search algorithm, penalizing businesses that were not fully optimized to enhance user experience. Those who still have not jumped on board will see a significant impact on their marketing efforts and brand awareness overall in the coming year.
3. Platform Specific Marketing Tactics
Gone are the days where one carefully crafted message will reach the masses. With the increasing number of social platforms available to businesses, content must be platform specific and a presence must be built on each channel. Social media tools for content marketers such as Hootsuite and Simply Measured help to provide analytics of each customer while some such as TweetDeck focus on using a single channel with greater sophistication. The Content Marketing Institute (CMI) advises marketers to do a cost analysis on the time and effort required to understand each channel, build an audience on that channel and stay engaged with it. In 2016, businesses that embrace these changes and build relationships with niche leaders will see a significant return on investment for content marketing.
4. Geo Targeting
According to Entrepreneur, geo-precise marketing is now leading the pack in consumer marketing. Analytics and purchasing data are allowing businesses to target specific consumers based on their zip code purchasing activity. Marketers are now worrying less about reaching every single consumer, and more about the areas where their consumers are coming from. For example, Google Adwords and Facebook both offer geo-targeting services that help businesses determine the location of buying power in their area. In 2016, marketers will continue to decentralize their structure and increase regional and local influence.
5. Evaluate the Sales Process
Most social media marketers have proven great at building engagement and establishing relationships. Social media should be used, however, as a part of the sales process and CMI explains we should expect to see an increase in social selling next year. Cart, a company powered by Heyo, is already helping businesses sell products on Facebook. How it works: a product is posted on Facebook, fans comment “buy” and then the cart collects the payment, delivers the product and deposits the revenue directly into your account. In 2016, we can expect other social sites to expand on this concept and social selling will enhance sales processes.
