Long-form written content most shared on social media

A new digital marketing infographic published by MDG Advertising has urged brands to publish more in-depth content pieces and conduct regular analyses and audits in order to optimise campaigns and maximise return on investment.

The Six Digital Marketing Trends to Budget for Now infographic outlines relevant tactics to help marketers “focus on what matters” in an increasingly complex digital landscape. It brings together major findings from recent research reports and consumer surveys to support its recommendations for content creation, investment and strategies.

While it is a common belief that bite-sized written content is the best for engaging consumers, MDG says that recent examinations of content pieces show that this isn’t always the case. The average post increased in length by 19 per cent last year, and the most shared articles and blog posts on social platforms are now “relatively long and fairly complex.”

This suggests that premium-grade content should be the cornerstone of any content marketing initiatives. The infographic states that publishers should shy away from “extremely difficult language” and focus on content that is “complex without being confusing.” Some of the most popular blog posts on sites such as Facebook are up to 1,400 words long.

Marketers are investing heavily in content, but many are still struggling to determine the success of their campaigns. Just 43 per cent of B2C marketers say that they have a complete picture of ROI and its effectiveness, and MDG believes that it’s now “essential” to conduct regular audits and analyses to find out what is and isn’t working.

While consumers prefer long-form written content, there is a trend towards very short and other experimental types of video. The costs involved with creating high-quality clips are much higher than those needed for producing text, but the benefits are “absolutely worth it” due to the staggering rise in video consumption and its effectiveness at driving positive consumer actions. More than half of marketing professionals believe that video now offers the best ROI.

The infographic also recommends that marketers prioritise data cleansing and control to ensure that they have the correct information, systems and processes to perform their jobs effectively, take advantage of marketing automation systems and leverage mobile messaging and chat to offer exciting experiences for end users.