Six in ten brands are planning to publish more editorial content during the next 12 months, according to a new study released on Tuesday by the World Media Group.
Content marketing is on the rise and that upward trajectory will continue for some time yet as 78% of respondents said that they expect it to grow even more by 2021. The dominance of content is evidenced by the fact that 45% of brands expect half of their marketing campaigns to be content-driven this year.
In an era of fake news and low-quality clickbait, consumers are eager for more insightful and relevant content. This is one of the reasons why 57.9% of brands want to create more editorial-style content.
A mix of mediums is the target for many though, as 69.3% want to produce more short-form videos to deliver compelling stories within 60 seconds and improve completion rates. However, some respondents believe that informative and entertaining content should be the priority as it is the best way to boost engagement.
The study also suggests that infographics are now rivalling video in the visual department as 45.5% are planning to spend more on these resources. Other popular content formats include social media posts (55.7%), podcasts (41.5%) and case studies (28.4%). In contrast, just 7.9% are interested in chasing memes.
Finally, for content-led campaigns, story is the most important factor to consider, ahead of authenticity and creative execution. Echoing trends for 2019, many brands want to produce “content with rich legs”, which is generally known as “evergreen”.
