New Year, new strategies – content trends to follow in 2017

Content is the King; it always has and always will be. Anyone who desires to make it big in the online market must understand that without a strong hold on content and marketing, no real impact can be created in the minds of the target audience. Despite its veritable importance, a lot of companies, startups and big corporations alike, often fail to come up with strategies that can pique people’s interests in their products and/or services.

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With content marketing rapidly evolving, generating generic content is only going to throw you out of the system. Keeping oneself updated on new technologies and methods is one way, but if you really want to win the race, or stay ahead of the curve, diving deep into the minds of your target audience is the only way to thrive and succeed.

Here are a few content marketing trends for 2017 that we think would help startups and early stage ventures to leave a mark in the minds of their consumer base.

Virtual Reality vs Augmented Reality vs Mixed Reality

Given the new introductions in the year 2016, with Snapchat's Filters, Instagram's Stories, and Yelp's Monocule, Augmented Reality looks quite promising in 2017. Adding these platforms in your content marketing strategies is a fantastic way to reach even those people who prefer to stay in their ‘bubble’. Besides, covering a wider range is bound to add depth and relevance to your content creation efforts. Healthcare, entertainment, and retail can greatly benefit from this technology.

On the other hand, Virtual Reality creates more persuasive, real time, and incredibly powerful content that follows the path of storytelling, which many people find interesting and relatable.

Mixed reality creates strategies that balance the economics of both AR and VR. Many brands are already leveraging on this concept, and soon we are going to see many case studies validating the results of having a good blend of real and virtual worlds. The idea is to create compelling content and ensure meaningful experiences to make the virtual world a better place to live in.

Paid advertisements and promotions will surpass organic reach

As a business, you have to make efforts to cater to your customers round the clock. While online marketing doesn't give you the benefit of putting up well-lit billboards to attract the gaze of passers-by, paid advertisements on social media and popular search engines will continue to boom in 2017. For example, just like Facebook, Instagram also introduced an algorithm-based feed so people don’t miss what really matters to them. This means that there is a high possibility of reduced reach for brands that don’t advertise. Such changes also mean that organic reach is greatly reduced from 15 percent to as low as two percent. As marketers fail to justify the returns on investment, paid advertising options are sure to increase, and with it the advertising expenditure in the year 2017. On the other hand, paid advertisements ensure that your brand enjoys good presence across channels, throwing a constant reminder to your audience.

Mobile first!

According to the latest report from IAMAI, titled ‘Mobile Internet In India 2016’, the country is estimated to have 371 million mobile internet users by June, 2016. Does this ring a bell? Clearly, mobile traffic outdoes desktop traffic, and it’s time to take this shift of interest seriously. Google has introduced Accelerated Mobile Pages, a light version of a web page that allows your website to load ultra-fast on mobile. The search engine giant also announced that they are soon going to index the entire web using a mobile first index. Now that’s something that content marketers need to keep their eye on, and so far, many brands have already started developing mobile-friendly content to enhance customer experience.

So get set for the year. Fasten those seat belts and pull on the blinkers. 2017 is going to be the year where everything we have ever learned about marketing is going to completely change. Make sure you’re well prepared to sail through the storm with ease.