2016 Content Marketing Forecast

Nothing is sure in this world. However, watching the 2015 countdown on Twitter convinced me of two things: 1)  a lot of digital soothsayers pop up and 2) content marketing is much on their minds. I scrolled through the last two months of tweets hoarded on my feed and took stock of three near-futurists. Their messages stood out in the noise.

Joe Lazauskas (@JoeLazauskas), editor in chief at Contently (@contently), offers a broad perspective in “Five Big Ways Content Marketing Will Change in 2016.” I’m jazzed by the first prediction: “more editorial/media folk will take content marketing jobs because of specialized skills (e.g., writing, editing, videography, and content strategy).” Translation: increasingly, journalism chops count. Now that’s a happy thought for any word nerd who finds nirvana in new media.

What’s not to love about Joe Pulizzi (@JoePulizzi), the poster boy of content marketing, and the Content Marketing Institute (@CMIContent)? Their heaven-sent newsletter is chock-full of industry news, trends, and cutting-edge examples. This is Pulizzi’s eighth year as a prognosticator of content marketing, and he rarely misses. Look for two major takeaways in the e-book 40+ Predictions on Content Marketing in 2016: 1) data-driven strategy (e.g. site auditing, metrics, reports, insights, and audience segments) moves to the forefront and 2) a visual content strategy and style become de rigueur. (Spontaneously sprinkling some pics here and there on social media no longer cuts it.)

Ann Handley (@MarketingProfs), the chief content officer of Marketing Profs, sounds off sensibly in this dialogue. She gets to the point in “Content Marketing Grows Up: My 2016 Prediction.” Sure, a lot of the action boils down to smart strategies. But don’t forget: bigger stories and bolder voices rule.

There’s hand-wringing that we have entered the era of content marketing overload. So what do you do? Listen to common-sense leaders. Then refine the process, hone the practice, and stay strategically present.

Catherine Hamrick blogs at Random Storyteller and Catherine Hamrick: Soul Deep Storyteller.