Episodic foresight, or imagining future events and adjusting current behaviour accordingly is a fundamental human behaviour. This trait applies to various realms of life – personal goals and development, career aspirations, business goals to even political developments.

In the realm of content marketing, this adaptability is inevitable as the domain is dynamic. As the year 2024 approaches, content marketers and agencies are gearing up to forecast upcoming trends in the ever-evolving landscape of content marketing.  There is no one-size-fits-all approach in this niche. Industry nuances, the pulse of target customers, the non-homogenous demographics and user preferences are some of the key factors taken into consideration.

Here are some of the content marketing trends that help brands stay ahead in 2024, connect with their audiences and create a loyal following. 

Voice Search Optimisation

A time ago, talking to a robot-like interface seemed like a scene from a sci-fi movie, a fantasy distant from reality. But today, virtual assistants like Siri, Alexa, Cortana and Google Assistant have turned out to be virtual companions rather than cold, robotic figures. Whether it is for the best coffee shop near us or to play our favourite channel on TV, voice commands are a part of everyday life. 

The switch from typing to talking poses a unique challenge to the SEO game. Voice-based queries are different from text-based ones and mimic real-life conversations. So, brands have to tweak their SEO strategies to appear in voice search results. A simple approach would be to include long-tail keywords, especially in the form of asking questions. Incorporating VSO not only enhances voice search results but also improves the site’s overall SEO and ranking, a strategic win-win situation.

AI-Powered Content

While AI may be pitted as a grave entity that takes our jobs in movies, media and pop culture, reality tells a different story. AI-powered content is a melange of innovations, AI, machine learning, and natural language processing. The result of this digital combination is high-performing and personalised content that resonates with the target audience, thus enhancing engagement. 

AI can be used for brainstorming and surfing through social media trends and happenings to come up with trending and relevant content ideas. It can also analyse the performance of the content and help in SEO by generating titles, meta-descriptions and alt titles. 

The wizardry of AI does not end here. AI creates visual art that aligns with the content with a set of prompts. Then there are AI-powered chatbots that help to connect with the target customers more engagingly. 

A word of caution, stay clear from spammy or low-quality AI-generated content to prevent being penalized by Google and other search engines.

Podcasts

The human voice has a unique ability to captivate our senses. The power of tonality and the ability to express emotions transcends textual words or pictures. And perhaps this could be a reason why podcasts have a separate fan base. Podcasts are used by several content creators, industry experts, thought leaders and entertainment artists to share their views, experiences and ideas with their audience in an intimate setting. 

In the context of content marketing, podcasts are an excellent way of connecting with your clients. Companies can have a brand ambassador or a charismatic mascot conversing eloquently, and sharing updates and information, thus building engagement. Creating and sharing podcasts are pretty simple. One does not require costly equipment or expensive hosting plans. For brands, this is a cost-effective gateway to building a subscriber community and establishing brand authority. You can receive invaluable feedback through comments and make changes accordingly. 

Unlike other media which require a person’s undivided attention, podcasts offer the freedom to multitask while listening to the content. One can listen to podcasts on their daily commute while doing monotonous tasks or even when doing something creative. 

Humour-based Content

Humour perks up even the most mundane topics and makes it engaging. Moreover, the human brain remembers humourous content well compared to plain blogs or articles. It is easy to incorporate an element of humour or two in the content. It doesn’t require a stand-up routine; a sprinkle here and there does the trick.

For instance, memes. These are graphical representations of ideas, behaviours, and events. They can be a GIF, video, or static image. Memes can be used to promote a specific product, brand, or brand narrative. Meme marketing works well among millennials and Gen Z. They share and reshare memes among their circles, creating a ripple effect in building the brand. Let’s not forget that these age groups form more than 40% of the consumer population. As we step into 2024, we may find brands embracing meme marketing in their digital strategies,  to update with the new trends.

Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality Integration 

The space between the digital realm and reality is gradually fading with strides in virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR). For marketers, these technologies open a unique opportunity to create immersive brand experiences for their clients. This could be a VR showroom tour of a mall. Or an AR app that lets users envision different styles of design themes for their home, the possibilities are virtually limitless. As VR and AR hardware become more accessible, one can expect to see brands incorporating these technologies into their marketing campaigns.

Anticipating content marketing trends is a crucial and valuable element of the strategy. This is particularly significant in a domain marked by rapid technological advancements and continuously shifting consumer behaviours. The ability to predict what lies ahead and to evolve accordingly becomes a strategic imperative. As the new year approaches with both unprecedented opportunities and challenges, it is important to understand how and which strategies benefit your company’s needs. 

As a leading content marketing agency in Kerala, Potters Wheel stays updated with technological advancements, understands dynamic consumer behaviours, and implements innovative content marketing strategies to boost businesses. Potters Wheel specialises in building brand values through a compelling storytelling approach that connects with the target audience on a deeper note.