#SMTrends2019: 5 momentous content marketing trends that brands can't miss

Smitha Laxminarayan, AVP – Marketing, Kotak Mahindra Bank shares how the content marketing segment will evolve in 2019.

1. Original and Relevant Content

78% of consumers say personally relevant content increases their purchase intent. Content needs to be original and relevant. It's pretty simple mantra, create content that one can own, use internal ideas. Consumers and decision makers are really smart these days seek real content that can help solve their problems quickly and easily. Consumer’s today want brands to earn their trust.

2. Content Personalization and interactivity

More content personalization is expected to taking place by brands going forward in 2019. Outsourced data says:

• Increasing personalization can lead to a 500% increase in consumer spending
• A lack of relevance leads to an 83%decreasein engagement rates

According to research, 53% of online shoppers believe personalisation is valuable and up to 57% are willing to share their personal information for this personalised content. Personalization of content enables brands to differentiate, enhance engagement, increase a sense of trust and credibility among viewers/readers.

3. Authentic Influence

Consumers want to be influenced, guided towards a decision but the circle of influence they trust is diminishing.  The authenticity of influence is vital when the consumer moves from consideration phase to purchase phase on the buying behaviour journey. Use of influence in a subtle way by brands at this stage creates a huge impact and influence yielding to significant results.

Also Read: Accidental Content Marketing Calendar or fortunate love from filmmakers?

4. Voice Control and Search

Today the wave in marketers has moved into considering how will my consumer ask a question into their smartphone or Alexa/Echo/Google Home. While on one handle Google prioritizes mobile-responsive and mobile-optimized websites, marketers need to tweak in content that can adapt to voice search optimisation which helps them feature in search results.

5. Data Driven Decisions driving Content

Often content is undervalued from an ROI perspective. Content marketing strategy needs to backed by data. Data fuelled with an integrated content strategy which is customisable, unique and personalised based on consumer behaviour will yield far more measurable ROI for content. Every brand does not need to be the first to be on every social network that launches. Customer service is imperative and the key is to understand customer satisfaction via content. A brand being agile empowers it to test new things that work for its consumers by choosing the right ones that work for the brand.