Does Content Marketing Matter in 2020?

When it comes down to actually doing it, however, blogging can consume a lot of your time, money, staff and other resources. Content marketing was once a relatively easy win. There were few small businesses using content so great blog posts did a lot to set your business apart from the rest. Today consumers are flooded with information so content creation can feel like a waste because it just adds to the noise.

So does blogging still matter in 2020? Absolutely. Despite that the amount of content available is growing at a blistering pace—and the competition that comes with it—content still plays a vitally important role in marketing your business in 2020. Content marketing will just look a little different in 2020.

Is Content Marketing Leveling Off?

Taking a look at Google Trends for some of the key types of digital marketing, there are some pretty clear trends since 2004. Compared to email and social media marketing, content marketing has started to level off in steam and looks ready to stall out.

At Orsanna, we’re still big believers in the power of great content. It’s just harder today than it was in 2013 for your content to be as effective at growing your small business. It’s easy for your great content to be drowned out online by other similarly great content.

We’re anticipating 2020 to see influencer marketing rise because it’s the missing piece in effective content marketing.

Why Influencer Marketing is the Next Big Thing

We all know just how effective recommendations are for creating new business. Recommendations from people we know is the most trusted source according to Nielsen. There’s few doubts in anyone’s mind that when your customers recommend you, your business does better. Influencer marketing is similar to a recommendation from a friend.

Instead of it being someone your customers know personally, it’s someone whose online opinion is one they trust and pay attention to regularly. Instead chasing potential customers online, you can use influencer marketing to actively point your ideal customers towards you with a stamp of approval already in your pocket.

Influencer marketing isn’t something new either and it’s shown to be very effective. Tomoson reported that marketers consider influencer marketing is tied with marketer’s long-time favorite, email marketing, as the most cost-effective way to get new customers.

The Key to Successful Influencer Marketing is Still Content

Influencer marketing doesn’t work nearly as well if you have nothing to convince your ideal customer and turn them into a sale once an influencer sends them to your website. In fact, behind recommendations, a brand-owned online property is the second most trusted source of information according to the same Nielsen study.

With content marketing’s rise, businesses have been training consumers to come to expect high quality content as part of your brand’s online experience and conversion funnel. If you can’t live up to consumers’ expectations, you’re missing out on making your business goals.

Although digital marketing might change in the way you get traffic to your site, having a robust site is still vital to your business’ success. Blogging is still important in 2020 because it still does all those things content marketing has always done for your small business.

Good content still builds relationships and humanizes your company and it still builds a positive brand experience and reputation. It even still contributes to your traffic but it might do that in a different way in 2020 than in the past.

If you’re ready to seriously consider blogging and want to learn more about how it can help grow your business, contact us for a free initial consultation to learn how content marketing can help your business grow.