By Content Creator — Jan 27, 2020 11:00 AM
With a new year comes new and exciting trends that will grow throughout 2020. As we saw an expansion of technology and content tactics in 2019, there are numerous opportunities to grow and enhance your content marketing strategy in 2020. Here are a few of our favorites:
Digital Personalization
As the trend of targeted content delivery has grown, we can expect that momentum to continue throughout 2020. Technologies are becoming more and more sophisticated, causing our audiences to expect a customized experience that meets their needs during each interaction.
The impact of personalized communications proves to be overall positive. In fact, according to a white paper published by Ellucian, 87% of students who received personalized communications during their application process agree that it was an important factor in their choice of school.
As organizations look to get started with their own targeted efforts, it's important to find a solution that best fits your needs and goals. To learn more about evaluating personalization platforms, check out our recent blog post!
Use of Video Content
In 2020, the use of on-site video content to aid the customer journey should be a strong addition to your content strategy. Notably, Smart Insights reports that 72% of people prefer video over text when learning about a service or product.
Video storytelling such as student testimonials, interactive tours, on-campus interviews, and more are great ways to optimize your content and connect with your target audience in a way that resonates.
User-Generated Content
With exaggerated or “fake” content cluttering the web, organizations are relying heavily on user-generated content to give their audience a real and authentic outlook into their story. According to Trend.io, 70% of consumers trust online peer reviews and recommendations more than professional content and copy. This is made easier with the continued rise of advanced social and video technology that allows for easy access to receive, review and deliver large amounts of user generated content at once.
How can you use user generated content in higher education? Try showing prospective students your campus and student life through the lens of your own students. With take over videos, guest blog posts, hashtag highlights and more, you can attract your audience with an authentic view into your organization.
Artificial Intelligence
The future is here. Artificial intelligence and machine learning are no longer out of our reach. Personalized chatbot responses will revolutionize how prospects get their information and provide an on-demand solution for frequently-asked questions.
Real-time responses play an important role in today's audiences. A recent survey conducted by Helpshift reported that 83% of respondents said they would make messaging their primary means of communication if they were guaranteed to receive an immediate response.
These AI innovations will continue to enhance the customer experience through convenience, 24/7 response times, and stored visitor attributes.
There are so many innovative and exciting content marketing techniques to try in 2020. We hope you are inspired to sift through the big trends and experiment with new content marketing techniques this year.
