Content marketing guide for 2022
We are WEEKS away from another year.
So why does a simple date change impact the way our marketing strategy goes?
Well, it is a reset.
A chance to sit down and evaluate what is working and what isn't. After a nice Christmas break, it is always nice to come into a new year with new plans and ideas to implement.
So, we wanted to take you through all the content marketing trends, channels, and strategies you can think about for your 2022 content marketing plan.
This is a chance for you to review what is working, what isn't, and what you can do to take your marketing techniques to a new level, just in time for the new year
The marketing trends to look for in 2022
In 2022, marketing trends are something to keep an eye out for when thinking about your business moves in the new year. We’ve done some research, and having a look at Hubspot (you can check out the full article here), these are some marketing trends to look for in 2022!
Influencer marketing is on the rise, this means that there is potential for it to evolve from ‘just a trend’ to a common marketing tactic.
Short-form content (in terms of video) is the way to go
Permanent social media posts could surpass temporary content as the preferred form to consume (e.g reels, feed posts)).
Marketing in which people can ‘try before they buy’ may make a comeback as the preferred form of marketing for consumers. This gives the target audience a chance to experience the brand before committing (this is why we love freebies!)
More businesses will use SEO to divert and direct search traffic. This will align more sales and marketing teams.
Blogging isn’t going anywhere, in fact, if you don’t do it already, it’s something you should
Become a Thought-Leader in your business! Don’t just sell all the time, make sure to educate your audience as well!
Remember the KISS principle! Keep It Simple Stupid!
Become a better storyteller - get really comfortable telling your story over and over again!
The channels to look at in 2022
As a heads up for the new year, it’s nice to know what platforms to focus your business on. There are so many forms of content that you can create out there, this is why we wanted to narrow it down! From what we have seen and the type of content that will be popular in the next few years - here are the platforms we think are great to focus on:
Tiktok and Instagram - our personal faves for short-form content
Blogging - the platform to keep an eye on for 2022 (it’s only getting more popular)
Podcasting - An amazing way to connect with your audience on another level
This is from what we have observed through our own content journey at Content Queen! But, no matter what platform you are on, it is about the content you put in it, the stories you tell and the engagement you create.
How to find the best channels
So, now you may be wondering - if there is a right platform for your business, how do you find which one?
Well, we have a few simple steps you can take to make sure you can find out the best platforms to suit your business and brand goals in the new year.
It’s really as simple as trial and error. Experiment, do the research, and look at your options. Have a look at your strategy and see what you can do to provoke thought and make it more educational than simply just selling to your target audience, they will appreciate the knowledge you can give them.
Make sure you focus on one goal at a time and build towards that, you don’t have to do all the things at once. For example, maybe your goal is to grow your email list, from this you can simply work on sharing your freebie and getting those emails.
At the end of the day, just play around with different platforms and see which one you think is the best fit, it’s that simple!
Thoughts on Instagram for 2022
Because of the many platforms out there and how they are constantly changing, we wanted to share our thoughts for each one in 2022.
Instagram could be used as a selling platform or it could be purely educational, this is totally up to you. However, B2B and B2C are very different - it’s difficult to do both at once on one platform so remember that.
Utilise Instagram as a place to build a community and resource hub for your target audience and make sure it is unique and authentic to you. Don’t compare other people’s success - it is just a social media platform so don’t be too hard on yourself at the end of the day.
Thoughts on LinkedIn for 2022
For your personal brand, use the platform to share your journey and thoughts on different things that happen in your everyday life.
For your business brand, use it as a repository of content so if businesses are looking at your profile, there is content there (Things like behind the scenes videos or pictures of your business and offerings work really well)
Thoughts on Tiktok for 2022
TikTok is a platform all on it’s own, it has its own unique energy that you can utilise to connect with your niche!
Try new things and put your take on trends, have fun with it!
Thoughts on meta for 2022
This one is more of a wait-and-see type of situation. For those of you who want to explore it deeper, click here for more information.
Thoughts on blogging and podcasting for 2022
This is all about how-to content and storytelling! Utilise SEO to optimise your blogs and reach that specific target audience - this then leads them to whatever you want whether it be to read another blog or download a freebie!
Inspire your audience and ring in motivation with actionable steps to take, keep them engaged on your podcast with notable advice.
Thoughts on email marketing for 2022
Email marketing is what Content Queen will be focused on in 2022. It’s an awesome way to build up your target audience’s trust and brand awareness while being able to give back to them for their support.
In the new year, keep emails short and to the point whilst allowing that conversation to open up. This is something your target audience will remember and allows them to get to know you and your brand more personally.
Exercise to help you with your content strategy in 2022
We know that having a content strategy for 2022 can seem like a lot of work right now, but trust us, it’s easier than you think to set yourself up for success! So to keep it simple, here is how we are approaching our content strategy in the new year.
Lay it all out - Include all the strategies you have done in 2021, what worked and what needs improving.
Time Energy Value - evaluate the time you put into a task vs the reward you get out of it, is it worth it?
Where do your clients come from? Where do they buy from you? Find this out and build on it, explore it and see how you can optimise it.
Implement the bullseye technique - This technique (which you can find in this book called Traction here) is all about narrowing down and focussing on a small amount of marketing strategies at once rather than all of them. This gives you a chance to really test and trial one technique at a time to see what best suits you and your business!
Final thoughts
Overall, to set you and your business up for success in 2022 you need to prioritise your strategy. To save time and energy doing this, you can download our FREE content strategy template here!
Make sure to review what you did in 2021 to see what worked and work on fixing the things that didn't. Maybe you can try storytelling, implementing more educational content and not as much selling, and try to build stronger relationships and connections.
Remember that content marketing is a PART of the strategy!