With a new year upon us, it is always necessary to look at new ways in which to generate success. Whether dealing with search engine optimization, email marketing, social media behaviour or some combination thereof, it is absolutely imperative that marketers and content creators take a fresh look at their approaches on an annual basis at minimum. Content marketing is one area in which the rules and the benefits from engaging in it continue to change with each passing year. In order to be at your best, you have to re-evaluate the pathway to success. We’ll talk below about some simple rules to follow if you want to be successful in content marketing in 2016.

Focus on Multiple Devices

The age in which content marketing could focus solely on traditional and desktop devices has long passed. With search engines and advertising platforms alike now pinging search engines and social media users who increasingly use mobile solutions, it is essential that any content marketing strategy be rooted in a multi-screen marketing approach. With people more distracted than ever before – thanks in large part to the technology scattered across multiple devices they own – targeting people on mobile and desktop is more crucial than ever. While content must be well-designed in order to resonate with audiences, it must also be reaching users across multiple devices in order to be noticed.

Keep It Simple

Content marketing in the 21^st century needs to be simple in most cases in order to attract attention. As we mentioned above, it can be all too easy for people to become distracted with a seemingly endless supply of social media, email and search engine material. Because of this, your initial content marketing efforts need to be focused on attracting attention with minimal text and reading. Videos have become a popular solution due to this concept, as have infographics and slideshows. Nearly two-thirds of consumers report that one major reason they stopped engaging with a particular form of content was because it was too long. At the end of the day, be sure to make your point in as few words as possible in order to continue attracting attention.

Use Humour and Emotion

In the modern day, brands must rely upon emotion in order to make genuine connections with audiences. Humour is one of the most obvious ways in which this can be done. When you’re pinging search engines and social media with content that pokes fun at an otherwise serious situation, it’s important to remember that a careful touch is needed – however, this type of humour can be some of the most powerful when done properly. Additionally, other forms of emotion in general are strong elements in any content marketing arsenal. Whether you are attempting to generate sympathy, awareness, civic action or simple engagements, emotion can be one of the best ways to ensure that your content marketing resonates with its intended audience.

What other methods do you intend to use to make your content marketing efforts successful in the new year? Leave us a comment below and let us know.