3 Disruptive Content Marketing Trends in 2014

Online marketing predictions have most likely made their rounds in the internet. But there’s another set of trends brewing underneath the mad scramble for content popularity. Here are three disruptive content marketing trends that you need to look into:

The content marketing party is over.

There’s so much content out there that the competition for your audience’s attention is raised every single day. Apart from the wide variety of content that’s regurgitated online at breakneck speed, you also have competitors. There are influencers, experts, analyst firms, and media companies. A random freelance writer who has a blog on the side can trump your opinion piece because it has a funny image. The democratization of content leveled the playing field. It’s both a gift and a curse.

The end of guest blogging for link building.

Matt Cutts, head of Google’s Webspam team, said guest blogging for SEO is over. “Why? Because over time it’s become a more and more spammy practice, and if you’re doing a lot of guest blogging then you’re hanging out with really bad company.”

Google doesn’t care about your Facebook and Twitter shares.

In a separate discussion, Matt Cutts said Google doesn’t take social signals as part of their ranking algorithm. At some point, Google tried but it was blocked. Then there’s also the issue about changes that Google doesn’t see until later, resulting into outdated information. The silver lining is that Google is working on a solution.

What Now?

Don’t fret, because this doesn’t mean that content marketing is dead. Basically, what’s happening here is that you can’t cut corners anymore. You have to provide information, whether it’s visual or written, that answers your audience’s needs and problems. Build readership instead of just rankings. It’s about maintaining customer relationships, instead of baiting unsuspecting visitors. Apart from the right words, you also need the right image and message.

Before online marketing is a game between you and search engines. Now it’s all about the audience.