2024 Content Marketing Trends to Watch

1. The Continued Importance of Social Media

One trend that’s here to stay and doesn’t seem to be slowing down is the significance of social media for business growth, professionalism, and authority in a given industry. 

More than ever, individuals and companies are realizing that their social media profiles are a reflection of their legitimacy and credibility. 

94% of business leaders say that a strong social media presence has a positive impact on brand reputation. 

Neglecting your social media presence can send the wrong message to potential clients. If you’re not keeping up with your socials, you might not look like you’re actually in business at all. Whether you’re targeting a younger demographic or a more mature audience, maintaining an active and professional social media presence is now an essential element of your online identity. You want to make sure your brand always looks alive by consistently posting high-quality content that provides value to your audience. 

2. Catering to a Younger Audience

Efforts are shifting toward targeting Millennials and Generation Z. These tech-savvy generations heavily rely on social media platforms to research and engage with brands. 

An overwhelming 97% of Gen Z consumers use social media as their top source of shopping inspiration. 

The first thing this age category does when they’re curious about a brand is to take a look at their socials. If accounts are inactive and outdated, they won’t give a brand a second thought. As a result, it’s no longer merely a nice-to-have; it’s an essential aspect of reaching your target audience. 

Millennials and Gen Z are now moving into greater positions of leadership and decision-making roles across companies in many industries.

Whether you offer professional services or run a high-level business, the need to maintain an active social media presence is undeniable.

3. Quality and Quantity

We always hear the phrase “quality over quantity.” However, with the amount of content constantly being posted, we’re entering a new phase where audiences are expecting a high quantity of content and they want that content to be high quality as well. 

In the past, churning out content in large volumes may have seemed like the key to success. However, audiences are now expecting that content to be produced at a higher quality than ever before. 

Even casual, lighthearted content is starting to have a higher production value. The current trend emphasizes creating high-quality, valuable, and educational content that addresses your audience’s needs. 

In essence, it’s no longer about promoting your business; it’s about providing solutions and genuine value to your audience while maintaining a frequent posting schedule. Finding that balance between quality and quantity is going to be really important in 2024. 

4. StoryBrand Marketing Remains Essential

Making sure your marketing has a storytelling base has been essential and remains one of the most important parts of a content marketing strategy. The StoryBrand marketing model, where the customer is the hero of the journey and the business is simply a guide, providing value to their audience along the journey of looking for the solution to their problem, continues to gain traction. This approach resonates with modern consumers who appreciate receiving valuable content and solutions without feeling pressured to make a purchase. 

The StoryBrand framework prioritizes the customer’s journey instead of the brand itself. This method of marketing leads to more fulfilled customers and builds trust between the customer and the brand. In 2024 we will definitely see more of the StoryBrand framework in marketing efforts. 

5. Carousels

To no surprise, visual content remains vital. Social media platforms like Instagram emphasize the importance of high-quality visuals and engaging content. Now, this doesn’t mean you should ditch static graphics and photos. But, consider presenting them in a carousel format to make your content more engaging. 

Carousels provide the space to feature a lot of information and visual content within one post and are the most engaging Instagram posts with a 1.92% average engagement per post. 

Don’t stop making infographics or sharing photos, just present them in carousels for a more engaging experience. 

6. Longer-Form Videos

Interestingly, there’s a growing acceptance of longer-form video content on social media. While shorter snippets remain popular, it appears that audiences are increasingly open to consuming more lengthy video content. 

Consumers watch an average of 100 minutes of online videos a day. 

This shift aligns with the desire for a YouTube-like experience on social platforms, where longer, more in-depth videos are appreciated alongside shorter, bite-sized content. The 1-minute to 5-minute range of video lengths seems to be doing really well lately. 

7. Thought-Leadership Content

Thought leaders are recognizing the value of giving away valuable information. The fear of giving too much away is dissipating as they realize that providing valuable content and expertise is what ultimately drives leads and success. 

For example, 47% of buyers say thought leadership led them to discover and ultimately purchase from a company that was not considered to be among the leaders in a particular category.

For consultants, coaches, and experts in various fields creating thought leadership content is essential to staying relevant and competitive.

8. Generative Artificial Intelligence Tools

You’ve heard it before and we’re here to say it again: AI is the future. Now, we’re not saying that you need to rely on it, but AI tools can be an effective part of your content production.

In fact, 72% of B2B content marketers say they use generative AI tools. 

This number is so high because these tools can make your life easier so that you can produce a greater amount of quality content. 

Use AI like mathematicians use calculators: as a helpful tool. In 2024, AI will continue to gain popularity and we’ll for sure see it trending for a long time.