How 2021 Will be Different Than 2020 for Your Content Strategy

With new vaccines on the way, it seems like there just might be a light at the end of this very long, and exhausting pandemic tunnel. 2020 certainly wasn’t the year many of us expected (or were hoping for) and, depending on where you are, many of us are now looking forward to the resumption of semi-normal activities in 2021. However, despite this imminent return to normalcy, it’s becoming increasingly clear that some of the trends we’ve seen pop up throughout the pandemic, won’t be going away so soon. This, coupled with emerging technology trends means it might be time to rethink your tried and true content strategy.  

But first. 

How has the lockdown era affected content consumption in consumers? 

I can’t speak for everyone, but I know that I’ve seen at least a dozen articles outlining this topic, so I’ll keep it brief.  

The Switch to Digital 

With so many of us spending more time at home, everything from social media usage to online shopping has seen huge spikes in usage when compared to previous years. Some recent data even suggests we should expect a 169% increase in e-commerce purchases from previously inactive online consumers post corona. Furthermore, those who were already using digital and direct to consumer services do not expect to cease these activities once things return to “normal”. The writing is on the wall, digital is here to stay. 

Localization and Personalization 

During corona, we’ve seen a general shift away from the big bands, with nearly half of consumers trying new labels, as well as a third of individuals actively incorporating small business products/services into their purchasing habits. With this shift taking place, brands that reinforce personal relationships with their customers will fair better during the coming recovery.  Especially among millennials and gen-Z consumers, there is a desire to identify with brands through shared values and social consciousness. Now more so than ever, your customers want more than just cold corporate marketing, they want to know where your brand stands on topics such as inclusivity, sustainability, and more.   

The Telecommute Economy 

While lockdowns may be getting lifted in the coming months, its likely that many businesses that switched to remote work amidst the pandemic, may not return to brick-and-mortar offices. With many employees now able to work at home and still concerned about shared spaces, we’re are seeing an unprecedented move away from cities, to less densely populated areas. In this particularly uncertain time, an emphasis on omnichannel marketing strategy is essential to remain competitive, as well as the ability to stay agile and innovative in this new, changing environment. 

Okay, so times are changing, and we need innovative, personal, digital content, but what strategy should I adopt? The answer is Voice Strategy! 

The Rise of Voice Technology 

Voice technology has boomed in the last few years, with 24 percent of Americans having set up smart speakers in their home, not to mention every Siri, Cortana, Google assistant etc. in our phones. This provides an excellent opportunity for content marketers to capitalize on in order to reach their consumers in more meaningful ways. 

With billions of voice search queries occurring every month, and these queries being far more direct and specific, marketers need to take this into consideration when creating content. There will be little room for generic content marketing “noise”; content will need to be either practical, educational, or emotional in order to be effective in the voice-queried world. For example, podcasts represent a great way to tick a lot of these boxes; you can go deep on the subjects your consumers care about and provide useful, interesting content that allows them to build a relationship with your brand. Additionally, with services like Apple music indexing the audio from your podcasts, you can be sure it won’t be long before results based on the spoken word begin showing up. However, the real trick is to make sure your podcast has a quick, memorable name that can be requested via the title alone.  

Speaking of check out our No Bullshit CX series where we provide… constructive criticism for anyone interested in thoughts regarding their digital experience. You can even send us yours!