Category: Trend

The Survey Says: Blog Content Strategies That Work

Have you read the 2021 Orbit Media survey on blog content strategies? Orbit Media has conducted this annual survey for nearly a decade so they have enough data to identify trends. This year’s results show some interesting shifts but the data supports my perspective: good writing wins out over SEO every time.

My Take-Aways

  • Blogging is most successful when you have a well thought out blog content strategy, know what metrics are important to you, then track them.
  • Wondering whether blogging is worth the work? The answer is indisputably yes. Seventy-seven percent of the 1,067 survey respondents agree blogging drives results; 20% say it delivers strong marketing results.
  • How-to blogs are the most common yet least read format. Content round-ups are much less popular with bloggers but much more appealing to readers. Good news: round-ups are easy to write once you have a process in place. (For a great example of content round-up, see NextDraft by Dave Pell.)
  • Blog length isn’t as important as content relevance and (ahem) good writing. The survey found the average blog runs a bit more than 1,400 words. That’s not a magic number that guarantees success; blog length should be driven by the content.

In sum, have a content strategy; implement it with well-written text that your audience cares about. If you need inspiration, curate content from relevant sources.

Don’t Let Blog Content Strategies Scare You

Creating a realistic blog content strategy that works for you takes a bit of thought. However, once in place, you’ll find it cuts down on the effort of creating a blog on a regular basis. I wrote a blog on this that will get you started. If you need more help, let me know.

Content Trends for 2021

I’ve noticed some interesting content trends in 2021. Some are driven by the economic uncertainties businesses are facing, However, one thing stands out: good writing gets the reader’s attention.

More Focus on the Bottom of the Content Funnel

Instead of casting a wide content net to attract any lead, some of my clients are only looking for  qualified prospects. It’s a smart tactic that saves them time and money–and they realize revenue more quickly. They use content rich in descriptions of features, benefits and the details someone would want to know as they research alternatives. 

My thought: smart. It’s an approach that lends itself to re-purposing evergreen content, especially when you have a solid understanding of your audience. 

@CreateHERStock, Nappy.co

Improving the Content Experience

One of my pet peeves is searching for something on my smartphone and then seeing the content blocked by all manner of interruptions. Pop-ups request my email address every time I return to a landing page. Videos start playing, eating up limited public bandwidth. Or I see two short lines of text then have to click “read more,” only to have to wade through even more pop-ups and panels. When I finally get to the content, it’s long-winded and takes forever to get to the point–if it ever does.

Designers and copywriters are starting to pay attention. One of the most positive content trends I’ve noticed in 2021 is these annoying interruptions are less common. Savvy copywriters are driving users to a product or service landing page for in-depth interactions. Content is segmented and organized so it’s easy to read with less intrusive calls to action. 

My thought: long overdue. 

More Focus on Shorter Pieces of High-Quality Content

Businesses are paying more attention to the customer journey. They’re delivering relevant content in shorter bites (though you can still find plenty of Top 10 Lists and Ultimate Guides). Writing is tighter; headers are less bombastic. Content is tightly focused on a single topic. 

My thought: I’m all for anything that encourages good content. WIth apologies to fans of James Michener, we need more Earnest Hemingway–at least on websites.

The Most Unsurprising Content Trend for 2021: SEO Is Still Important

This 2021 content trend would have ranked on any list once Google launched. Big businesses have the budget clout to pay for the obvious keywords. Savvy smaller and niche businesses have learned how to leverage long tail keywords (descriptive phrases)  to beat out the behemoths they compete against. 

My thought: the search phrase “near me” is a blessing for small businesses because it helps local customers find you. Just make sure you complete your Google Business profile so the search engines can include you in local results.

Image by S. Hermann & F. Richter from Pixabay

How Can I Help?

Need some help writing a blog? Don’t know whether you should worry about SEO? Just want to bounce some ideas around? Drop me a line or give me a call; I’d be happy to help.