Brands will create more videos, utilise live streaming apps, and really embrace interactive features within content.
Sophie Turton, Content Marketing Specialist at Bozboz
Video marketing will skyrocket, with Cisco predicting that video will account for 69% of all consumer internet traffic by 2017.
Content marketers that combine all of these elements are set for an explosive year.
And we haven't even delved into the possibilities offered by VR and Oculus Rift. I'm excited to see what they come up with.
Maia McCann, Director of Content at LittleThings.com
In 2016, we're going to see a lot more 30-second video clips which should gain traction on social media, particularly in Facebook's video player.
We'll also see creative teams continuously experimenting with the dimensions of video thanks to the traction Buzzfeed has gained with 640x640 videos on its 'Tasty' channel.
Content marketers will get smarter about mobile
Sophie Turton, Content Marketing Specialist at Bozboz
Marketers will get smarter about mobile, not just in ensuring all sites are mobile responsive but in creating content specifically for different platforms and devices.
In 2016, one size definitely will not fit all.
A mobile-first approach will ensure all content is more engaging and companies of all sizes will get smarter with technology to monitor results and drive conversions.
Currently only 12% of purchases are made on mobile, despite time spent on mobile now higher than that spent on desktop.
Anna Francis, Content Manager at Search Laboratory
Mobile apps will be a big trend, as developing applications is now easier and cheaper than ever before, and Google indexing means apps are listed within mobile search results, giving brands a whole new opportunity for mobile visibility.
Native ads will continue to grow
Nick Fettiplace, SEO Director at Jellyfish
I think native advertising will also continue to grow across multiple channels as publishers and broadcasters look to find new ways to monetise content without alienating users, and brands look for a way to communicate with audiences in a more subtle and engaging way.
The rise of ‘relationship marketing’
Anna Francis, Content Manager at Search Laboratory
Relationship marketing is another big trend we'll see develop in 2016.
Companies will need to really humanise their brand and focus on building a loyal and trusting audience that content can be pushed out to.
Engagement is so important when it comes to content marketing, and I think next year we will see more brands focus on the relationships they have with their customers and the ways in which they can turn them into life-long advocates.
In-app indexation
Nick Fettiplace, SEO Director at Jellyfish
A potential game-changer for 2016 will be in-app indexation.
Google’s aim will be to serve content from apps within its own search results, allowing users to access material from an app that they may not have even installed.
If we really are in ‘the age of the app’, then this is likely to drive downloads significantly and provide us with: a) more content and b) yet more diversity in how we access it.
Google Knowledge Graph will play a part
Anna Francis, Content Manager at Search Laboratory
Google's Knowledge Graph is likely to affect the way brand's are creating content, as answers now appear for the majority of long tail search queries on the results page.
With more opportunity to be featured prominently in Google's search results, brands will be focusing on creating content around more complex and difficult topics in the hope the Google's Knowledge Graph will drive extra traffic to their site.
Published 14 December, 2015 by Jack Simpson
