The importance of a successful digital marketing campaign and its impact on an enterprise’s revenues and profitability is quite remarkable. With the increased adoption of digitalization, businesses of all natures and sizes have acknowledged the role played by digital and content marketing in ensuring their connection with the target audiences. This is the reason why the digital marketing and advertising industry in the country has grown at an unprecedented pace, and the total size had surpassed INR 300 billion by the end of 2022.
There are numerous advantages, such as personalization, better customer targeting, and improved communication with the target audience, which could be related to content marketing. However, despite the wide range of benefits, utilizing content marketing for an enterprise could be quite challenging due to the constant and rapid changes in the business ecosystem. As digital processes, platforms, and exhibition models keep on upgrading all the time, it is rather critical for an enterprise to keep up with the emerging trends in content marketing.
Here we are, discussing why staying updated is critical and how following simple steps can take you ahead of the curve.

Why do you need to keep up with the emerging trends anyway?

As a business owner, if the content marketing strategy pays rewards, one would wonder about the need to ‘keep up’ with the latest trends. However, it is critical to understand that what might work for a business or an industry today might be completely obsolete and irrelevant tomorrow. Being updated is not a luxury but a necessity that the marketing decision-makers should consider while planning for the future.

There are various reasons why constant upgrading of the content marketing processes is critical for any enterprise.

• The Market Size and Time Spent Online

For a market like India that has significant potential with a large number of buyers, the rapid digital transformation only makes it critical for businesses to keep up with what is happening in the content marketing scenario. As the number of digital users has been increasing, consumers are well-updated about the recent trends in cyberspace. For instance, a 2021 report suggests that the time spent by Indian consumers watching videos online has increased almost 60 times in the past five years. The overall propensity to consume short videos and reels has also increased due to shorter attention spans. Hence, rather than focusing on long videos, content marketers need to shift towards short video formats. This is one of the various examples of rapid digital adoption in India. For content marketers, this means a constantly expanding audience with varied digital habits, making it imperative to stay abreast of the latest trends.

• Digital Literacy Rates in India

Another critical aspect could be the significant increase in digital literacy rates. Currently, it is estimated that around 40% of the population is digitally literate. However, the interesting aspect is that around 99.9% of the digitally literate population access the web via smartphones. This gives significant scope for the growth of digital campaigns for companies, and hence using the latest content marketing tools becomes necessary for businesses of all natures and sizes. From tier-1 cities to remote villages, consumers are increasingly relying on online content to make informed decisions. They expect fresh, relevant, and interactive content. Businesses that fail to recognize and adapt to these heightened expectations risk being left behind, with their content becoming redundant or, worse, irrelevant.
Further, there is a massive saturation as the number of players in the digital segment are increasing at a rapid pace. By staying updated with the latest in content marketing, businesses can differentiate themselves from the competition. Embracing new trends and technologies gives businesses a cutting edge, ensuring they capture audience attention in a market brimming with content.

Techniques to Spot Emerging Trends

Now, having understood the reason why content marketing has become critical for businesses in the current scenario, it is important to evaluate how to spot emerging trends. Since the digital landscape is in constant flux, following the latest trends and being relevant is essential. Market research plays an important role here. However, businesses in India do not spend much on research and development, as suggested by a Niti Aayog Report, which underlined how Indian companies are among the lowest spenders on this business aspect. Talking about this, here are a few techniques that the decision-makers should take into account:

Understanding the Importance of Market Research

It is crucial that businesses have a clear understanding of what is relevant and irrelevant in content marketing. Market research could sound like a difficult and monotonous job but with proper planning, and it is easily executed, especially when it comes to adopting the latest trends in digital and content marketing.

Here are a few tips related to research:

• Subscribing to Content Marketing Newsletters

Contrary to the general belief, these newsletters are full of relevant data and information, which ensures that a marketer is able to understand the latest trends and evaluate the current content marketing strategy with the latest developments. There are both global and Indian newsletters to which one could subscribe for careful perusal.

• Following the Content Marketing Leaders and Top Influencers

Content Marketing Leaders and Influencers have a massive following as they provide information in a creative and innovative manner. They not only help update the existing processes but could be critical in providing case study examples and real-world scenarios related to content marketing. Furthermore, it has been witnessed that thought leaders have an uncanny ability to anticipate where the industry is heading. They often discuss emerging platforms, technologies, and shifts in consumer behaviour, allowing businesses to prepare and adapt in advance.
Influencers and marketing leaders are specializing in different sectors and industries. Each influencer has a unique perspective based on their experiences, clientele, and areas of expertise. Businesses can benefit from a holistic view of the content marketing world by following a mix of them.

Constant Engagement in Webinars and Workshops

In a post-pandemic world, one could be easily overwhelmed due to the availability of a large number of webinars and workshops on different topics, especially those related to digital and content marketing. However, a business or marketer who wants to be ahead of the curve needs to have in-depth knowledge about the existing and forthcoming developments in the sector. There is no substitute for interactive learning as people have tremendous and invaluable experience sharing their insights about the latest trends and developments in content marketing. Webinars and workshops offer a more hands-on approach to understanding trends. They provide opportunities for Q&A, discussions, and real-time insights.
There are platforms present online as well as on LinkedIn that regularly host webinars with industrial experts and leaders. Interested people can also learn the old-school way, as there are local digital marketing institutions that often conduct workshops tailored to the nuances of the Indian market.

Participation in Global and Local Conferences

This aspect depends on a number of considerations, such as budgets, time availability and the long-term objectives of the decision-makers. However, irrespective of the changes and developments in any industry, there is no doubt that networking is one of the most important ingredients for success for a sales or marketing individual. Let’s understand how any global or local conference could provide you with more networking opportunities than any other source.
Conferences offer a dual benefit. Not only do they provide access to the latest trends and best practices, but they also offer networking opportunities. Interacting with peers can often lead to uncovering insights that aren’t available in public forums. Many conferences feature case studies, success stories, and future forecasts. It is critical for decision-makers and content marketers to be an active part of the conferences to learn, share, and upgrade themselves.

Embracing the Latest Technologies

With the advent of new technology, there are often debates of how it is going to impact the existing processes and systems. However, in the digital world, one needs to acknowledge that we are no longer working on a collection of platforms. The entire cyberspace or digital world is powered by a backbone of advanced technologies that continually reshape how audiences consume content. A content marketer should be willing to adopt different latest technologies to ensure that they are utilized most effectively to attain the campaign targets. Here are a few examples:

• Usage of AI in Content Creation

AI could be used to generate a significantly higher volume of data with lower chances of human errors. Further, there are tools which could assist in carrying out plagiarism and grammar checks, thereby increasing the overall value of the content. It is not recommended to ignore the importance of fact-checking and carrying out background research before drafting a piece of content, but at the same time, some AI tools could be quite effective in attaining the business marketing goals.

AI can streamline content creation, personalize user experiences, and optimize campaigns. However, over-reliance can risk losing the human touch, which is vital for genuine connection.

• (Augmented Reality) and VR (Virtual Reality) in Content Marketing

AR & VR offer users an immersive experience that traditional content can’t match. Whether it’s a virtual tour of a property for a real estate company or an AR-enhanced retail experience, these technologies captivate audiences.

Summing up

The Indian market, with its burgeoning digital literacy and insatiable appetite for online content, demands agility and foresight from marketers. Leveraging emerging technologies like AI, AR, and VR is just the tip of the iceberg. The real game-changer will be a marketer’s ability to blend these innovations with a genuine human touch, fostering real connections. Businesses need to stay informed and anticipate, innovate, and lead, transforming challenges into opportunities in this digital age. In essence, the future of content marketing lies in perpetual learning, proactive adaptation, and relentless innovation.