Ladies and gentlemen, fasten your seatbelts because we’re about to take off into the future of content marketing! It’s 2023, and the content marketing landscape is evolving faster than ever. As a savvy marketer, staying ahead of the curve and adapting to the latest trends and strategies is essential. This article will explore 10 exciting content marketing trends and techniques to try in 2023. We’ll cover everything from segmentation and SEO to video and user-generated content. So sit back, relax, and dive into the hottest trends in 2023 content marketing!

9 Content Marketing Trends for 2023

In this list, we’ll look at the top content marketing trends for 2023 that are shaping the industry. We’ll explain each trend and show you how real companies (including ours!) are incorporating these ideas into their 2023 content marketing strategy.

1. Short-Form Video

Short-form video has become increasingly popular over the past few years due to its ability to capture attention quickly and engage viewers in an entertaining way. In 2023, businesses should consider incorporating short-form videos into their content strategies to reach new audiences and drive engagement on social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok.

Here at ÜberStrategist, we’re helping more of our clients experiment with short-form videos in 2023 (and giving them the confidence to know that this 2023 content marketing strategy is not just for big brands!). One of our clients has a successful TikTok channel where her small business tip videos get thousands of views each. Another client is incorporating video marketing into the launch of his upcoming book by sharing teasers, tips, and personal messages with his audience.

We’ve seen success in all cases where we use short-form video, but we add this caveat: like all content marketing strategies, you will rarely see success overnight. You must commit to the work and be consistent with your efforts to see results.

Also, remember to maximize the value of your short-form video content by using it in multiple ways. Your videos can be:

• Used to start a YouTube channel
• Posted on various social media platforms
• Added to email marketing
• Incorporated into an existing blog post (or be the basis of a brand new one)

So as you start to create short-form video content, get creative to maximize its values and ROI.

2. Audience Segmentation

Audience segmentation is the process of dividing your target audience into smaller groups based on their demographics, interests, and behavior. In 2023, focusing on audience segmentation is essential to create more personalized content that resonates with your audience.

EA is a video game publisher that has implemented audience segmentation in its content marketing strategy. For example, EA’s “EA SPORTS FIFA” franchise targets soccer fans with its content marketing efforts, including social media campaigns that feature popular soccer players and showcase the game’s realistic graphics and gameplay.

For example, you can segment your email list by:

• Demographics: Such as age, gender, and location.
• Behavior/Engagement: For instance, if they opened or clicked an email.
• Purchase History: To share personalized recommendations and promotions.
• Lead Magnet: Which categorizes contacts based on what lead magnet or incentive brought them onto your list.

3. Podcasting

Podcasting has been steadily growing in popularity over the years, and in 2023, it’s expected to become an even more prominent trend in the content marketing landscape. According to estimates, there will be over 100 million podcast listeners in the US by 2024. Can you afford to miss out on this 2023 content marketing trend? We think not!

As a form of audio content, podcasts offer a unique way for businesses to connect with their audience and share valuable information in an engaging and personalized way. Companies can leverage podcasting by creating branded podcasts that showcase their expertise and position them as thought leaders in their industry. Branded podcasts can cover various topics, from industry news and trends to customer tips and advice.

Further, podcasting can be incorporated into an existing content marketing strategy. Businesses can use podcasts to repurpose existing content, such as blog posts or webinars, into a new format easily consumable for their audience. When done right, podcasting can help you reach new audiences and expand brand awareness.

Here at ÜberStrategist, we’ve seen more clients interested in adding podcasting to their 2023 content marketing strategy. And with our A to Z podcasting services, you bring the expertise, and we’ll do the rest! Want to start a podcast (or need help with your existing one)? Just contact us to learn more.

4. Interactive Content

Interactive content is another content marketing trend that will grow in 2023 as it allows brands to engage their audience by providing an immersive experience. Examples of interactive content include quizzes, surveys, polls, calendars, interactive visuals, and more. Interactive content can help you create a more engaging and memorable experience for your audience, making it a must-try 2023 content marketing trend.

Here at ÜberStrategist, we love to weave interactive content into our clients’ social media, such as creating monthly LinkedIn Polls. Not only does this allow the audience to interact with the business/brand, but it has also been used to generate hot topics for future blog posts. For example, when our client learned that video marketing was the top interest of her audience, she followed up the next month with a four-part blog series about video marketing.

Interactive content can also be used with your in-person marketing. Are you going to an event? Make sure to include a QR code on your marketing materials that people can scan to learn more/sign up for your list!

5. Visual Storytelling

Visual storytelling involves using visuals such as images, videos, infographics, GIFs, etc., and written copy to tell stories that resonate with consumers. This type of storytelling has been proven effective at engaging audiences, so it’s worth exploring if you’re looking for ways to make your content stand out from the crowd this year.

There is a lot of evidence that suggests that images boost content marketing efforts. For example, Buzzsumo found that social posts with photos receive 2.3 times more engagement than those without. Further, articles with images get 94% more views than those without visuals.

At ÜberStrategist, we rely on visual storytelling in our content marketing work. We create custom graphics for our client’s social media posts and blogs that utilize company branding and give a professional appearance. Images can help tell the story and break up blocks of text to make content easier to consume for readers.

We have also noticed a hugely positive reaction when we share real client photos on social media. One of our clients frequently attends conferences, and as part of our 2023 strategy, we started asking them to snap pictures at the event. We use these photos for visual storytelling on their social media channels and find that these posts always get the highest monthly engagement.

6. User-Generated Content

User-generated content (UGC) is any content created by users or customers of a brand, such as reviews, photos, or videos. In 2023, it’s essential to incorporate user-generated content into your content marketing strategy as it can increase engagement, build trust, and provide social proof.

Nintendo is a video game publisher that incorporates user-generated content in its content marketing strategy. For example, Nintendo’s “Super Mario Maker” game allows users to create and share their own levels with the community. This not only provides social proof but also creates a sense of community and authenticity around the game.

So let’s say you want to incorporate UGC into your 2023 content marketing strategy. The first thing you need to do is gather it! You can encourage UGC from your audience in a variety of ways:

• Creating a branded hashtag and encouraging people to use it
• Running a social media contest so customers can submit photos and videos of your product
• Requesting reviews and feedback on your social channels (or sending a survey)
• Collaborating with influencers (we’ll cover that more in #7 below!)

But remember that you can also leverage existing UGC – for example, via online customer reviews or social media mentions.

7. Influencer Marketing 

Influencer marketing involves partnering with influencers with large followings on social media platforms like Instagram or YouTube to promote products or services through sponsored posts or collaborations. This type of marketing has become increasingly popular over the past few years due to its ability to reach large audiences quickly while maintaining authenticity since influencers are seen as trusted sources within certain communities.

According to research, 50% of millennials trust product recommendations from influencers, and 33% of Gen Z-ers have bought a product based on an influencer’s advice in the past three months. If your target audience includes these groups, it’s time to seriously consider adding influencer marketing to your 2023 content marketing strategy. Getting influencers to cover your brand/product/service can expand your reach exponentially (like this sponsored influencer project we worked on that generated over 8 million impressions!).

Influencer marketing is one of our specialties at ÜberStrategist, and we’ve seen it produce amazing results for many of our clients. Check out this article for tips on what to consider when adding influencer marketing to your strategy, and reach out to us if you need help with your organic or sponsored influencer marketing campaign.

8. Strategic SEO

Search engine optimization (SEO) is essential for businesses that want their content to be found online by potential customers. Optimizing your website for SEO best practices, such as keyword research, meta descriptions, page titles, etc., can improve your website’s ranking on search engines like Google, resulting in more organic traffic over time.

In terms of SEO, two recent Google updates impacted content marketing in 2023:

• Google’s Helpful Content Update was announced in August 2022 and specified that Google is taking great efforts to prioritize content that is “written by people, for people.” How it impacts the 2023 content marketing strategy is that content creators should focus less on writing for search engines (stressing over keywords, word counts, etc.) and more on their audience. Strategic SEO means providing value, a unique perspective, and a satisfying experience when visitors are on your website.
• Google’s updated Quality Rater Guidelines were released in December 2022. This update announced that Google would add another E to their EAT concept. To summarize, Google says it is prioritizing content at demonstrates E (experience), E (expertise), A (authoritativeness), and T (trustworthiness). This means Google evaluates who you are and whether you have the experience, expertise, and authority to write on a topic before it will place you high in search results.

Google’s recent updates indicate that blogging is as important now as ever. Blogging allows you to demonstrate your experience, expertise, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness. It also gives you an outlet to create helpful content for your audience. SEO should be used strategically, with a focus on writing content to please your audience, not search engines.

At ÜberStrategist, strategic SEO is at the heart of our content marketing for all our clients. Our job is to know your target audience and help you create blog content that answers their questions and piques their interest. To help you with your blogging endeavors, we have created a blogging checklist you can follow! Grab your copy here.

9. AI Technology

Finally, artificial intelligence (AI) technology is set to be a major trend in content marketing in 2023. As AI continues to evolve and become more sophisticated, businesses increasingly use it to enhance their content marketing efforts.

On November 30, 2022, Open AI announced the launch of its ChatGPT program, and since then, marketers have been exploring how it can be used in content creation. The possibilities seem endless, from writing articles to creating social media posts and email content. Of course, if you’re planning on jumping on this 2023 content marketing trend, you should be aware of the downsides of using such AI technology, including:

• Potential for incorrect information
• Lack of originality/personality
• Limited understanding of complex queries
• Lack of emotional intelligence/personalization

Although ChatGPT (and Bing Chat and Bard) have been making the news recently, AI has many other applications in content marketing. Whether it is AI algorithms to create personalized content, chatbots for customer support, or AI-based tools for content planning, there are many ways to incorporate AI into your content marketing strategy. Here at ÜberStrategist, we are cautiously exploring AI-based options. We encourage you to do the same to stay up to date on this 2023 content marketing trend.

Content Marketing 2023: Need Help?

Content marketing is here to stay. According to SEM Rush, a whopping 69% of all companies surveyed said they planned to increase their content marketing budget in 2023. And with good reason! The benefits of content marketing are clear: it’s a cost-effective way to reach and engage with customers, and it has been shown to provide a great ROI for businesses in every industry.

As we’ve explored in this article, there are several exciting trends and strategies to try in 2023, from leveraging video content and podcasting to getting more strategic with your segmentation and SEO. By capitalizing on these trends and incorporating them into your content marketing strategy, you can stay ahead of the curve and continue to drive engagement and conversions.

When tackling any of these content marketing strategies, remember to stay curious and creative and keep the customer at the center of your strategy. And if you need help along the way, don’t hesitate to reach out to ÜberStrategist – we’re always here to help you take your content marketing to the next level. Cheers to successful content marketing in 2023!