Siege Media and Clearscope are forecasting the content marketing trends for 2023 and beyond.
Artificial intelligence, machine learning, economic instability — is content marketing a dying industry?
In our opinion, far from it — and we have facts to back it up.
Clearscope and Siege Media teamed-up to create the 2023 Content Marketing Trends Report for content marketers, by content marketers.
Clearscope is an SEO content optimization platform that levels up your content with seamless integrations. Siege Media is an SEO-focused content marketing agency dedicated to creating best-in-class content for over a decade.
We surveyed 278 content marketers to understand their content strategy, goals, and their plans for the future (and the future of AI).
We dive into these topics with key takeaways in the hopes that these insights catapult your content strategy efforts in the year ahead — up and to the right.
- Top Trends
- Artificial Intelligence
- Link Building
- Content Design
- Interactive Content
- Get the Full Report
1. Top Content Marketing Trends
- While 19% of businesses who use AI content generation tools reported experiencing a very successful content strategy, 24% of businesses who do not use AI content generation tools also reported experiencing a very successful content marketing strategy.
- Quality matters: 54% of businesses who spend over $2,000+ on a piece of content report their content marketing strategy to be very successful.
- Those who spend less than $15,000 monthly on their content strategy are 74% more likely to see lower performance versus those who spend $25,000+.
- When businesses dedicate 10%-50% of their content marketing efforts towards content design, they are 33% more likely to report very successful results versus those who dedicate nothing.
- Businesses that spend the least on content marketing struggle to succeed in publishing volume, lead generation, and measuring ROI.
2. AI Content, Not Replacing Humans
Do we think AI content generation tools are something to pay attention to?
Yes, but we don’t think robots are coming for our jobs just yet. Our results show that 19% of businesses who use AI content generation tools report experiencing a very successful content strategy.
Meanwhile, 24% of businesses who don’t use AI content generation tools also report experiencing a very successful content marketing strategy.
What do we think AI is best used for at this time?
- Blog title brainstorming: Type in your topic and content ideas to get some extra creativity in your writing process.
- Email engagement: If you’re struggling with email campaigns, AI content tools offer in-app suggestions for delivery times and personalized content.
- Content outlines: Hitting a roadblock? Get your content started on the right foot with AI content generators. Type in your topic and a brief description of your content and voilà – you have some headlines to get started with.
What the Industry Is Saying
“Companies that don’t work generative AI content tools into their content strategy will find themselves eclipsed very quickly. Generative AI is a force multiplier that will speed up content efforts and yield increased returns.”
Michael King, Founder, iPullRank
“There’s certainly a place for AI content in various marketing tactics and some content creation, but it can’t compete with the quality that stems from real life experience and expertise. Perhaps that will change over time, but focusing on Google’s notion of E-E-A-T is not only great for SEO, but also leads to higher quality content.”
Lily Ray, Senior Director of SEO, Amsive Digital
3. Link Building Is Here To Stay
While 64% of B2B businesses currently execute link building in their content marketing efforts versus 36% of their B2C counterparts, all businesses that incorporate link building report a 45% higher success rate in their overall content strategy than those that don’t.
However, the type of link building matters.
There’s evident success in focusing on just passive link building and a plethora of link building strategies to choose from that can naturally attract links to your site. The economics will continue to favor the use of a passive link strategy, such as with calculators, more than spending time completing manual outreach.
What the Industry Is Saying
“Google’s PR messaging has worked to deflect the importance of links for years, but the reality is they remain significantly effective.”
Cyrus Shepard, Founder, Zyppy
4. Content Design Continues To Shine
When businesses dedicate 10%-50% of their content marketing efforts towards content design, they are 33% more likely to report very successful results versus those who dedicate nothing.
As a Google SERP becomes more saturated, there’s less value in regurgitating the same topical content that other brands are creating. Instead, the design within the content adds more value to the post itself, along with your content navigation and hub.
Topical content like “what is” and informational posts are becoming more competitive as the SERP pages. Leveling up the blog design around these types of content will help you stand out from the competition and improve your chances of ranking higher.
5. Don’t Sleep on Interactive Content
It’s no secret that interactives are magnets for link building and can almost single-handedly power your link acquisition strategy.
Plus, it’s significantly harder for a competitor to replicate that strategy. If you’re a part of the 64% who don’t leverage interactives, consider the number of passive links you may be missing out on.
Get More Trends in the Full Report
Utilizing these upcoming marketing trends sooner than later will not only improve the overall aesthetic of your content but will prove to do well for the overall user experience.
These insights help us navigate the current state of our field and keep us ahead of the curve — increasing the chances of seeing success in content rankings and engagement.
“If you’re creating content or if you need to start, this impressive data on the field’s ins and outs is a must-read.”
Rand Fishkin, Co-Founder, SparkToro
Dive deeper into all of our trends and insights — and stay ahead of the curve.
Learn more about the future of AI content generation tools, how businesses budget their content marketing strategy, what it takes to see success, and much more. Download our full report below.
