As a content marketing writer, I’m in the process of building a future (and hopefully long-term) career on the assumption that content is here to stay. Having said that, the only thing we can be certain of in the age of the Internet is change, so I set out to discover whether I’m barking up the wrong tree to do so. Here are the main trends predicted for the future of content.
Prediction: Content Will Become an Asset, Instead of an Expense
Personally I believe this idea is way overdue. How often have you read something online and clicked on a hyperlink in the text, only to land up on an error page? Part of the reason for this is because companies aren’t thinking long-term when it comes to content. They publish their material, and after a year or two it’s outdated or they redesign their website so they whip it off. Used that way, content is an expense. It might deliver short-term ROI while it’s on the site, but once it’s gone it’s useless.
By changing their thinking to view content as an asset, companies will put their dollars to better use by building up a repository of knowledge and information that outlasts their competition. The benefits of this are many, including:
- Creating a gold mine of resources for clients and press
- Building thought leadership that endures
- Establishing credibility through clear evidence of long-term existence
- Delivering ongoing ROI, as long as the links remain active and the material is accessible
In short, content marketing will need to be a long-term commitment, not a campaign.
