2021 may have been the year of the billionaire space race, but the #1 content marketing trend of 2022 is much more down-to-earth. The top trend for content in 2022? Drum roll, please…

Creating a superior content experience with every piece you publish. In essence, this trend requires you to become part of your customers’ world by providing consistent, engaging, and inclusive content that boosts customer loyalty. 

Empathetic marketing is the strategy of conceptualizing content through the eyes of your ideal client in a manner that addresses your target audience as humans and not just followers, potential customers, or even a fan base. It’s content that gives you a warm hug. 

The world’s best brands are taking a hard look at these questions. So answer these questions, and your content strategy will be built upon solid footing in 2022.

• Who are our customers, and how are they consuming our content?
• What struggles are they facing, and why are they turning to our content for help? 
• What motivates them to take action, and how can we meet them where they’re at to solve their problems?

The bottom line is that the year’s most memorable content will improve the overall customer content experience — and there are a host of actionable steps to make this content strategy your reality in the new year. 

Interactive content, short-form video, voice search, and augmented reality are among the top content marketing trends for 2022. Here’s how to execute them in your small business. 

Content Marketing Trend: Interactive Content

One of the easiest and most effective ways to create a content experience is by creating interactive content. 

Recent studies show that interactive content over static content optimizes the audience experience, gaining their attention and keeping their eyes on your posts longer. 

Instagram Story polls and stickers or quizzes your audience can take in exchange for their email address are two simple ways to hop on this trend today. This style of interactive content serves two higher purposes.

The first is creating that content experience your content strategy requires. The second is market research. Savvy small business owners should save audience response to tailor new offers, sales copy, and curate content ideas. 

Other types of interactive content include animated guides or infographics, virtual/ 360 tours, and even the tried-and-true Instagram carousel post that naturally prompts readers to swipe as they’re reading.  

Interactive content doesn’t stop with the content format. You can create interactive content with your words. Using storytelling in your Instagram captions, blogs, or copy that evokes feelings of inspiration, reliability, and thought leadership encourages engagement and connection. This is where eye-catching headlines, Instagram caption hooks, and strong call to action (CTAs) can genuinely elevate your content. 

The best part is that interactive content can be used at every stage of the customer journey to create an immersive brand experience that ultimately cultivates brand loyalty, captures leads, and eventually conversions. 

Content Marketing Trend: Short-Form Content

You will not read a blog, article, or Instagram post that doesn’t mention video short-form as one of the top content marketing trends in 2022. It’s hands down the biggest video trend because it appeals to viewers who are increasingly short on time and attention bandwidth and simply want to get to the point in less time. 

And, because content strategy in 2022 is all about user experience, short-form video is more valuable than ever for your marketing since it shows users on the most basic level that you respect their time. 

Reels, TikTok, and Idea Pins are tops for short-form video consumption. If you haven’t dived into the world of short-form, start getting familiar with the process by repurposing old content into short clips or try no-face, no-dance reels to get the hang of it. There is a learning curve like all trends, but it’s very achievable with a couple of hours of practice. 

Rest assured that it doesn’t have to be perfect. In fact, it shouldn’t because relatability and realness drive connection in the form of content. 

Content Marketing Trend: Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR)

This is probably the one that makes most small business owners cringe. Turning something that seems like science fiction meets video game into a marketing plan is something hard to wrap your head around. 

Still, it’s here — and it’s not just for teens and Gen Z. My friend, a grown woman without children, recently took a trip to Dubai from her living room on a Tuesday night thanks to VR/AR, which truly speaks to the broad demographics interested in hanging out inside this emerging marketplace. 

I believe Better Marketing summed it up the best when they wrote, “Storytelling has always been the foundation of any good marketing strategy, and these immersive technologies are providing a new perspective on how content has evolved.” 

Again, it goes back to creating a content experience. 

Facebook rebranded to Meta on October 28, 2021, making VR and AR mainstream. 3D spaces in the metaverse will let users socialize, learn, collaborate and play in ways that go beyond what we can imagine. And while best practices for marketing in the metaverse aren’t yet available, the best thing to do at this point is to get familiar with the new digital landscape. 

Facebook is now offering tools, guides, and resources to educate creators about navigating the metaverse. 

More Marketing Trends for 2022

Interactive content, short-form video, and AR are all top content marketing trends that double down on user experience, but they aren’t the only ones to keep an eye on in the new year. Here are a few more that will trend this year: 

• Voice Search Will Evolve How Content Marketing Sounds: you’ll want to take time to adapt content to natural language search, which means including questions and answers. Longtail keywords will be your friend here. 
• Live Video: Live, unscripted videos provide a level of uncurated authenticity consumers crave. If you haven’t gone live yet, I recommend trying it with a fellow industry leader first to help ease the jitters before going solo. 

Digital marketing is a constantly evolving landscape, which is why a content strategy is so important for putting your message into the world in a way that informs, inspires, and converts clients. 

Which content marketing trend are you looking forward to testing the most? 

Cyndi, your content strategist 

P.S. Are you serious about stressing less about posting and instead of getting focused on meeting your dream clients? Let’s take the guesswork out of your content strategy for good. My 1:1 VIP Instagram Clarity Call is for you if you want to save time while boosting your engagement. Even if you have a small audience, limited time, or haven’t nailed down your content pillars — yet. In 90-minutes, you’ll be crystal clear on your message and be stepping into spring with more confidence than ever—book today.