3 Marketing Plays You Need To Implement in 2018 Consumers want to know who you are. Enter content marketing.

I'm a firm believer in content marketing. It's a long play, but the results speak for themselves if you invest and keep plugging away.

Businesses that have invested in content marketing in recent years are reporting dividends from those investments.

For example, more than 60% of B2B marketers reported more effective content marketing strategies than a year ago, showing that constant flow and activity within content marketing will increase ROI.

Factors contributing to that success include better quality content, strategy development, more time spent on content marketing, and better targeting in content distribution.

To maintain this growth, marketers need to keep up with the ever-changing landscape of content marketing.

Here are my three big marketing plays for 2018.

1. Great content is expert-driven

Content marketing is moving beyond blog ideas and articles. There is a move towards a trend in which ideas are constantly improved upon, customised for different audiences, and adapted to new formats consumers are using.

Just hiring writers won't cut it anymore. The content team will need to grow and adapt for the next year and should include people who are talented in:

• Video production and editing (think TV commercials tailored for Facebook)
• Graphic design, illustration, and editing (think infographics, animation and ebooks)
• Audio editing and production (audio articles and podcasts)
• Content distribution and promotion (Where to place it and how to promote it).

So, invest in your content team, consider outsourcing to specialist agencies and provide constant quality content for your customer base.

2. Influencer marketing keeps yielding results

In 2018 it's not about whether you include influencer marketing in your marketing mix, but the percentage of your marketing budget you put towards it.

Remember:

• 70% of millennials trust influencer and peer opinions over traditional celebrities
• 51% of marketers say video produces the best ROI
• 86% of women turn to social networks before purchasing
• 71% of consumers are more likely to purchase based on a social media reference.

If you are in a niche sector, working with micro influencers who have a smaller but higher engagement rate than traditional celebrities might work well for your brand. The key to influencer marketing is someone who is trusted and respected by your target audience.

3. Live video is exploding

Marketers and brands are jumping on the train to embrace live video content. Facebook video sees an average of 135% more organic reach than images. The engagement goes through the roof for live video. According to Facebook, users spent three times more time watching live videos than a video that's no longer live. They also comment ten times more during live videos.

If that doesn't convince you that you need to adopt live video for 2018, this may:

• 80% of social media users aged 18 to 35 said they would rather tune into a live video than read a blog post.
• 82% of those users were more interested in watching live video from a brand than reading social media posts. Start working with live video now — before your competitors do — to engage your audience.