3 Disruptions That Will Shape Your Content and Marketing Strategy in 2025

These three trends will help you update your strategy. [View Message in Browser]( / [Add Us to Safe Sender List]( [CMI Logo]( WEEKLY NEWS 11.1.24 WEEKLY NEWS 11.1.24   FEATURED [5 Bright Ideas To Help Your Content and Marketing Shine in 2025]( By Stephanie Stahl [5 Bright Ideas To Help Your Content and Marketing Shine in 2025]( Sparks flew at Content Marketing World 2024. Will they help you slow down long enough to bring joy, courage, enchantment, and connection back to your work? There’s only one way to find out. Try these ideas in your work. [Read more](  READ OR LISTEN TO MORE OF THE WEEK'S BEST STORIES: [How Salesforce Blazed Award-Winning Content Trail for Sales Pros]( by Ann Gynn Ever wonder how Salesforce keeps coming up with so many content ideas that make a measurable impact on the company’s business? The story behind the company’s latest award winner reveals its winning roadmap. [Semrush’s Acquisition Reinforces the Value of Owned Media]( by Content Marketing Institute Team Semrush made a bold move by acquiring Third Door Media — home to Search Engine Land, MarTech, and more. With built-in events and valuable audiences, Semrush sees a future in owned media. Will others follow? [3 Disruptions That Will Shape Your Content and Marketing Strategy in 2025]( by Robert Rose It’s time to rewrite your B2B content and marketing playbook for 2025. These three trends explain what will (and won’t) move audiences and customers next year. [ICYMI: Don’t Be Scared! These Uncomfortable Content Marketing Tasks Are Worth It]( by Alexandra Cote Do you avoid some content marketing tasks? Do you say you don’t have the time when you really do? Avoidance is often the response when you fear the unfamiliar or unknown. But it’s time to get uncomfortable and do these five things.  A NOTE FROM ROBERT ROSE Make it count B2B marketing has had an interesting year. While it’s become more strategic and focused on the long term, the short-term playbook has been shredded. One research report [quoted a CMO saying]( “The traditional B2B playbook that worked for so many years isn’t working anymore.” I’ve seen at least three disruptions that indicate where content and marketing may be headed. Identifying the implications of these disruptions may help you plan for the future of content and marketing. Customer media consumption and the importance of brand Wow, that sounds important, doesn’t it? It’s just a fancy way of saying things are moving faster, people have more choice in content, and trust in branded experiences plays a bigger role in generating demand and creating loyalty. - 2023 was the first year in which [time spent with online video]( overtook television. - YouTube now makes up 8.6% of streaming [television consumption]( — surpassing Netflix’s 7.9%. - As of two years ago, user-generated content on social media accounts [for 39% of the time spent]( with media. But don’t make the mistake of assuming these statistics mean short, provocative social videos purely focused on grabbing attention are the only content that resonates. People’s attention spans haven’t decreased — their patience for value has. If you can hold customers’ attention by delivering value quickly, you have the opportunity to create a differentiating experience. This trend also indicates decreasing patience with anything that interrupts the flow of engagement. For example, a [recent study]( found that people answer barely half of unidentified calls on their mobile phones. Not only do people dislike interruptions, but they also know they can easily replace any content. Don’t like that TikTok video? Swipe up. Don’t like that Netflix show? Exit right out of it and into something else. Don’t get the sources you need within seconds of that search? Ask AI for the answer. The brand impact from this disruption fascinates me. That lack of patience and the ease of acquiring replacement content removes some of the ability (and, some might say, the need) to build a brand legacy. In 1958, the [average life span of a company]( on the Standard & Poor’s index was 67 years. Sixty years later, it had fallen to less than 15. Product and service brands are evolving to resemble startups, fashion, or media. Brands launch, gain recognition, earn trust, and then fall out of favor or get replaced by something new. Interestingly, successful companies are pivoting toward launching or acquiring content brands and using them like shiny media attractors. These branded experiences do the heavy lifting in the short term, capitalizing on the short lifespan of brands in general. They aim to create immediate trust and deep engagement, but they can be discarded if they fail to achieve their goals or fall out of fashion. Scarcity of physical presence The rapid growth of remote, freelance, and fractional work has reshaped our cultural mindset. People have developed a strong preference for maintaining physical separation. And that makes in-person connections feel more special and rarer. More people think, “Is my physical presence at my job site worth more than before the pandemic?” Some companies have demanded that employees return to offices. And attendance at events (business and otherwise) has surged. However, the nature and quality of those events have changed to meet the higher demands of those attending. As physical presence remains more precious, in-person events (still among [the most effective content marketing tactics]( have become luxury items. So the nature of the content at these events had better be really good. Perhaps less obviously, this trend also puts renewed pressure on digital content experiences. Why? Because digital content platforms must also act as proxies for physical presence. All digital content (events, thought leadership, etc.) must be differentiated because audiences expect more, and the content noise is getting exponentially crazier. B2B company Salesforce’s investment in launching Salesblazer shows this trend in action. Years ago, Salesblazer might have launched as a blog covering sales news and trends. But this award-winning project is a resource center, a blog, an education platform, and a community. It markets itself as the “largest and most successful community for sales.” And that brings us to the third disruption: the decline of trust and truth. I explain that disruption — and how to adapt to all three — in [Rose-Colored Glasses]( this week. I hope you’ll read it and [let me know what you think](mailto:robert@contentadvisory.net?subject=CMI%20content%20feedback%20—%203%20disruptions&elqTrackId=917C3ACEDEAEEF98BCBFA64A03599F03&elqak=8AF5D032FBFAA95C430D842C048D1451C9039AB2850D0487588E0240FF32C31774DD). In the meantime, remember: It’s your story. Tell it well. [Robert Rose] Robert Rose Chief Strategy Advisor Content Marketing Institute Robert Rose Chief Strategy Advisor Content Marketing Institute Would any of your colleagues or friends benefit from Robert's weekly updates? Please invite them to [subscribe]( here.  A WORD FROM ONE OF OUR SPONSORS [Get the Highlights of the Latest Research Into B2B Content Trends]( Get the Highlights of the Latest Research Into B2B Content Trends Keep your content relevant with this guide to key findings from the B2B Content Marketing Benchmarks, Budgets, and Trends: Outlook for 2025. Download the PDF for insights into content marketing practices, strategies, concerns, challenges, and technology use (including generative AI) for the upcoming year. [Download now >>](  MORE FROM CMI [Coming Soon: CMWorld On Demand]( Coming Soon: CMWorld On Demand Content Marketing World 2024 may be over, but you can still experience all the learning and inspiration by purchasing a Digital Pass. Sharpen your content marketing skills with 100+ sessions from global marketing experts, fresh from our 3-day event in San Diego! You’ll have access to keynote and breakout session recordings through January 31, 2025, to watch at your own pace. Get $100 off your digital pass with code COMMUNITY100. [Get your digital pass >>](  [Next Wednesday: Learn to Master Short-Form Video in the TikTok Era]( Next Wednesday: Learn to Master Short-Form Video in the TikTok Era Short-form video is a powerful tool for capturing attention and driving engagement across platforms like TikTok, Instagram Reels, and LinkedIn Stories. Join us for a free webinar as we explore how marketers can harness video to boost success in 2024 and beyond. [Register today >>](  Was this email forwarded to you? Please [subscribe here.]( To change your email preferences or unsubscribe, visit our [preference center.]( Copyright © 2024 Informa Connect, All rights reserved Content Marketing Institute, an Informa Connect brand 605 3rd Ave | New York | NY 10158 [Terms of Service]( | [Privacy Statement]( [informa tech]