n 1994, the first ever blog was published by Justin Hall of Swarthmore College and while personal blogging had been around for quite some time, this was the first time blogging was used to build a brand message.
In 1996 the term “” was born. The term came about during a discussion between journalists at the American Society for Newspaper Editors. John F Oppedahl is lauded for coining the phrase which is now a part of the marketers vocabulary the world over.
With email marketing, websites and blogging becoming a must in business circles, something new was about to hit the market. And this new platform would change the face of content marketing forever.
The Rise of Social Media Platforms
As internet access grew, it quickly became a laboratory for content marketers as it offered a way to consistently find new and creative ways to reach audiences. In fact, content was on such a dynamic rise that in the early 21st century, online algorithms had to be developed to manage the massive amounts of content stored on the internet.
From websites to blogs, the internet became a place of information sharing and then came the rise of social media. Platforms that not only allowed for information and knowledge sharing, but places that allowed for instant communication and engagement.
With chat rooms like iRC and MySpace leading the way in instant communication and engagement, Facebook was introduced to the market and the rest is history (including MySpace).
“The Facebook” (yes, “the”), was launched in 2003 and since its inception it has remained the channel of choice in the consumer market. 2006 saw the launch of Twitter and through this platform, brands began engaging with consumers in real-time which meant they were able to gain more leads and solve problem germany email list s quickly. Then came the power of video. In 2005 YouTube quickly rose to prominence. The social channel introduced viewers to videos at the click of a button and video content marketing was born.
Social media has since developed and continues to evolve with the likes of Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn and Snapchat making waves in the content marketing space.
You see, social media channels introduced brands directly to their audiences and consumers, and today, content plays a personal role in consumer and brand relationships.
Today, brands are present across all social platforms (or those directly connected to their target market) and marketers are consistently creating content to engage the audience. From viral TikTok videos to Facebook lives, the options for content creation are seemingly endless.
So, what's next?
The Future of Content Marketing
What does the future look like for content marketing? New social platforms? Virtual reality? Are we going to be able to completely immerse the consumer into the brand experience? To be honest, yes! New social media platforms will definitely emerge while virtual reality is, without a doubt, the future of content creation.
Digital transformation happens every single day and marketers have to keep up with the virtual trends.
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