Content Creation Trends

I consult businesses for $3K/hour on how to double or triple their organic traffic. Here’s 5 of my best, non-obvious advice for 2025: 1. Start optimising for AI chatbot visibility Over 71.5% of consumers now use LLMs for search to complement Google. • Structure content clearly. Use bullet points, concise intros, and proper H2s so AI can summarize your info easily. • Publish original stats, examples, and expert perspectives. AI prioritizes unique, first-hand insights. • Add schema markup. Use FAQ, How-To, and Product schema to boost AI readability. • Build domain authority with consistent mentions and authoritative backlinks. Chatbots prioritize trustworthy sources. • Monitor citations. Use tools like AlsoAsked, Bing Chat, or Perplexity to see where your brand shows up, and reverse-engineer what works. 2. Create topical clusters Google’s moving from keyword-based indexing to topic-based indexing. That means: • Build pillar pages and surround them with 10–20+ related articles. (depending on topic size) • Cover every question and angle around your niche. (Use ChatGPT or Ahrefs to come up with content ideas) • Link internally in a way that mimics expert knowledge architecture. • Update older pages with new stats, examples, and links to new content to keep your topical coverage fresh. 3. Focus on user-centric SEO Google prioritizes user experience signals now more than ever. • “Last-click satisfaction” tells Google your site ended the search. If users pogo-stick back to the SERP, your rankings are toast. • Format pages to be scannable and easy to read. Use short paragraphs, strong subheadings, and clean layouts that guide the reader's attention. • Prioritize user intent, not just search terms. Understand what the searcher really wants and deliver it fast. 4. Double down on video and visual content 60% of users say they prefer video over text when learning something online. Google knows it. And they’re adjusting the SERPs. To stay competitive: • Embed short-form videos that summarize your content to boost dwell time and increase value for skimmers. • Use VideoObject schema to help search engines index and feature your videos properly. • Add custom visuals, charts, or infographics. They make your content more engaging, reduce bounce, and boost backlinks. • Repurpose blog topics into YouTube videos targeting the same keywords. This doubles your chances of appearing in both search and AI-generated results. 5. Focus on bottom-of-funnel keywords and CRO Informational queries now trigger AIOs 59% of the time. To stay profitable: • Focus on commercial intent keywords like "[product] vs [product]" and "best [product] for [specific need]" (these trigger AIOs only 3-5% of the time) • Maximise revenue from your traffic by testing different headlines, CTAs, and page layouts to improve conversion rates. • Install heat map tools (like Hotjar/Mouseflow) to get invaluable data on user behavior and fix potential friction points.

Content marketing isn’t what it was five years ago. It’s not even what it was last year. Here’s where things are headed and what actually matters moving forward: 🔹 𝐁𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐬 𝐝𝐨𝐧’𝐭 𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐲𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞. 𝐏𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐝𝐨. The algorithm favors personal accounts, and so do humans. If your content plan doesn’t include internal influencers (your CEO, your subject-matter experts, your loudest marketers), you’re making it 10x harder to reach anyone. 🔹 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐨𝐥𝐝 𝐒𝐄𝐎 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐲𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐢𝐬 𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐨𝐰. If your traffic strategy is still clinging to “What is [insert industry term]?” posts, congrats - you’re feeding Google’s AI answers, not your audience. Time to shift focus to original insights, expert takes, and content that can’t be copy-pasted. 🔹 𝐆𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐨𝐧 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞 𝐬𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭. Nobody wants to fill out a form just to get a glorified sales pitch disguised as an e-book. Stop creating content traps and start creating content people actually want to consume. 🔹 𝐕𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐨 𝐢𝐬𝐧’𝐭 𝐨𝐩𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐚𝐧𝐲𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞. Whether it’s a full-on production or a low-effort, high-impact clip filmed on a phone, video-first brands will win in 2025. If your team isn’t making video, fix that. 🔹 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐛𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐥𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐲 𝐨𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐦. Stop looking for “influencers” when you could be turning your own employees into trusted voices. If your sales team, engineers, or leadership aren’t creating content, you’re leaving reach and credibility on the table. 🔹 𝐈𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝𝐧’𝐭 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐩 𝐬𝐜𝐫𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐢𝐭, 𝐝𝐨𝐧’𝐭 𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐢𝐭. Half of B2B content is just noise. It’s fluff, filler, or lifeless corporate drivel. If your content doesn’t make someone pause, think, or laugh, it’s not working. 2025 is going to be messy. AI will create more content than ever. Attention will be harder to earn. And the brands that win will be the ones making content that actually matters. Are you ready for it?

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐨𝐧 𝐩𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐬𝐜𝐫𝐨𝐥𝐥 𝐩𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐢𝐧 2025. After auditing hundreds of posts and campaigns this year alone, I can tell you this: Engagement in 2025 isn’t about volume. It’s about alignment. Here’s what’s working right now and why it matters: ✅ Clarity over cleverness People scroll fast. Your first 3 seconds decide everything. A clear, direct hook outperforms a “creative” one every time. ✅ Depth over noise Surface-level content doesn’t build trust. Insightful, relevant, actionable posts do. Especially for CEOs and decision-makers who value time. ✅ Structure over length Long posts are fine if they’re easy to scan. Short posts are great if they lead with impact. Either way, structure matters more than word count. ✅ Conversation over broadcasting Posts that invite comments, responses, or even gentle disagreement perform far better than one-way advice. LinkedIn’s algorithm favors replies. So do real people. ✅ Face-forward content outperforms Video, even imperfect video, builds trust faster than text alone. If you're not on camera, you're leaving reach and rapport on the table. Bottom line? If your content isn’t built to connect, it won’t convert. Want engagement? Write for humans. Then guide them to the next step. #LinkedInMarketing #ContentStrategy #B2BMarketing #DigitalGrowth #EngagementTips #MaherKhan

"We need 50 blogs this quarter to improve our SEO." I just got off a call where a startup founder said this with complete confidence. My response: "Are you sure about the strategy behind those 50?" Here's what I'm seeing in 2025: Every SaaS company is publishing more content than ever. Your competitors are churning out blogs daily. AI is making it easier to create volume. But here's the problem: More content without strategy = more noise. The companies winning with high-volume content do this differently: ✅ They map content to buyer journey stages Not just "50 random blogs" but "10 awareness pieces + 25 consideration content + 15 decision-stage articles" ✅ They solve specific problems at scale Instead of "benefits of automation," they write "How to automate lead scoring," "Automate customer onboarding," "Automate billing processes" - same theme, different pain points ✅ They track what converts, not just what ranks Publishing 50 pieces means 50 experiments. They double down on what drives demos, not just traffic The content volume strategy that works: Create content clusters around your core solutions. If you sell project management software, create 15 pieces around "sprint planning problems" targeting different roles, company sizes, and use cases. Quality vs Quantity is the wrong debate. The right question is: "Are we creating strategic volume or random volume?" In an AI-saturated content world, winning isn't about publishing less. It's about publishing with more intention. 📌 Need help turning content volume into a lead generation machine? DM & let's strategize your growth!

My top 3 predictions for content in 2025 based on my discovery calls, highest converting projects, and client demands. 👉 1. More original research: Content that cuts through the noise will need to be backed by unique data and insights — something AI can’t replicate or regurgitate. Brands that invest in original surveys, case studies, and customer interviews will dominate. Think of it as building a library of knowledge that your audience can’t get anywhere else. What makes original research impactful is *how* you frame numbers. Creating stories out of data and answering the deeper "why" behind the trends. This kind of content will challenge assumptions. 🔅How it'll look: Instead of a generic blog on productivity tips, you'll see content like "We surveyed 500 SaaS founders on their biggest time-management challenges — here’s what we found." ✅ Result: More backlinks, more trust, and more authority. 👉 2. A new way to do SEO that addresses the AI-based search engine: The way people search is changing. With AI-based search engines providing direct answers, the old keyword game isn’t going to cut it anymore. The future of SEO? It’s about depth, context, and answering the next question your audience hasn’t even asked yet. Instead of chasing random keywords, think about the full journey someone goes through when researching your product or problem space. Your content needs to anticipate their next three clicks. For example, if someone searches "What is a CRM?" — don’t just answer that. Create content that also answers: "How do I choose the right CRM?" "What’s the cost breakdown?" and "What mistakes do people make when implementing a CRM?" 🔅 How it'll look: Create resource hubs that go deep into a topic and link everything together. Think of it as building a content web, not a content funnel. ✅ Result: Higher rankings in AI-driven search results and cross-departmental sharing. 👉 3. Thought leadership that goes beyond the surface: People don’t want another generic take. They want substance. They want fresh perspectives. The best thought leadership takes a stand. It brings personal stories and unique insights to the table. Think about the pieces that stick with you. They’re not lists of tips. They’re stories. They’re "Here’s what we got wrong, and here’s what we learned." They’re "Here’s what everyone’s saying — and here’s why they’re missing the point." 🔅 How it'll look: Instead of "10 ways to improve your marketing," you’ll see: "Why most SaaS companies fail at customer retention — and how to avoid being one of them." Real stories, real lessons, and real stakes. ✅ Result: Content that sparks conversations, gets shared in niche communities, and positions your brand as an expert. 🔥 Looking for a content strategist to build your engine to check all of these boxes with the minimum possible resources? DM me.

One emerging trendline we’re seeing among B2B CMOs on MarketerHire (hirers and talent): a shift in where new marketing investment is going in 2025. Not away from content necessarily, but toward areas like brand, paid media, events, and creative. Channels that are harder to automate, and harder to copy. The reason is probably obvious: in the age of AI the value of utilitarian, SEO-oriented, educational blog content is declining. Fast. AI is already answering basic how-to queries instantly, in the exact place and format buyers want them. Not in blog posts. Not in resource centers. But inside Slack threads, meeting notes, and inboxes. Informational content is no longer scarce or hard to find. And in marketing, when something becomes cheap and abundant, it loses its power. That doesn’t mean content disappears. It means the edge moves somewhere else. We’re seeing B2B companies rethink what marketing content is for. Less about arbitrage, more about storytelling. Less about search, more about salience. Here are a few of the tactics our marketers are being asked for most often right now: 1) Original research drops High-signal, proprietary data packaged like a product launch. Think: benchmarks, market maps, teardown decks. Designed for shares and re-use, not search. 2) Short-form video series Recurring formats designed for social distribution, hosted by the founder or a marketer, shot quickly but with a clear point of view. Not ads. Not explainers. Media. 3) High-conviction paid media Creative-first campaigns built to spark reaction. No generic "awareness" banners, this is direct response thinking applied to brand storytelling. Offline activations 4) Not trade shows. We’re talking intimate dinners, mobile experiences, speaker salons. Budget that used to go into gated eBooks is now going into rooms with the right 20 people. 5) Creative refreshes Not just new logos. Full re-articulation of category, message, and visual identity - led by brand strategists and creative directors, not just designers. The marketers getting hired right now aren’t just content writers. They’re producers, brand builders, creative strategists, and media operators. The best CMOs are ahead of the curve. They’re not just playing defense as LLMs change how people search. They’re going on offense and investing in the kind of marketing that earns attention, builds memory, and creates real differentiation. Thoughts?

In 2024, my business underwent a massive transformation. After 13 years as a branding agency owner, I shifted gears, and now, as a content creator, I make more than I ever did as a service provider. What started as a “pandemic” project—posting YouTube videos weekly—has evolved into my main income stream, with partnerships across 100+ brands. That transformation inspired me to revisit content trends, and Artlist's 2025 Trend Report (https://lnkd.in/d3kvb_rF) felt like a perfect catalyst. The report’s insights on human-centered storytelling, quality over quantity in AI, and the growing influence of creators align closely with what I’ve observed firsthand. I’ve written a post unpacking their findings—plus my own takeaways on what these trends mean for creators and small businesses in 2025. Here’s a sneak peek of the five key themes: 1. The Human Renaissance: AI is powerful, but storytelling is still deeply human. 2. Quality and Compliance: Tools that prioritize privacy and licensing matter more than ever. 3. Fast-Moving Trends: Staying relevant doesn’t mean chasing every trend—it’s about strategy. 4. Collective Marketing Power: Long-term partnerships build deeper connections with audiences. 5. Cross-Generational Content: Content that bridges age gaps can unlock massive engagement. Curious about what these trends mean for your business? Read the full post here below, featuring insights from Ori Winokur, Joe Gardner, and Lauren Moore.

I spent the past year picking the brains of 100+ content marketing leaders. The insights I gained paint a vivid picture of where our industry is headed. (this will be a long one, but has a lot of value... I promise ) The resounding theme: Content teams are stretched thin, and expected to deliver outsized results with limited resources. Marketers find themselves in one of three camps: →Trapped in the "sea of sameness" - churning out cookie-cutter SEO content, whitepapers & webinars →Yearning to break free of convention but lacking executive buy-in →Blazing new trails with full C-suite backing Content's success is inextricably tied to product and brand strength. Get those wrong and even the best content will fall flat. Attribution remains a necessary evil. We need it to justify our work, but getting too fixated on it stifles creativity and risk-taking. Sadly, SEO is on life support. In the age of AI and hyper-personalization, content must be compelling enough to earn attention on its own merits. Video, especially on YouTube, is poised to dominate in 2025. Forward-thinking orgs are realizing content's power to enable sales, customer success, and product adoption - not just top-of-funnel attraction. Differentiation boils down to two paths: groundbreaking tech or a knockout brand. Content fuels the latter. But too many are sacrificing long-term brand equity for short-term lead gen. Ebooks, webinars, and gated "white papers" need a total rethink. Everyone's chasing the elusive ideal of a high-impact newsletter. Few have cracked the code. The trailblazers treat content as THE product, not a mere signpost pointing to it. As social media's algorithmic whims grow more capricious, an owned audience (looking at you, email list) is becoming indispensable. (beehiiv, Valley, Trust Fun) Execs who can engage authentically on social wield massive influence - both externally and internally. But it's a high-wire act few can pull off The unicorns of our field are those rare marketers who marry data-driven strategy with creative vision. If you're looking for inspiration, stop looking in the B2B bubble. The real pioneers are in B2C, media, and entertainment. As VC funding tightens, competition intensifies, and CPC costs surge, content is transitioning from nice-to-have to existential necessity. ABM and content are converging into a formidable one-two punch. Deep insights draw in ICP while bespoke content seals the deal. Finally, creator-led content - helmed by customers, employees, and external thought leaders - is poised to explode. (stable studios) The rules of content marketing are being rewritten as we speak. What other shifts are you seeing on the horizon?

If you're still optimizing content like it's 2020, you're leaving opportunity on the table. Because AI-powered search isn't just changing the rules—it's creating an entirely new game. As AI transforms how content gets discovered across social platforms, the distance between visibility and invisibility comes down to adaptation. I've been studying this shift closely. And the businesses thriving aren't following old playbooks. They're embracing a new reality where AI understands intent, not just keywords. The winning approach to AI-powered search requires: → Speaking like humans, not websites (conversational keywords are the new SEO) → Answering questions before they're asked (FAQ-style content wins visibility) → Adapting to each platform's unique AI signals (what works on LinkedIn fails on Instagram) → Creating content in multiple formats (text, image, video—AI searches them all differently) → Structuring information clearly (AI rewards organization and clarity) The days of keyword stuffing are long gone. Now it's about context, relevance, and meaningful engagement. The most powerful optimization strategy? Creating content that AI recognizes as valuable because actual humans find it useful. The search bar isn't just a tool anymore. It's an intelligent curator connecting expertise to the people who need it most. How is your business adapting its content strategy for AI-powered search in 2025?