I don’t have a crystal ball, but I do have some informed ideas about what to expect over the coming years from marketing trends in our space.

Here are five trends that I predict.

[1] Automation will become a requirement:

While sophisticated carriers and marketing organizations already use content automation, next year will bring a surge of marketers who will purchase automation products in order to push out more content than ever before. No longer can lead generation programs exist without nurturing funnels. In fact, your ROI depends on them. Here at InsuranceNewsNet, we have seen a 400% ROI on HubSpot, our content automation platform of choice, in the first six months of onboarding.

[2] Content success metrics will reign:

74% of marketers plan to produce more content next year than in the previous year, but only 20% of marketers can measure the success of their content*. Next year, marketers will get focused on measuring the value and success of their content efforts across the key metrics that impact the bottom line. Good content takes time and money to develop, so knowing its effectiveness is vital. In other words, make sure you’re not generating (and paying for) copy no one wants to read.

[3] Content creators will be in high demand:

The need for specialized writers in the insurance space will be greater than ever. You’ll need to add staff or find partners who know the space and can write to it. InsuranceNewsNet develops content for big-name brands like MetLife and Prudential along with large and mid-sized IMO and FMO companies. We’ve had to double our marketing staff in the past two years to keep up with the demand for marketing and content services. Media companies like us are in a unique position because we know our audience and what is driving them to action. Not to mention our team launches – and tracks – 100 campaigns every month (where else can you find that kind of market insight?).

[4] More brands will catch on to the value of “sponsored”:

Bigger brands are already tapping into this strategy and understand how attaching their brand to a recognizable name and highly visible content can help extend their reach and credibility and supplement their own content creation. In fact, next year, even more companies will recognize the tremendous opportunities involved in aligning their brands with media outlets, like sponsoring coverage of some of the biggest tradeshows of the year. No longer does your company only benefit when you produce something valuable – now you can align your brand with valuable content created by others like InsuranceNewsNet and still reap the rewards (without spending the time and money creating it!).

[5] Social Media will drive more leads than ever before:

Social media marketing has become one of the single most important marketing tools to generate leads and drive new business. A few best practices can mean the difference between a huge success and a waste of time and resources. Here at InsuranceNewsNet, our marketing department has become the leaders in social media marketing in the industry and can help you understand the latest trends in social media marketing.