As marketers, it’s bittersweet whenever we turn the corner into that final stretch. On the one side, the year is almost complete. These last two months are great for checking tasks off our to-do lists, reviewing how our campaigns have performed and bookmarking things as “next year’s problem.”
But then there’s always that nagging feeling. What if you could set yourself up better when you return from your holiday break? Or is there a way to squeeze just a smidge more out of this year’s remaining budget?
We feel that.
That’s why today, we’re sharing the top three things you should do for a successful start to next year’s marketing.
Let’s go!
1. Make a plan to update any time-sensitive content (blogs!)
Updating time-sensitive content — especially blogs written in one year and refreshed for the next — is a strategic move for marketers focused on SEO, engagement, and of course, your credibility. Regularly updating blogs goes a long way to boost content performance. Additionally, it builds trust with your audience and helps capture more readers year after year.
Why you should update your content to improve SEO rankings
Did you know that search engines tend to prioritize newer content? That’s why refreshing old posts with current information can improve search rankings — aka, increase your content’s visibility to drive more organic traffic!
What to change
To update your blogs for the new year, start with keyword research to ensure you’re targeting relevant terms for the current year. After your research, we suggest making a list of pieces you’d like to update.
For each one, you’ll want to:
- Adjust your headline and meta description to include the new year or season-specific keywords, like changing “Top Tips for 2024” to “Top Tips for 2025”
- Review your data, examples and links to ensure accuracy
- Replace outdated statistics or examples with recent data
- Update any broken or irrelevant links
A few small changes will help make your content more authoritative while signaling to readers and search engines that the information is up-to-date.
How to indicate changed content
Add a small “Updated for [year]” tag at the top or bottom of your post so readers know it’s refreshed. We also recommend updating images or alt text with current trends or keywords to improve image SEO. Next, republish or move it to the top of your blog feed if possible, and promote the refreshed post on social media, in newsletters, or via other channels.
(For more guidance, check out this HubSpot blog that walks through 9 steps to reviving blogs for SEO)
2. Do some research
One of the best things about the last few months of the year is everyone publishes their reports and insights. Sure, you might have to give your email in a few places, but now is arguably the best time to dig in.
If our team has some time to spare to do research, we’ll try to learn things like:
- How recent trends have affected our clients’ industries
- What predictions experts are making for the future
- What kind of outlook to expect next year for marketers
- Are there any marketing trends we missed?
- How do people plan to use AI in 2025?
And places we would look?
- Market research/consulting firms (Forrester, Gartner, McKinsey, Deloitte, etc.)
- HubSpot, Content Marketing Institute, other industry-specific forums
- Big tech companies (Salesforce, Microsoft, Google, etc.)
Other kinds of content we would search for:
- Impact and annual reports
- Playbooks (such as DEI, leadership, or branding)
- Comparison reports
- Infographics (we just love infographics so much!)
Not only will you learn some stuff, but you might also be inspired to think about new ways to present information in 2025. As a bonus, you can save some of these reports to help with the blogs you identified for content updates! Win-win.
3. Queue up your first 2025 campaign
Now is the perfect time to get ahead. Whether you have a little bit of budget left to work with or some extra time, prepping for a fresh campaign can do a lot toward starting a new year on the right marketing path.
Make marketing magic without taxing internal teams
Did you know that you can get to work on a future campaign without weighing down internal resources? Working with a content marketing agency is a great way to move ahead with your marketing projects, not to mention, make the most of what remains of a use-it-or-lose-it budget. A partner can help you get everything you need teed up to start the new year with a campaign that’s ready to go.
Take advantage of content deals
Why should B2C companies get to have all the fun? It just so happens that Content Matterz is having our first Countdown to Content sale! For a limited time, new and returning clients can get a 100% human-generated piece of content at 10% off. Or, get everything you need via a content package (aka a campaign in a bag) at a 15% discount! Huzzah!
Get ready for a successful year of marketing!
The end of the year doesn’t have to be a wash. Whether you flag content for updates, dig into some research or start your next campaign, the groundwork you lay now will set you up for success in 2025.
Oh, and we weren’t kidding about taking advantage of content deals! Not only will you have fresh content or a fully fleshed-out campaign, but we’ll take care of the heavy lifting! All ya gotta do is ask.