What I've seen in the content trend reports & the book I wish I could relive (the January REPORT)
plus, one sentence to keep all those good intentions in check.
Safe to say 2023 was a bit of a doozy, yeah?
While I may have daydreamed a few too many times last year about deleting my online footprint and moving to a place with no cell service where I can open a book store / coffee shop / flower stand and make just enough money to live off the grid happily ever after…
And I may have snickered at (and shared) that meme about reading 2024’s terms and conditions a handful (okay, a few hundred) times …
Coming back to my desk for the fresh feelings of the New Year has felt … kinda … good!
(Play nice, wouldya, 2024?)
And I know you’re still getting back into the swing of things too (it’s January’s whole job), so …
… let’s cut to it:
I present to you the first monthly REPORT of the year.
(This is my monthly series where I share a more casual, personal, off-the-cuff summary of content I’m loving lately. ◡̈ A little bit of this, a little bit of that—and free for all subscribers.)
Here’s what’s in store today—
🔄 RECAPPING: What I’ve seen in the 2024 content trend reports, and what’s at the center of them all.
👀 ENJOYING: Two of those “best of” lists I can’t help but read.
📺 PLAYING: The power of words in a speech worthy of its award.
🙇♀️ OBSESSING: The book I wish I could relive, and the other five-star reads I’ve rolled through this month.
☝️ TRACKING: One sentence to keep all those good intentions in check this year.
I could never say it enough, but I am SO grateful for you. Thanks for being here. 🫶
With love,
Christin
🔄 Recapping
Content-wise, 2023 was the year of short-form video, memes and AI. Yep, if authentic was the word of the year, AI was surely the buzzword of the year.
Eighty-seven percent of marketers have used or experimented with AI tools, per industry reports.
Some have really leaned in, such as Coca-Cola’s use of generative AI to envision the year 3000 on the Las Vegas Sphere.
And if all the trend predictions for this year ring true, AI won’t be slowing down anytime soon. Here’s a recap of what I’ve seen in those “what’s coming with content” rundowns:
Video will continue to increase in importance, especially as it helps you distinguish from content that’s AI-generated and allows you to build trust with your audience faster, highlighting the faces behind the brand.
That’s because people want to follow people. As trust in institutions declines, trust in individuals is rising. Keep the personal touch.
While AI can serve as a content assistant, your content needs to do things ChatGPT can’t—original research, reporting, convey a unique tone and voice and target a specific audience.
Less is more. Gone are the days of focusing on volume and breadth, when SEO ranked you higher for publishing more frequently. What’s the specific promise you’re making and how will you deliver on it in your content?
In short, AI can scale mediocrity, or it can be a tool to improve your craft.
👀 Enjoying
Do you also love those year-end “best of” lists? Here’s two worth a look:
For creative inspiration: the top 50 content marketing brands of 2023.
For queuing in the app: the best podcasts of 2023, per one New Yorker writer. What I find so interesting about these lists is how different they are for everyone. So tell me, what would make it into your list of top 10 podcasts of the year?
📺 Playing
I'm only going to tell you one thing about this speech on the power of words: It beat out 30,000 competitors to win the Toastmasters World Championship of Public Speaking.
🙇♀️ Obsessing
You know that homesick feeling of longing for a place … to wish you could go back just for a bit? That’s how I feel about this book. I love/hate when I find a good book and then it ends.
I’ve been on a roll this month, so far reading:
And honestly, I give them all 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟.
🫶 Recommending
Did you hear a new California law requires public schools to teach cursive writing? Now 23 states in the U.S. require it (and another 5 are considering it).
Surely the reasons vary, but there is interesting research on writing things down by hand versus using a keyboard that might make you pull out your pens. Pam A. Mueller and Daniel Oppenheimer found in a 2014 study that taking notes by hand—versus a keyboard—deepens understanding and helps retention. [Here's the PDF.]
"When laptops are used...to take notes, they may...be impairing learning because their use results in shallower processing. In three studies, we found that students who took notes on laptops performed worse on conceptual questions than students who took notes longhand. We show that...laptop note takers' tendency to transcribe lectures verbatim rather than processing information and reframing it in their own words is detrimental...."
So, avoid being a Shallow Processor and start writing things by hand. Maybe even make it fun with a new pen while you’re at it. If you’re in the market … I used to love treating myself to the penspiration subscription box from Cloth & Paper but they no longer offer it. Instead, however, you can buy an Editor’s Pen Set that still feels pretty magical on arrival.
☝️ Tracking
This is a little reminder to check in with yourself: are you heading toward the vision you desire? Or have things got a little off track?
If you’re feeling overwhelmed, remember this sentence:
And enjoy, as I did, this piece from
on making 2024 the year of saying no to productivity culture.What is your one thing for the year?
➡️ Finally, ICYMI:
The Content Brief Q&A Private Podcast is here! Listen to this to hear more about what I’m creating in this space.