There’s no question that the biggest contender in the world of content writing this year is AI content, and I hate it.

Don’t throw in the towel yet, though. The sky isn’t falling, I promise.

The emergence and quick dominance of AI had (and continues to have) writers quaking in their boots, with some even declaring absolute doom for professional creatives. But if you were paying attention, there were several other trends that gave AI a run for its money, and that’s good, because writing professionally has increased in popularity ever since COVID-19 kept everyone locked up inside.

Content writers are still vital tools in several professions, particularly digital marketing. The need for quality writing continues to be sought, with over 75% of companies outsourcing living, breathing writers for their marketing and content needs.

If you’ve been painstakingly navigating this booming profession, I don’t have to tell you how important it is to stay on top of what’s new in content writing. Keeping ahead of the curve is paramount to your ultimate success, so let’s look at what’s happening today and how that will impact writers and creators in 2024.

Let’s talk about AI

I would be remiss if I didn’t mention what is happening in AI, even if it is a potential threat to my fellow wordsmiths and me.

If marketing is your jam, you should (and likely do) know that many brands are deeply invested in AI marketing these days, but there are some necessary restrictions. AI-generated content that is used to manipulate SEO search results, for example, is considered spam, according to Google.

But using AI to help with the creation of online content within certain parameters? Totally okay.

That’s likely why ChatGPT has managed to find so much success with its AI software, which has earned them 100 million monthly active users since January.

Keep an eye on the rapidly growing world of AI, but don’t fret—AI hasn’t found a way to replace writers just yet.

Employers are leaning into freelancers

Great news for those of us who freelance: companies are starting to see freelancers as integral to their marketing and operations rather than a “nice-to-have” option.

In fact, nearly 80% of companies now favour freelancers over salaried employees, particularly during times of economic struggle. In the field of technology, moreover, 73% work with a blend of full-time and freelance employees, which is considered by most to be an overall benefit to their operations.

Why this shift? Quite simply, freelancers are good for business. Freelancers are:

• plentiful—statistics are showing that there will be 86.5 million freelancers, which is more than half of the total U.S. workforce, by 2027.
• productive—with so many clients to juggle at once (hopefully), freelancers are experts at productivity, and that often means they’re more productive than their salaried counterparts.
• cost-effective—there are plenty of businesses that prefer hiring freelancers over salaried employees since there is generally less red tape and expense for them to cover.

It’s no wonder companies are leaning into the benefits that freelancers provide. Employers can manage more efficient teams by keeping both salaried employees and freelancers for their projects, and that’s something any business is happy to achieve.

Disappearing content: a marketing phenomenon

Disappearing content is really just temporary content—think TikTok and Instagram stories—and it captures your audience’s attention better than you might have thought it could.

Maybe it’s FOMO, but studies have shown that social media users watch stories more than any other kind of social media content, and you can use that statistic to your advantage. Publishing links to your writing in a social media story will likely get more eyes on your work than merely tweeting it (or doing nothing at all).

It doesn’t hurt that we’re entering something of a short-form era, and ephemeral and visual content is therefore perfect for engagement. With so many people finally returning to the office post-COVID, there are a bunch of commuters and bored employees perusing their phones once more, so engagement through social media stories is likely to continue to trend upwards.

Snack-sized content is on the rise

It’s no secret among professional writers that long-form articles rank higher for SEO, but times are changing, friends. A Google search might direct you to heaps of long-form content, but the future of engagement is microblogging.

Microblogging is an increasingly popular way to engage with potential followers. Sites like X (formerly Twitter) are a perfect example of microblogging, and while you can stretch out long articles over a series of tweets, that bite-sized content style is delicious; people love it.

According to Contently, 75% of people prefer to read posts under 1,000 words, and that says an awful lot about the future of writing online.

That doesn’t mean you should scrap long-form content altogether—this post is definitely over 1,000 words, after all. But it does mean that if you include shorter pieces in your repetoire and engage in social media microblogging content, you’ll be able to pump out more content that will, in theory, be more likely to be viewed.

I think we need to shift our thinking, here. I’ve often considered X (Twitter) and other social media to be just that — social media. A place to market my “real” writing. A place to share, not to create.

But if you look at your favourite top-tier writers, you’ll probably notice something really important: they’re active on social media. They are usually very active, in fact, posting several times a day and engaging with their audience while they do it. I think they might look at social media marketing as a whole other platform to produce quality content, not just a place to share, and it seems to make a difference.

Take note of that; I know I am.

Easy-to-read content

Along the same vein as snack-sized content is easy-to-read stuff—the kind of content that you can easily scroll through and skim.

Think about how you approach online research. If you’re anything like me (and I bet you are), then you likely click one of the first links in your search and scroll through the various headings and bullets, hopefully after the table of contents has tipped you off to the article containing what you need, until you’ve found what you were looking for.

That’s the best-case scenario, but have you ever been taken to an article that is just a smattering of long paragraphs without headings, lists, or visuals? I’m sure you have, and like me, you’ve probably run for the hills.

Of course you have, because we’re all looking for specific information. Few of us have the time or patience to sit there and peruse a wall of text only to come up empty-handed.

That’s why there is a growing trend among writers to add some pizazz to their work. They do this in a number of ways:

• Headings — the easiest way to clarify what your little blurb is going to be about;
• Subheadings — I rarely use these but when I do, I know it helps narrow down the topic in question for my readers, and usually it’s because the heading itself is going to be chock full of info;
• Lists—whether bulleted, numbered, or a combination of the two—are organized, efficient, and informative.

Using these kinds of elements in your writing helps to keep your content readable and relevant to your readers. This trend of readers leaning into scannable content will only continue as the internet gets more saturated, so keeping on top of it will ensure you nab more readers than writers who fail to capture the ever-waning attention spans of theirs.

Video content is booming

Video content has been around for a while, and it is showing zero signs of disappearing—in fact, our younger generations are watching upwards of 3 hours a day already. Trends are shifting, too; video content is versatile and engaging, and with so many possibilities for its use, it’s no wonder it’s trending up.

For example, there has been an increase in people watching videos without sound, which is something to keep in mind if you use video content in your work (or to market it). Closed captioning could make or break your chances of reaching a larger audience.

Short videos, such as the kind of content TikTok perfected, are increasingly gaining popularity as well, and as we continue along this visually motivated trend, it might be helpful to stay on top of it so that we can use it to its fullest potential. Whether that means that you take a stab at script writing for YouTube channels or you start your own channel, video content is likely to be seen far more often than your written content alone.

is a perfect example of this — her YouTube channel is a great place to plug her writing work and courses, and I’ve seen firsthand how natural, and likely lucrative, that is.

Side hustles continue to be “it”

Earning a passive income hasn’t disappeared with the departure of COVID-19 mania.

Blogs and affiliate marketing (think Amazon Associates or other affiliate programs through other relevant products and tools) are still top performers in the world of passive income streams, and these pair nicely with the selling of products like courses or “merch,” should you reach that level of acclaim.

Writers and content creators can also delve deeper into freelancing platforms for some extra cash as digital freelancing grows in popularity. This growth has led to a growing number of platforms for freelancers to sell their services—Fiverr and Upwork are no longer the only places to turn these days! As rates continue to rise, freelancing is rapidly becoming a smart choice for anyone looking for a passive income.

Voice search-friendly content

Even my 96-year-old grandmother knows how to search the internet using voice commands.

Voice searches are becoming more popular as our technology advances, so writers need to adapt to that reality. Using long-tail keywords (longer, more specific phrases used in searches) in your writing can help you optimize your content for voice searches.

Closing thoughts

Every season, I research the projected fashion trends from the inside. I keep on top of what’s new in interior design, and I like to know what’s happening in the world of tech. Trends are intriguing; they keep me on my toes.

The future of online content writing is ever-changing, but it’s exciting. For those of us who are willing to adapt to the changes, opportunities will never stop popping up. Being open to new and evolving trends like snack-sized content, video, ephemeral content, and even AI will help writers capture and, more importantly, keep our readers. Learning to evolve and change alongside these new and exciting trends is what will separate our successes from our failures.

Be open to these changes and shifts in the wind—who knows where they’ll take us next?

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This post was previously published on The Writing Cooperative.

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The post Content Writing in 2024: Trends to Help You Stay Ahead appeared first on The Good Men Project.