Content marketing is not new. In fact, some might argue that the first-ever content marketer was Benjamin Franklin who, in 1732, created the Poor Richard’s Almanack to promote his printing business. Over the history of content marketing, myriad pivotal moments have driven new tactics, grown new industries, and changed the rules along the way. However, one year redefined modern content marketing as we know it: 2007.
Without a full appreciation of the changes that year brought, today’s content marketers will continue to employ disjointed campaigns that leave audiences unchallenged and bored.
Pivotal Moment No. 1: The iPhone Shifts the Focus to Bite-sized Content
2007 started with Steve Jobs announcing the first-ever iPhone, a pocket-sized computer that connected you to the Web with the click of a button. Unsurprisingly, the iPhone was a game changer, and its impact continues to make waves today (ie its highly anticipated focus on Augmented Reality). The iPhone killed Flash, demanded responsive design and new innovations with HTML5, while also stealing consumer attention with countless apps and push notifications…