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Good news! I finally found the content marketing crystal ball. You know, the one we HAVE ALL BEEN LOOKING FOR during this past very strange and unpredictable year.

We can probably all agree when I say 2024 was like no other year in content. We saw:

• AI hype
• Anti-AI hype
• Lots of tech layoffs
• Budgets get hacked
• Google go completely bonkers
• More freelance content people enter (and leave) the space

It's been a wild ride.

But, thankfully, like I said, I found the Content Marketing Crystal Ball, so we're all totally set and prepped for 2025.

Here's what I foresee for 2025:

1/ We'll see much more AI-generated content

I don't think we will see a slowdown in AI-generated content. We'll only see more--especially as AI improves.

We'll see content marketers win with this strategy and others crash and burn.

Winners will employ human editors to tweak the content and put a personal touch on it.

Losers will publish more of the same. These more of the same players won't see the conversions they were hoping for and will go back to the drawing board eventually.

2/ Google will get better at detecting AI-generated content

Google has been behind the game in spotting AI-generated content. That won't last very long moving into 2025. We'll see more big AI-generated sites get penalized and their rankings drop.

3/ We'll see *some* creative approaches to content marketing

Humans are bred to create. Yes, even B2B content marketers. Our industry hasn't been doing a lot of creating lately. We've been doing a lot of replicating. And that's gonna get really boring for us creative sorts. I suspect we'll see some OUTSTANDING journalism, content, and multi-media campaigns in 2025.

4/ Storytelling will win in 2025

2025 will be all about personal stories. People want to connect. They want to feel. They want to consume content that matters. And stories matter.

That's what I have for this week. I'll add more predictions to the first newsletter of 2025.

Bye, 2024!
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Wuv,

​Ashley R. Cummings​

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Partner | 1440

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Expert Interview | Deborah Kearns

1. Tell me more about yourself and your journey into content.

I've been a journalist and communicator for more than 20 years. I started out as a cops beat reporter for a local daily newspaper in Florida then moved into corporate comms for RE/MAX, which put me on the path of niching down into real estate/mortgage coverage. I've also held writing and editing leadership roles at Nerdwallet, Bankrate and LendingTree before leading content and comms at Finance of America Mortgage for two years. I've been freelancing full-time for almost two years, and it's been the best adventure of my career to build something of my own that delivers value for my clients and their target audiences.
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​2. How can independent business owners find more clients moving into 2025?

I don't think you can put all your eggs into one basket when it comes to leads. As solopreneurs, we have to cast a wide net and not be timid about asking for referrals from peers and existing or past clients. Referrals make up the bulk of my clientele. When you're entrenched in a niche like personal finance/real estate, you learn the lingo, the key players and can speak their language. That, in turn, leads to opportunities and building credibility.
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Outside of referrals, I strongly believe all solos need a business website and a social presence on LinkedIn (at a minimum). People want to work with other people they feel like they know and trust and not a faceless company. A business website, even if it's a simple one-pager, lends your business credibility and authority. Adding a blog can also help generate SEO leads if done right.
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I'm also a huge believer in the power of a professional network, so I encourage solos to join a trade association for their industry. For instance, I just applied to the American Society of Journalists and Authors and plan to attend their conference in NYC next year. I'm also a past member of niche professional journalism associations.
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Another outlet for potential client leads is building your own lead magnet, such as a newsletter of value or digital product. When you deliver items of value to your target audience, it generates more visibility for your business and shows (not just tells) what you can do.

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Content Connect Job Board

Announcement: The Content Connect Job Board is officially live. There are over 100 new job leads and it gets updated daily with the hottest jobs in content.

Here are some of the latest job leads, but click here for a full look:

👉 Director, Content Strategy and Brand Advertising (Kaiser $191K-$248K)

👉 Freelance Content Editor (Drunk Elephant)

👉 Senior Content Marketing Manager (Postman)

👉 Video and content editor (Birdy Grey)

👉 Content strategist (Motion Recruitment)

​See the full list here.​

Hire a content marketer

Looking to hire a content marketer? Get your job listing in front of the Content Connect Community. We can also vet candidates.

Post a job

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The Best in Content This Week

I read 100s of articles every week and find the best (so you don't have to).

1/ Marketing Calendar 2025 With Template To Plan Your Content (SEJ)

👉 The skinny: Here's a cool content calendar example and template to check out.

👉 Why care? It's that time of the year to get content plans set for 2025.

2/ Content is king but distribution is the kingdom (The Sociology of Business)

👉 The skinny: Despite the high ROI of content marketing, many brands outsource nearly half of their content production, risking authenticity and control. The traditional "push model" of outsourcing content is outdated, especially as consumers, particularly Gen Z, demand hyper-relevant and community-driven narratives. The article advocates for a "publish model," where brands act like media companies, building in-house teams to create and distribute authentic, culture-forward content. While some brands have embraced elements of this approach, the shift toward internal content creation is crucial for staying relevant and maintaining storytelling autonomy.

👉 Why care? I think this article is interesting and makes a few good points. I also think it's inaccurate and misguided. There are several ways to maintain authenticity, including using solid content briefs, putting internal SMEs on the project, and creating journalistic-style content. I also think you risk tunnel vision if you keep everything internal.

3/ A recent LinkedIn post about AI content is getting some attention (LI)

👉 The skinny: Rates for "editing AI content" should be the same as for writing content

👉 Why care? What are you going to charge your clients? What rates do you expect from writers?

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Join 13K other content marketers in our free community​

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Connect with Ashley

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