5 Content Marketing Ideas for December 2022

Compelling topics are the fuel that powers content marketing. In December 2022, intriguing content ideas include teaching a skill, end-of-year top 10 lists, the new Avatar movie, Christmas cheer, and lager beer.

Content marketing is the act of creating, curating, publishing, and promoting articles, videos, and podcasts to attract, engage or retain customers. Quality content boosts search engine optimization, builds email lists, and fills the top of the customer-acquisition funnel.

Here are five content marketing topics your business might try in December 2022.

1. Teach What You Know

Back in 2013, marketer Jay Baer published his book “Youtility” and explained that being useful — helping an audience succeed or achieve some goal — could be one of content marketing’s most important tasks.

Individual entrepreneurs and small businesses earn significant revenue teaching or — paraphrasing Baer — providing utility.

For example, Jay Clouse, who has a website, newsletter, and community called Creator Science, posted on Twitter in October 2022 that his business, essentially a teaching platform, was on pace to generate more than $300,000 for the year.

Teaching is a powerful way to sell products and services.

Focus on teaching things directly related to the products your store sells. An ecommerce business can do this and earn even more engagement since the subject taught can lead directly to products sold. Here are a few examples.

• Buck Knives has a knife sharpening article.
• Craft retailer JoAnn has a learning section.
• Williams Sonoma’s website has hundreds of recipes.

2. 2022 Top 10 List

The top 10 list is a classic content marketing device for a few reasons: it’s easy to produce, audiences like the format, and the topic can be about anything.

Websites such as Mental Floss and Lifehacker have built successful businesses by producing top-10 lists on random topics. There’s no reason an ecommerce business cannot use a listicle to spur site traffic.

Here’s a recent example from the Mr Porter website, where the company’s Journal section has a monthly best-dressed men series. The article is a listicle built from celebrity editorial photography.

Mr Porter shares lists of the best-dressed celebrities of the month.

In each case, Mr Porter allows the reader to “shop the look.” Articles such as this work for both SEO and ecommerce sales.

Find lists that make sense for your store. Here are a few examples.

• Auto accessory store: “The 10 Most Customizable Cars of 2022”
• Furniture store: “10 Decorating Trends that Dominated 2022”
• Golf equipment shop: “The Very Best Golf Shots of 2022”

3. Avatar: The Way of Water

Director James Cameron’s science fiction sequel, “Avatar: The Way of Water,” will be released on December 16, 2022, some 13 years after the original “Avatar.” That movie, about life in the distant world Pandora, has earned $2.922 billion, so there are high expectations for the follow-up.

Cameron had initially hoped to release the sequel in 2014 but seemingly waited for advances in special effect technology.

The Avatar sequel is likely to be one of the most popular films of the holiday season. Image: Disney.

The movie’s release offers an opportunity for content marketers to comment on and develop related material.

• Movie memorabilia shop: Review the first Avatar before the new film’s release and provide a preview of what to expect.

• Craft supply store: Write a round-up of Avatar-related crafts and Pandora plushies.

• Photography gear store: Create content about the techniques used in the movie or in images from the trailer.

4. Christmas Cheer

The holidays are the busiest time of year for many ecommerce businesses. It’s a time for special sales, promotions, and often significant traffic increases. Frazzled shoppers look for content to help them through the holidays. These might be gift guides or recipes and party planning advice.

Produce content that helps the reader or viewer experience the holidays.

For inspiration, check out the Reader’s Digest article, “10 Christmas Stories That Will Melt Your Heart.” You might even ask your customers to submit stories as a social media contest.

This Reader’s Digest article is made from user-generated content and provides a good measure of Christmas cheer.

5. National Lager Day

December 10, 2022, is National Lager Day in the United States. The holiday celebrates lager beer, a generally crisp and clean-tasting variety brewed at a lower temperature than ales.

National Lager Day seems like a great time to celebrate. Photo: Jakob Owens.

Lagers have been around since the 1500s, and despite the rising popularity of IPAs, sours, and stouts, they remain a staple of the brewing industry.

Shops selling beer-related products, kitchen supplies, or items aimed at masculine customers might benefit from Lager content. Here are a few ideas.

• Cigar merchant: “15 Beer and Cigar Pairings for National Lager Day”
• Bookseller: “Learn the Art of Lager Brewing: 10 Reading Recommendations”
• Home decor store: “Classic Beer Signs for the Ultimate Mancave”