everal years ago, "content is king" became the battle cry of marketers everywhere. Content marketing has come a long way since then, shifting from the occasional on-the-side blog post and social media update to a central tenet of any brand's marketing playbook.

"Content is an integral part of marketing strategies all around," said Matthew Grant, director of content strategy for digital creative and marketing staffing firm Aquent. "[It is becoming] more and more difficult to distinguish content marketing from any other kind of marketing."

With the lines between marketing strategies continually blurring, what does the future of content marketing hold? Experts weighed in on the five biggest upcoming trends for this critical marketing strategy.

Are we in a tech bubble? Is Snowden a hero? And what’s the hottest status symbol? In The Atlantic’s first Silicon Valley Insiders Poll, a panel of 50 executives, innovators, and thinkers answer these questions and more.

As the holiday season approaches, online travel agencies (OTAs) are under enormous pressure to maximize reach and conversions among a massive online consumer base. Travel industry news, meanwhile, is inundated with tips and emerging trends to maximize performance—but not all of this advice is worth taking.

With content, as with most digital strategy, the best approach is to follow the numbers. According to the BrightEdge Industry SERP Report, a key differentiator for those businesses will be figuring out how to use content to respond directly to consumer demands.

BrightEdge says critical guidance in content decisions can be found through the BrightEdge Data Cube Time Machine. The company has developed this predictive technology to offer guidance relevant to Q4 2014, which will help to identify the best areas for travel brands to focus on when making a push for holiday sales.

When it comes to offering consumer savings opportunities, travel sites like Expedia and Tripadvisor have mastered the right content, whereas airlines and hotels haven’t performed as well historically in this category, according to new data by BrightEdge. In fact, nine of the top ten players are OTAs - only Hilton made it into the list.

We’re at the outset of Q4, which means that the holidays are fast approaching. Travel deals, accommodations and hospitality are always in high demand this time of year, as consumers lock down holiday travel plans and make reservations. Whether you’re a travel agency, an airline or a hotel, your company needs to be prepared to capture market share in this highly competitive season. It’s not enough to create content for content’s sake; in such an oversaturated market, marketers won’t be able to move the needle without understanding where the demand lies — and what they can do to take full advantage.

By now -- thanks to Starbucks' widely favorited Pumpkin Spice Lattes and Christmas decorations already on sale -- the holidays are clearly upon us. As families buy gifts, finalize travel arrangements and plan festivities, one thing is for sure: there's never a better time than the holidays to be a marketer.

Take it from Netflix, Target and more, whose marketing efforts fueled millions of dollars in profits: the holidays are a goldmine for engaging audiences, forging new connections and driving revenue. In 2012, almost 130 million consumers shopped online to take advantage of Cyber Monday's deals and steals. In 2013 alone, 49 percent of holiday marketing campaigns were created and launched before Halloween -- and in 2012, 20 percent of marketing budgets was attributed to these holiday campaigns, proving that companies are willing to spend big to see traction during this important time of year.

With over 1,000 companies trying to sell some type of marketing technology in over 40 categories, it’s not surprising that the most common word that marketers use to describe themselves is “overwhelmed.” Indeed, according to my research into 351 mid-market B2B companies, except for companies in software, the adoption rate of marketing technology is very low: companies in other industries are using a median of just 2 out of 9 major marketing technology programs that I identified.

This is a wasted opportunity. Many marketers have reported rapid and significant ROI from adopting these tools; but first, they had to convince higher-ups to make the up-front investment. So, in the interest of helping clear that path, I am suggesting a Marketing Technology Starter Kit: the seven programs that every company’s marketing team should have access to, at a minimum, to grow leads, opportunities, and revenue.