I've noticed a big change recently in content marketing. Have you?

Back when I started blogging in 2007, frequency was the name of the game. The more you blogged, the better your results.

Since then we've seen different types of content hold sway.

For a long while, short tips seemed to be the way to get readers. The web filled up with “how to” articles with simple tips for every topic under the sun.

Every accountant had a list of tax tips. Every marketing consultant told you to find a niche. Every web expert had 7 tips for getting more web visitors.

More recently we've seen a plethora of copycat “Upworthy” type articles. You know the ones. Headlines crafted to get clicks like “15 unusual holiday destinations. Number 4 blew my mind”. Or “No one noticed the quiet guy in the corner of the room, but you won't believe what happened next”.

Unfortunately, the list of holiday destinations very rarely blows your mind. And the video shows the guy doing something completely believable.

But look past the acres of mediocrity, and I think you'll see something new emerging.

Look at what Neil Patel is doing over at QuickSprout. Bryan Harris at VideoFruit. Peep Laja at ConversionXL. Noah Kagan at OKDork.

Each of them is either writing or championing “deep content”.

Not just a few quick superficial tips, but long, in-depth, insightful articles.

And the articles aren't just opinion pieces or collections of anecdotes. They're based on detailed research and extensive testing.

They show you the facts and the data that back their opinions.

I think this is the way of the future.

I've seen far too much “become a sought-after expert in your field by blogging, writing, speaking” type advice that focuses on the mechanics.

On taking any old idea or piece of knowledge and spinning it into an article or presentation. Based on the idea that if you do enough of these and they're half decent, somehow it's going to make everyone think you're an expert in your field.

I don't think that's going to pass muster for much longer.

The stuff that I want to share and that people like me want to share is in-depth, enlightening content. Not yet another “7 ways to get more twitter followers” or other superficial nonsense.

My advice if you produce content: do less, but better stuff.

If you're not spending hours on each article and you're not researching and include examples, case studies, analyses and statistics then you're probably just producing more crap the world doesn't need to see.

But if you do produce breakthrough ideas and comprehensive reference material, it'll get shared and you can build a strong reputation very quickly.

Because not many people have the brains or the application to do it.