Editor’s note: A new version of this post is now available because proving the value of content marketing continues to be necessary.
You’ve probably heard that content marketing is the wave of the future.
But do you know why?
While it’s true that content marketing is massively effective for nearly every company and industry on the globe, many marketers don’t understand why.
Let’s shine a light on this puzzling (yet fascinating) state of affairs, with 10 statistics that will prove beyond the shadow of a doubt that content marketing is today’s marketing.
HANDPICKED RELATED CONTENT: What Is the Difference Between Content and Content Marketing?
1. 200 million people now use ad blockers
Paid advertisements were all the rage in online marketing. Today, however, consumers are increasingly savvy about opting out of the advertising they would rather not see. In August 2015, approximately 200 million people worldwide had installed ad-blocking software.
While it is great news for consumers, it’s terrible news for marketers who rely heavily on paid advertisements to spread their brand’s message.
Luckily, there’s a way to continue marketing efforts without being blocked by the people you’re trying to reach. The secret is content.
In addition to being impervious to ad-blocking software, good content is something consumers want to interact with, which makes it more effective and welcome on a foundational level.
HANDPICKED RELATED CONTENT: This Week in Content Marketing: A Content Marketing Approach Is Strategic, Actually
2. Content marketing leaders experience 7.8 times more site traffic than non-leaders
While high-quality content is difficult to pin down, it’s well worth it in the end. According to Neil Patel, people who succeed at becoming leaders in the world of content marketing — people who craft compelling, valuable content that gets to the heart of their readers — experience drastically more site growth than their competitors.#Contentmarketing leaders experience 7.8X more site traffic than non-leaders says @kapost. Click To Tweet
Take Search Engine Journal, for example. The content on this site is always high quality and, as a result, it earns over 1 million unique visitors each and every month. This is no accident: People want valuable, informative material and Search Engine Journal knows how to create it.
3. Content produces brand recall, which increases engagement
According to a 2015 IBM Digital Experience Survey, 56% of marketers believe that personalized content promotes higher engagement rates. Because personalized content helps consumers remember a brand, it also encourages them to engage more personally with the company in question, thus introducing a positive feedback loop that benefits both the customer and the company.56% of marketers believe that personalized #content promotes higher engagement rates says @IBM. Click To Tweet
HANDPICKED RELATED CONTENT: 38+ Examples of Brands Doing Great Content
4. The median time people spend on articles is 37 seconds
While skim-able content is highly valued, consumers are actually reading the articles marketers post. According to a NewsCred Insights post, marketers who produce high-quality, relevant content enjoy audiences who spend significant time on their sites. Over time, this engagement helps produce higher levels of brand recognition, which boosts sales and encourages ongoing engagement.The median time people spend on #contentmarketing articles is 37 seconds says @newscred. Click To Tweet
5. While content marketing costs 62% less than outbound marketing, it generates more than three times as many leads
While many inexperienced marketers assume that content marketing is expensive, the fact is that it’s often cheaper than traditional marketing methods. Because content marketing is effective, easy to begin, and popular with consumers, it can drastically reduce the money marketers spend on advertising their brands. What’s more, it manages to do all of this while being more effective than traditional marketing. #Contentmarketing costs 62% less than outbound marketing & generates 3x as many leads says @demandmetric Click To Tweet
6. The majority (88%) of B2B marketers use content marketing in their marketing strategies
Most B2B marketers use content marketing as a foundational piece of their marketing strategy. In addition to making it easier to communicate with consumers, content marketing also produces more sustainable value and makes it easier for brands and customers to connect with one another.
7. Content marketing drives higher conversion rates
When content marketing adopters and non-adopters are compared, the adopters have conversion rates that are nearly six times higher than their competitors. While content marketing requires an investment of time, money, and skill, it drives much higher conversion rates than its traditional marketing counterparts.#Contentmarketing drives higher conversion rates than traditional marketing says @JuliaEMcCoy. Click To Tweet
HANDPICKED RELATED CONTENT:
8. Email marketing is one of the most effective forms of content marketing
When you analyze the impact of different content distribution channels side by side, it becomes clear that email offers the largest overall reach: For every $1 spent, email gives back a whopping $38 in ROI, and offers the broadest reach (CampaignMonitor). Because email is personalized, targeted, and delivered directly to a customer’s inbox, it’s a wonderful (and inexpensive) way for marketers to gain an in to their customers.
HANDPICKED RELATED CONTENT: Ultimate Guide: 11 Sign-Up Strategies for Building Your Email List
9. Most B2B marketers use at least 13 content marketing tactics
More is more, right? When it comes to content marketing, that may be true.
While it’s not uncommon to use various marketing tactics in any segment of business, B2B marketers are notorious for using dozens of content strategies. The reason for this is that while content marketing is effective, it’s much more effective when distribution channels are varied and diverse.
With this in mind, marketers will benefit from creating various content formats and using several different marketing platforms to push them through to consumers.
10. 73% of major organizations hire someone to manage their content marketing strategy
Content marketing has become such a profitable marketing method that major companies around the globe are hiring people to manage the content creation and distribution process.
Adding this role helps the company ensure that it is allocating resources correctly and communicating with its customers in the most targeted and effective way possible. It also ensures that marketers are using content formats, various distribution platforms, and new technologies as effectively as possible.
HANDPICKED RELATED CONTENT:
Case for content marketing
While many marketers are unsure about why content marketing is so popular these days, these 10 statistics prove that it is indeed the marketing of the future.
Less expensive, efficient, compelling, and highly customizable, content marketing caters to virtually all businesses and all industries.
From blog posts to infographics and everything in between, creating unique, consistent, and truly useful content is the No. 1 way to connect with your audience on the most effective level.
Let us help you strengthen your case for content marketing. You can still register to attend Content Marketing World Sept. 6-8 in Cleveland where you’ll have more than 200 speakers ready to help your content marketing efforts. Use code BLOG100 to save $100.
Cover image by Joseph Kalinowski/Content Marketing Institute
Comments