Content marketing is the new buzzword among marketers. Although numbers vary in the different statistics available online, the trend is pretty clear.
The question seems no longer IF content marketing has an impact on marketing results but by HOW MUCH.
3 times more leads with 62% less budget
Some of the more impressive recent numbers say:
- Content marketing generates three times more leads per dollar spent compared to paid search marketing (Elite Copywriter).
- Brands that use content marketing experience 6 times higher conversion rates (Aberdeen Group, table 1).
- Inbound marketing produces three times more leads and is 62% less expensive than outbound marketing (Demand Metric).
As a result, marketing budgets these days go more and more towards producing actual content – related to the companies, their services, and products.
According to the Content Marketing Institute (CMI) 91% of B2B brands and 86% of B2C brands use content marketing.
Paid ads and paid search, although still the biggest chunk within companies’ marketing budgets, are not the universal remedy any longer.
70% of people would prefer to learn about a company through an article rather than an advertisement.
www.demandmetric.com
Reasons for the rise of content marketing can be as hard as the increasing use of adblockers and as soft as the desire for trust and authority among customers before they buy.
Blogging on the forefront
Meanwhile, blogging has turned into the lowest hanging fruit of all forms of content marketing. According to a 2018 research, 55% of marketers say that the creation of blog content is their top priority in inbound marketing (Hubspot).
The prospective customer wants to read valuable and practical copy. Personalized content of high quality is what pays off in terms of marketing results.
82% of people feel more positive about a company after reading custom content.
www.demandmetric.com
Consistent long-form content of high quality
On a practical level the latest trends are:
- Consistency
There is a gradual decline in the frequency of publishing. Instead of “2-6 times every week” bloggers are now posting new material “several times a month“. Comparing metrics a higher frequency still correlates with stronger results though. - Long-form content
Search engines prefer longer text over information snippets. Plus long-form receives more shares on social media. 1142 words is the average word count these days. That is 41% more than three years ago. - Skimmable content
According to Hubspot, 43% of people admit to skimming blog posts. Bullet points and strong formatting support this habit. According to the same survey, listicles are the most popular blog post format among business blogs.
Long term investment
The general opinion among analysts and marketers confirms that content marketing requires patience and skill, but rewards with long-term results that outweigh paid marketing.
Not only does it come with lower upfront costs, but it can also build momentum due to the longevity of its content.
As an effect, the cost per visitor decreases over time even more.
For more information feel free to drop me a line.
