Examples include blog posts, in-depth articles, white papers, PDF guides, videos, and social media posts. Increasingly u
Content Marketing
Marketers New #1 Engagement Tool
January, 2015
www.provokeinsights.com
? What is Content Marketing Content marketing is any marketing that involves the creation and sharing of relevant and valuable content in order to acquire and retain customers. Examples include blog posts, in-depth articles, white papers, PDF guides, videos, and social media posts.
r? Why is it so Popula Increasingly used by companies and marketers, content marketing is a high impact tool that drives brand awareness, engagement, and loyalty. Ultimately, content marketing is a cost effective solution that increases sales.
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ey v r u S e h t t Abou SkilledUp organizes, curates and reviews online educational resources. The company has seen a growing interest in content marketing among users, as well as an increasing number of jobs available for individuals with this area of expertise. SkilledUp initiated this research to better gauge the importance and demand for content marketing skills. It will share this information widely to help course providers, users, and employers develop skills in what is now a critical component of marketing strategy. SkilledUp commissioned Provoke Insights, a market research and strategy firm, to conduct an online survey among 200 professionals who are engaged in their companies’ marketing activities. All employees were familiar with content marketing. The survey was distributed in July 2014. “Not sure” replies have been excluded & questions have been re-calculated throughout this report.
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Key Findings 4
Content Marketing Works Companies see the proven benefit of content marketing. It helps drive sales (88%), grow customer referrals (83%), and build a customer base (75%). •
74% of professionals state that content marketing is the most effective channel for improving customer engagement.
•
Virtually all professionals believe content marketing builds brand recognition (94%) and loyalty (85%).
•
The vast majority (87%) found content marketing to be a cost effective solution.
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It’s Become a Critical Tool Given the benefits, it is not surprising that professionals (94%) say it is critical that content marketing be part of a company’s marketing program. •
The majority of companies (82%) include content marketing as part of their initiatives.
•
The number of companies incorporating content marketing is rapidly increasing. 31% of companies who do not use content marketing are considering incorporating it in future programs.
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The Explosion of Content Marketing Companies are dedicating an increasing number of resources to content marketing initiatives. •
In 2014, 40% of companies report increasing their content marketing spending. In addition, 50% of professionals say they expect their companies’ budgets to continue to expand in the next year. 43% anticipate that their content marketing budgets to remain the same in 2015.
•
Job opportunities for content marketers look very strong. Over half of professionals believe job growth in content marketing is imminent in 2014 and 2015. Furthermore, 40% state that their companies will be hiring content marketers in the next year.
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Lack of the Right Skills While there is a growing need for content marketers, finding people with the required skills is a challenge. •
42% of companies state that they do not have the skill sets to implement content marketing.
•
34% of professionals have a hard time hiring individuals with content marketing expertise.
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Education is a Priority
Given these challenges, 79% of professionals say learning content marketing is a priority. •
84% of professionals plan on learning more about content marketing. Of those, 53% are interested in taking an online course on the subject.
•
75% of professionals would find it helpful for their team members to become more knowledgeable in content marketing.
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Detailed Findings 10
Content Marketing Works
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Content Marketing Supports Business Objectives Content marketing helps drive sales (88%), grow customer referrals (83%), and build a customer base (75%).
88% Sales
83% Referrals
75% Conversion
Base: Qualified respondents (N=200)
Q: How helpful do you think content marketing is for supporting each of the following objectives or initiatives?
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Achieves Marketing Goals Content Marketing Helpfulness
94%
Brand Recognition
82%
•
Virtually all professionals believe content marketing solidifies brand recognition (94%).
•
The majority state that content marketing helps drive engagement (85%) and loyalty (85%)
85%
B2B Relations
Improves Marketing Initiatives
82%
Retention
Loyalty
85%
Engagement
Base: Qualified respondents (N=200)
Q: How helpful do you think content marketing is for supporting each of the following objectives or initiatives?
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A Tools Worth Its Price Tag •
87% of professionals state content marketing is a cost effective solution.
•
74% agree content marketing is the most effective channel for improving customer engagement.
Agree
Cost effectve solution
Most effective channel to improve customer engagement
Strongly agree
67%
58%
20%
16%
87%
74%
Base: Qualified respondents (N=200)
Q: How much do you agree or disagree with the following statements?
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Next Trends in Content Marketing
Real Time & More In-depth Two-Way Communication
Mobile & Location Based Offerings
Social media moving beyond just "likes" and search history to getting consumers involved in discussion and using current events in their favor.
Mobile device usage will increasingly incorporate location and personal preference information Geographic texting.
Real-time interfacing with product development. Immediate direct interaction with product or service reps.
Growth in Content Marketing Agencies More content marketing agencies.
Base: Those who provided trends (n=49)
Q: What do you think will be the next trend in content marketing?
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It’s Become a Critical Tool
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Importance of a Content Marketing Strategy •
94% of professionals believe it is critical to include content marketing as part of a company’s marketing program.
Importance of Content Marketing
55%
94%
39%
4% Very important
Important
Somewhat important
2% Not at all important
Base: Qualified respondents (N=200)
Q: How important do you think it is for companies to include content marketing as part of their marketing strategy?
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An Integral Part of Marketing Plans • The majority of companies (82%) include content marketing as part of their marketing initiatives. • The number of companies incorporating content marketing is rapidly increasing. 31% of companies that do not use content marketing today are considering integrating it as part of their future programs.
Content Marketed Included in Marketing Strategy Includes
31% of the companies that 82%
18%
do not use content marketing are considering integrating it into their plan next year.
Base: Do not incorporate content marketing (n=48) Base: Qualified respondents (N=200) Q: Does your company include content marketing as part of its marketing strategy? Q: Is your company considering incorporating content marketing as part of its marketing 18 strategy in the coming year?
Most Companies have an Internal Team • 93% of companies have an internal team that works on content marketing initiatives. 20% also use an outside agency for initiatives.
Responsible for Content Marketing Initiatives
73%
Internal Team
20%
Both Internal & External Teams
7%
Outside Agency
Base: Content marketing is part of the respondent’s marketing strategy (n=152)
Q: Who currently handles your content marketing initiatives?
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Two Key Reasons for Using an Outside Agency • Not enough internal resources, as well as more skilled expertise in content marketing are key reasons for seeking outside assistance.
More Expertise
Lack of Resources
They can sometimes recognize opportunities that we may not realize.
We are a small business and don’t have the internal department.
Their expertise over our in-house staff and the applied metrics they supply us.
We are too small to have full-time inside employees.
Expertise, awareness of trends, technology.
We need the extra help.
Base: Use an outside agency (N=42)
Q: Why do you use an outside agency to handle your content marketing initiatives?
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Size Matters: Internal Content Marketing Team • Once a company hits 500 plus employees, the size of the content marketing team greatly increases. Number of Employees in Internal Team 30"
Number of Employees
25" 20" 15"
Mean: 9 Employees
10" 5" 0"
Under"10"
10,49"
50,99"
100,499"
500,999" 1000,4999"
5000"+"
Size of Company (Employees) Base: Content marketing is part of the respondent’s marketing strategy (n=152)
Q: Approximately how many people are on your internal team? [Analyzed by size of company]
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The Explosion of Content Marketing 22
Content Marketing Budgets are Growing • In 2014, 40% of companies are increasing their content marketing spending. • 50% of professionals say they expect their budgets to continue to expand in the next year.
2014 Increase
Decrease
2015 Stay the same
Increase
40%
Decrease
43%
50%
57% 3%
Stay the same
7%
Base: Content marketing is part of the respondent’s marketing strategy (n=152)
Q: Over the past year, did your company's budget for content marketing change? Q: In the coming year, do you think your company's budget for content marketing will change? 23
Content Marketing Jobs are in Demand § Over half of professionals believe job growth in content marketing is imminent in 2014 and 2015. § 30% state their companies will be hiring content marketers in the next year.
% that Believe the Number of Jobs in Content Marketing Will Increase 53%
59%
40% of professionals say their company is hiring content marketers is the next year.
2014 Base: Qualified respondents (N=200)
2015 Base: Content marketing is part of its company's marketing strategy (n=152)
Q: Do you think the number of jobs in content marketing has/will increased? (2014, 2015) Q: In the next 12 months, do you expect your company to hire content marketers?
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? Lack of skilled personnel 25
Challenges in Implementing Content Marketing § 34% of professionals have a hard time hiring individuals with content marketing skills.
Challenges Implementing Content Marketing 58%
Limited Budget
45%
Time SkilledExpertise expertise Skilled
34%
Technology capabilities
21% 20%
Management buy in
17%
Organization Other
2%
Base: Qualified respondents (N=200)
Q: What are the main challenges your company faces when it comes to implementing content marketing?
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Lack of Qualified Experience •
42% of companies do not have the expertise to implement content marketing effectively.
Companies Lacking the Skills to Execute Content Marketing 47%
42% 32%
11%
10%
Strongly agree
Agree
Disagree
Stronly disgree
Base: Qualified respondents (N=200)
Q: How much do you agree or disagree with the following statements?[Skills to Implement Content Marketing]
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Content Marketing Guide
The Need for Content Marketing Education 28
High Interest in Online Courses •
53% of professionals express interest in taking an online course about content marketing.
Interest in Online Content Marketing Courses
53%
29%
28%
24% 19%
Very interested Base: Qualified respondents (N=200)
Interested
Somewhat interested
Not at all interested
Q: How interested would you be in taking an online course about content marketing?
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Improve Team Members’ Skillsets 75% state it would be helpful for their team members to become more knowledgeable about content marketing.
Helpful for Team Members to Learn More About Content Marketing
•
17%
75%
Somewhat help
Helpful 8%
Not at all helpful
Base: Qualified respondents (N=200)
Q: How helpful would it be for your team members to learn more about content marketing?
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Seeking Resources to Become More Educated • •
73% of professionals have learned more about content marketing this year. 37% used online courses to improve their skillset.
47% on the job
73% tried to
learn more about content marketing this year
23%
courses taught in-person
39%
articles
21%
books ebooks
Base: Qualified respondents (N=200)
37%
online courses
20% blogs
Group learning
34%
webinars podcasts
19%
employee training
34%
conferences
12%
mentors
other
Individual learning
Q: Which of the following educational resources or training have you used over the past 12 months to learn more about content marketing?
3%
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Prioritizing Education • •
84% of professionals plan on learning more about content marketing. 79% see learning content marketing skills as a priority. Agree Plan on learning more about content marketing
58%
Learning about content marketing is a priority
58%
Need more time to learn about content marketing
53%
Strongly agree
26%
21%
22%
84%
79% 75%
Base: Qualified respondents (N=200)
Q: How much do you agree or disagree with the following statements?
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A Variety of Resources are being Used •
Posting on social media (48%) and writing articles (45%) lead as the most popular types of content organizations use. 48%
Social media post
45%
26%
Presentations (e,.g. SlideShare)
?
17%
Q&A content
24%
16%
Ratings & reviews
Mobile Apps
23%
15%
Research
Infographics
21%
15%
28%
19%
13%
27%
17%
12%
Articles
29%
Interviews
28%
Original Photography
Video
Blogs
Base: Qualified respondents (N=200)
Guides
Case studies
Stock Photography
Contests
Storytelling
Quiz
*Shows responses higher than 10% or
Q: To the best of your knowledge, which of the following types of content has your organization used? 33
Facebook is the Most Used Social Media Tool
71%
47%
33% 8%
13%
23% 7%
42%
4%
4%
38% 8%
11% 3%
3%
Base: Qualified respondents (N=200)
Q: Which of the following social media platforms does your company leverage?
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Respondent Profile 35
Employment Status
64%
24% 12%
Employed full-time
Self-employed
Employed part-time
Base: Qualified respondents (N=200)
Q: Which of the following best describes your current employment status?
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Job Responsibilities
Ø Marketing
48%
Ø Email Marketing
31%
Ø Communications
41%
Ø Web Content
30%
Ø Business Development
39%
Ø Brand Management
28%
Ø Public Relations
38%
Ø Market Research
21%
Ø Social Media
38%
Ø SEO
12%
Ø Advertising
33%
Ø Media Production
12%
Base: Qualified respondents (N=200)
Q: Are you involved in the following company initiatives?
37
Industry*
7%
12%
Education
11%
Insurance, accounting, financial services
Construction, machinery, homes
7%
Consulting
6%
9%
Retail, consumer durables
Telecommunications, technology, internet, electronics
5%
7%
Manufacturing
Healthcare, pharmaceuticals
5%
Nonprofit
4%
Advertising, marketing, public relations
3%
Real Estate
2%
Automotive
2%
Hospitality
Base: Qualified respondents (N=200)
Q: To the best of your knowledge, which of the following types of content has your organization used?
*10% Other
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Company size
32%
17%
15%
12%
11% 8%
6%
Under 10 employees
10-50 employees
51- 100 employees
101-500 employees
501-1,000 1,001- 5,000 Over 5,000 employees employees employees
Base: Qualified respondents (N=200)
Q: Approximately, what is the size of your company?
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