Content marketing is essential to any company’s marketing strategy, especially now that more consumers are creating content themselves. As companies realize the importance of content marketing, they’re starting to invest more money into it. In fact, according to a study done by HubSpot, the average cost per lead generated from a piece of content marketing is over three times higher than traditional advertising methods.
Content marketing is an essential part of digital marketing. It’s expected to grow from $400 billion today to $900 billion by 2028.
As more people start producing content, there are fewer barriers to entry. This means anyone can become a creator and start sharing their ideas online. But it doesn’t mean that everyone can do it well. There are still some things you need to know about content creation to ensure that what you put out there is effective.
A new study shows that content marketing is on the rise.
According to HubSpot, content marketing use is on the upswing, increasing by 25% during 2017 alone. This is good news for marketers because there are plenty of tools to help you create compelling content. You don’t even need to hire writers; many companies offer free templates and software to make creating content more accessible. The most important thing to remember about content marketing is that it requires patience. If you’re looking to grow your brand, you’ll need to produce high-quality content consistently. Yet, once you start creating content regularly, you’ll see a boost in traffic and sales.
Content Marketing Insights for 2023
Content marketing is one of the most important strategies for driving business leads and sales today. Yet, many marketers need to learn how to use it effectively. In fact, according to Demand Metric, 46% of B2C brands and 51% of B2B brands need to do more with content marketing. If you’re looking to improve your content marketing strategy, here are some statistics you’ll want to keep in mind.
1. Mobile traffic accounts for 50% of total web traffic.
According to Statista, in the second quarter of 2022, 51.42 percent of web traffic in the United States originated from mobile devices. As people increasingly access the Internet via smartphones and tablets, it makes sense that mobile traffic would account for such a large part of overall web traffic.
The rise of mobile devices has also led to an increase in the use of responsive design. Responsive websites are designed to adjust their layout automatically based on the device used to view them. Responsive design is vital because it allows your website to be viewed properly across all devices. For example, if you have a desktop computer, laptop, or tablet, you can quickly see how your site looks on each one. However, viewing your site on a smartphone may be a unique experience for someone who views your site on a larger screen. A responsive website will allow users to navigate your content using touchscreens, keyboards, or other input devices. It will also ensure that your content is displayed correctly on different screens.
2. Consumers trust reviews more than ads.
According to Nielsen’s latest Global Trust in Advertising report, which surveyed more than 28,000 Internet respondents in 56 countries, 92% of consumers around the world say they trust earned media, such as recommendations from friends and family, above all other forms of advertising — and — an increase of 18 percent since 2007. Online consumer reviews are the second most trusted source of brand information and messaging, with 70% of global consumers surveyed online indicating they trust messages on this platform, an increase of 15% in four years. The data shows that consumers value the opinions of others over advertisements, especially when it comes to buying products or services online.
3. More than half (57%) of U.S. Adults read at least one review before making a purchase decision.
According to a study by Adobe Analytics, 57% of U.S. Internet users read user reviews before purchasing something online. This statistic highlights the importance of positive customer feedback and demonstrates why creating great content is critical.
People prefer to share stories rather than facts.
In 2017, Business Insider reported that people prefer to share stories about brands and companies instead of facts. They found that social sharing trends were shifting away from sharing facts and data. Instead, people share articles, videos, and images that tell a story.
4. Social Media Influencers are more influential than traditional celebrities.
According to Forbes, the top 10 highest-paid celebrity endorsers made $1.6 billion between June 2016 and May 2017. In comparison, the top 10 highest-paid influencers on Instagram made \$1.7 billion during the same time.
5. Millennials spend more money on their phones than they do on food.
A study by Nielsen showed that millennials spent an average of $917 per month on their smartphones in 2018, almost double what they spent on groceries ($527). The study also found that millennials spend more money on phone apps than cable TV subscriptions.
The most popular emoji for 2019 will be:
According to Emojipedia, the most popular emoji for 2019 was the “facepalm” emoji, and it was used 1.8 million times in January 2019 alone.
6. 46% of businesses plan to increase their content creation spending this year.
Content marketing is one of the most effective strategies for businesses of all sizes. In fact, according to HubSpot, 92 percent of companies use content marketing to generate leads, 87% use it to attract customers, and 83 percent use it to keep existing customers.
If you’re looking for ways to improve your content strategy, here are some tips:
1. Know what kind of content works best for your business.
You need to know where your target audience spends time online. If you want to attract new customers, focus on creating engaging blog posts. If you’re going to keep current customers, focus on creating helpful videos and infographics.
2. Create content that helps solve problems.
People don’t just want to hear about your company; they want to learn about solutions to real problems. When you write content that solves problems, you’ll naturally draw readers into your business.
3. Keep things simple.
When writing content, keep it brief. Stay moderate, trying to explain every single point. Your goal should be to give people enough information to understand how your product or service can help them.
7. Compared to traditional outbound methods (such as cold calling), content marketing is cheaper than traditional outbound methods (like cold calling) but produces three times the number of leads.
Content marketing is an effective way to generate leads. In fact, according to HubSpot research, content marketing generates five times the number of leads compared to traditional forms of advertising. Content marketing is also one of the most cost-effective ways to reach customers.
The average cost per lead generated via content marketing is \$11.58 versus \$36.95 for traditional marketing. And while you might think that creating content takes up many resources, the reality is that content marketing doesn’t need expensive campaigns or large budgets. HubSpot found that companies spend just 2.9% of their total budgets on content marketing. This means you can use the rest of your budget to focus on other areas like sales, customer support, and product development.
8. According to a recent survey by HubSpot, 62% of marketers say they see increased demand for content creation services.
Content marketing is one of the most effective ways to connect with customers and build brand awareness. In fact, according to a recent study by HubSpot, 64% of marketers say that content marketing drives customer acquisition and retention. So why aren’t you doing it already? If you have yet to plan to implement content marketing into your strategy, now might be the perfect time to start.
Marketing agencies are seeing increased interest from brands looking to improve their digital presence. A survey conducted by Verve found that 63% of respondents reported that their agency had seen an uptick in client inquiries about content marketing over the past year. This trend isn’t astonishing, considering the growing popularity of content marketing. But what does this mean for you? Are you ready to take advantage of this opportunity?
9. 95% of buyers of B2B (business-to-business) goods and services believe content is an effective way to assess any company.
Content marketing is essential for B2B companies, and marketers must understand what consumers want before creating content. Different types of content work well for B2B customers, including white papers, eBooks, webinars, video tutorials, infographics, case studies, how-tos, etc.
There are many ways to create content for your B2B audience. Here are some ideas:
1. White Papers — These documents are usually longer than blog posts and offer detailed information about a specific topic. They are often used to educate readers about a new product or service.
2. E-books — An E-books book is like white paper, except it is shorter and focuses on one subject. Many use E-Books to promote a new book, report, or software program.
3. Webinars — A webinar is like a live seminar where you teach someone something over the Internet. You can host a webinar on various topics such as customer service, sales training, leadership skills, etc.
4. Video Tutorials — Videos are great because they can quickly convey complex concepts. For example, you could get a tutorial on how to set up a CRM system.
5. Case Studies — This type of content explains how a company solved a problem and why it worked. Companies publish case studies to show others how to solve problems, increase profits, reduce costs, etc.
10. About 90% of customers see the benefits of using high-quality, relevant, helpful, and engaging online marketing materials.
Content marketing creates perfect quality content that educates, entertains, informs, inspires, and sells. If you are producing content for a B2C brand, it should educate, inform, inspire, and trade, and it should educate and inform if you are creating a B2B brand. And if you are producing for a nonprofit organization, it should educate, inspire, and sell — but it should never entertain.
Customers will buy products based on how much value they receive from the content they find online, whether it’s educational, entertaining, informative, inspirational, or selling. In fact, according to Forrester Research, 93% of consumers trust recommendations from friends and family over paid advertising. If you produce high-quality content, people will want to consume it and seek information from you because they know you care enough to put yourself out there. And finally, your content needs to offer real value to your audience. You don’t just write something up and post it on social media, you need to take the time to research what your target market wants and needs. Then you need to craft content that provides real value to those people.
11. 57% of businesses had a documentable strategy for their digital marketing efforts.
According to research by the Content Marketing Institute (CMI), many organizations still need a formal content marketing strategy. 57% of respondents did not have a documented plan, while just 43% had one. More than half of those surveyed (51%) said they planned to increase their investment in content marketing in 2018.
12. 55% of all online marketers use some form of social media for their business.
The number one thing companies are doing to improve their content strategy is ensuring they are creating high-quality content. In fact, according to our research, half of all content marketing strategies focus on improving the quality of the content being produced. It is good news for businesses because having professionally written and engaging content will help you attract more customers and build brand loyalty.
But what does “high quality” mean? Well, we define it as relevant, useful, unique, authoritative, trustworthy, and consistent across channels, so if you want to make sure that you’re producing content that ranks highly in search engines like Google, Bing, Yahoo!, etc.
Look at the following tips.
1. Make Sure Your Content Is Relevant to Users
If your content isn’t relevant, people won’t read it. And if people don’t read it, they won’t link to it. If you’re trying to rank for keywords related to your industry, you’ll want to ensure that your content is relevant. You can research keywords and identify terms your audience uses to find information about your products or services. Then use those terms in your writing. For example, if you sell shoes, you might write articles that include words such as “shoes,” “running,” “footwear,” and “athletic.”
2. Focus on Quality Over Quantity
While quantity is acceptable, it sometimes translates into better rankings. Instead, try focusing on providing value to your readers. Do you offer helpful tutorials? How many times have you seen someone post a video tutorial on YouTube? There’s no reason you shouldn’t do the same. Yet, videos tend to do better in search engines than text posts.
3. Create Unique Content
You should be posting added content every week or two. But don’t copy/paste old blog posts onto social media sites. Instead, create added content using the ideas mentioned above. Also, think about how you can add value to your existing content. Can you answer questions that your followers ask? Or you could offer a free guide or e-book.
13. According to a survey by HubSpot, for 42% of companies, the content specialists’ teams ranging from one to three members.
Content marketing is a hot topic among small businesses. They’re looking for ways to increase brand awareness, generate leads and convert visitors into customers. But what about those medium and large organizations already doing helpful content marketing?
- How do you know if you need to hire a full-time content strategist?
- What does it take to make sure you have the best content possible?
- And how can you measure your success?
14. On average, we spend seven hours daily using digital media.
People are spending an increasing amount of time-consuming digital content every single year. In fact, according to Statista, people spent 4.3 billion hours watching videos online in 2018 alone. With the rise of social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram, everyone is constantly posting pictures and sharing stories.
Content marketing is a marvelous way for businesses to reach out to customers and build relationships with them. This type of marketing helps you connect with your target market and offer value to them. For example, if you sell dog food, you could write blog posts about how dogs help by eating healthy foods. You could also post articles about different breeds of dogs, tips for dog owners, etc.
The world is changing fast. Innovative technologies are disrupting industries more quickly than ever. And the pace of change is accelerating. Consumers want seamless experiences across devices, channels, and markets in our increasingly digitized world. They demand personalized interactions, real-time responses, and seamless connections.
15. According to one survey, 72% of marketers believe that creating quality, engaging, and valuable blog posts helps increase their brand’s visibility.
According to a recent study by BuzzSumo, content marketing generates higher levels of engagement than any other form of marketing strategy. Content marketing is an important part and pillar of any company’s strategy, helping companies connect with their audience, gain insights, and increase brand awareness. But it doesn’t end there: content marketing also builds trust between brands and customers, giving businesses insight into what consumers want. And finally, content marketing gives companies insight into what consumers want, allowing them to make better product development and customer service decisions.
16. Social media is used by 94% of digital marketers to share their own company’s brand messages.
Social media is an integral part of any good online presence. There are three ways to use social media to share content: posting directly to a social network, communicating via a link, or creating a Tweet card. Most people will read a post if it comes from someone they trust; however, most people don’t like being sold. So, you want to ensure that you’re providing value and engaging with your audience. You can answer questions, offer tips, and connect with others.
17. Social media posts are the content most used by B2C companies for their social media campaigns.
According to a recent study by HubSpot, social media content is likely to generate the highest response rates. This makes sense because social media content is what people want when connecting with brands. The study found that blogs had the lowest response rates, while images had the second highest. Videos came in third place, and videos received a response rate of 23% compared to just 7% for text posts.
Content marketing is about creating and delivering content across all channels. A good example is how you use video content to promote your blog post. You could start by posting a link to the blog post on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, etc., and then embed the video into your blog post.
Include a call to action within the video itself. For instance, if you wanted to encourage readers to sign up for your email list, you could add a button to the result of the video that says something like “Click here to join my mailing list.” This approach allows you to deliver high-quality content to your audience without spending money on paid ads or paywalls.
18. 53% of website traffic originates from search engines, says KISS metrics.
The average person spends over three hours online every day, according to Statista. And while most people use social media sites like Facebook and Twitter, many are turning to search engines to find what they want. Half of all web traffic now comes from search engines, according to Kiss Metrics. This infographic highlights some key stats about how much time we spend searching for information online and why it matters to your business.
19. According to a survey by HubSpot, 75% of marketing professionals claim that SEO is their most successful content strategy.
Content marketing is one of the best ways to attract customers and increase brand awareness. Several studies show that content marketing generates more leads than paid advertising.
According to Forrester Research, 75% of marketers say that SEO is their most effective content marketing strategy. This includes both internal and external processes. Internal processes include creating blog posts, social media posts, videos, infographics, etc. External methods include guest posting, press releases, email campaigns, etc. Also, to generate leads, content marketing helps build relationships with potential customers. When you write about something someone cares about, it makes them feel like part of your tribe. They want to know what’s happening inside your organization and how they can help by being a customer.
There are many reasons why people choose to purchase products online rather than in stores. Some of those reasons include convenience, price, quality, and trust. But another reason is that customers trust brands that produce high-quality content. People will only trust you if your content is up to par. When it comes to creating content, there are plenty of several types. You can use video, audio, images, text, and interactive content.
Video is the most accessible content because it doesn’t need much money to start; all you need is a camera and some editing software. Video is handy for providing product demos, answering questions, and demonstrating features. Audio content is like video content except that it uses sound instead of visuals. Audio content is often used to explain things visually, such as diagrams, charts, and graphs.
20. More than half a billion people are writing blogs today, and 400 million use Tumblr. And 60 million use WordPress.
The number of blogs continues to grow. There are now over 500 million blogs, according to SearchEngineLand.com. This includes both personal and corporate blogs, and most of those blogs are hosted on WordPress, Tumblr, and medium platforms.
There are many ways to monetize a blog. You could sell ads, use affiliate marketing, offer premium subscriptions, provide free resources, etc. But if you want to make money blogging, it’s best to focus on one way of monetizing. For example, consider selling clothes or accessories if you’re writing about fashion. Consider offering advice or coaching if you’re blogging about parenting.
Many bloggers earn money online, some do it full-time, while others work part-time. One blogger earns $10,000 per month via his blog, and another makes around $1,500 per month. And a third makes just under $2,000 per month.
21. More than 80% of Internet users visit blogs at least once per month.
It’s hard to deny that blogging is popular. According to Statista, almost eighty percent of internet visitors now visit blogs. And while there are many kinds of blogs, they’re usually used for writing about firsthand experiences, advice, stories, and so forth. They do it because it helps them share their expertise and teach others something new.
While blogging is a marvelous way to build trust and credibility among consumers, it can also lead to increased traffic and leads. Here are three ways you can start generating leads with blogging:
1. Create a free resource library
If you’re like me, you have tons of resources you could share with readers. For example, I have written over 200 articles about digital marketing and social media, and I could easily share those resources with my audience if I had a blog. This would allow me to educate and inform readers without paying someone else.
2. Start a podcast
Another marvelous way to generate leads is to start a podcast. Podcasting allows you to talk directly to your audience. You don’t have to worry about editing or grammar; speak freely. You can even record yourself reading a book or article that you wrote.
22. According to research by HubSpot, 71% of B2B businesses are influenced in their buying decisions based on reading blogs.
The impact of blogging on marketing success is undeniable. In fact, according to HubSpot, 72 percent of marketers agree that blogging helps improve customer experience. But how do you know if your efforts are paying off?
Take a closer look at the benefits of blogging for B2B companies, including the following stats:
• 79% of B2B buyers use blogs to research products and vendors.
• 71% of B2C consumers trust online reviews more than traditional advertising.
• 69% of B2B professionals rely on blogs to learn about industry trends.
• 68% of B2B companies want to build brand awareness among potential customers.
• 67% of B2B executives plan to invest in blogging over the next 12 months.
23. The longer the piece of content, the better chance you have of getting it shared.
In 2017, we found out that people like reading long articles. And now, we know why, thanks to a study by Buzzsumo. The longer the piece of content, the better chance you have of getting it shared.
According to Buffer, the average post on Facebook receives 1,200 likes and shares within 24 hours. That means that the longer your content, the better your chance of seeing it by your target audience. So, break up your text into smaller chunks instead of writing one long piece of content.
The research analyzed the most shared content across social media platforms. They found that the average length of the most shared posts was around 4,500 words. On Facebook, the average post had 2,851 words; on Instagram, 3,972 words; on Twitter, 5,854 words; and on LinkedIn, 7,732 words.
So, what does this mean for marketers? If you want your content to be shared, ensure it’s long enough.
24. A content marketer’s success is usually measured by the total sales generated through their program.
Content marketing programs are usually measured for ROI or return on investment. This means you calculate the number of leads each campaign generates and compare that figure to the cost of producing the content. If the figures match up, you know that the program was successful.
However, there are some drawbacks to measuring content marketing programs based on lead generation alone. For example, if you produce a blog post about a topic no one cares about, you won’t see any leads. The post could have been more effective because you didn’t receive any leads, but that isn’t necessarily true.
25. About half (53%) of web traffic comes from Google searches.
According to Search Engine Land, there are now over 3 billion searches per day across the globe. This represents about 2.5 trillion searches annually, making it one of the most popular online activities people engage in. Over 50% of adults use search engines every month. And according to Statista, the average person spends around 15 minutes searching for something online.
Also, mobile devices account for almost 70% of internet usage. So, while many marketers focus on desktop traffic, mobile phones are becoming increasingly important.
The good news is that you can spend a little money to rank well in search engines. You need to know what works best for your brand.
Here are some tips to help you improve your site’s visibility in search engines:
1. Create high-quality content
2. Be sure to include keywords throughout your writing
3. Get link building done properly
26. 41% of Americans regularly consume podcast content.
According to a recent report from Edison Research, more than half of Americans listen to podcasts weekly. Of those people, 44% listen to podcasts at least once per month. And while many of us know what a podcast is, it’s still essential to understand how to create one and why you might want to do so. A podcast is like a radio show — except you don’t have to pay anyone to produce it. You record yourself talking about whatever topic you choose. Then, you post the audio files online where others can access them. This allows you to reach a wider audience than just those who live near you.
You can start a podcast at almost no cost. All you need is a microphone and some free software such as Audacity. If you already have a blog, you could use that to host your podcast. Or you can set up a site specifically for hosting podcasts. Either way, you’ll need a place to put your audio files and a web discussion where listeners can find them.
27. The total podcast-listening population is growing across the entire demographic spectrum.
According to Edison Research, the number of Americans who regularly listen to podcasts increased by 7% from 2017 to 2018. This growth occurs across all age groups, with an 11% increase in the total podcast listening audience from 2017 to 2018. Among those aged 18–24, the percentage of listeners grew 15%, while it grew 8% among those aged 25–54.
However, there are some differences within each age group. For example, the percentage of young adults aged 18–24 who regularly listen to podcasts jumped 13% from 2017 to 2018, compared to just 3% among older adults. On the other hand, the percentage of older adults who regularly listen to podcasts dropped by 5%.
The most popular types of podcasts include news/politics, comedy, sports, and science & technology. However, the most significant change in podcast listening habits occurred during the second half of 2017. Before that, most podcast listeners had been listening to comedy and music. Now, however, the largest segment of the podcast audience is composed of people who listen to news/politics and science & tech.
The average length of a podcast episode is about 20 minutes, and the most common lengths are 10–15 minutes and 30–35 minutes. There are many reasons why someone might want to listen to a podcast. Some enjoy learning something new, others enjoy entertainment in hearing stories told by experts, and others like learning how to do things better.
28. Most podcasts get listened to by at least 90% of their audience. About half of them listen to an entire episode.
Also, 93% of respondents said they’d listen to most podcast episodes before deciding whether to continue listening. 7% of respondents said they would listen to only a part of an entire episode before deciding whether to continue listening. So, if you want your audience to stick around, consider planning how long each podcast should last.
But what does that mean for you? How much time do you spend creating each episode? How many episodes are too short? Too long? What if you’re recording a show, and someone calls in halfway through? Should you stop recording? Or should you keep going? To find out, we surveyed 2,500 Americans across the United States to see what they thought about podcasts. We found that 46% of respondents listened to a podcast at least once a week, while another 43% listened loftily. Of those who listened weekly, 73% listened to one or more episodes per week. As for how often people finish an episode, 53% of respondents said they spent an episode within 10 minutes, 26% said they finished within 30 minutes, and 21% said they completed it within 60 minutes.
29. The average person spends only 2 minutes reading each page of text on a website.
If you want your content to be read, make sure it has a clever design. People spend less time looking at pages with lots of words and images than scrolling through short paragraphs and simple graphics.
30. 82% of customers report a preference for brands with a content presence.
According to a recent study by the University of California Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism, 82% of customers prefer companies with a strong content strategy over those without. This means that when you create content, you need to consider how it will help your business grow.
So, what can you do to ensure that your content marketing efforts pay off?
Here are three ways to improve your chances:
1. Create original content.
2. Use data-driven insights.
3. Make sure your content is optimized for search engines.
Original content is the best way to build authority and attract links back to your site, and it also helps you stand out among competitors. When you write unique articles, blog posts, press releases, etc., you’re giving yourself a leg up on your competition.
Data-driven insights allow you to know exactly what works and what doesn’t. You can use analytics tools to track your performance and optimize your content based on what’s working and isn’t.
And finally, SEO (search engine optimization) is a crucial component of any content marketing campaign. You need to rank well for relevant keywords to ensure everyone sees your content.
Conclusion
The content marketing industry will only become more competitive in the next few years. As the demand for content increases, so does the need for quality content. To stay ahead of the game, content marketers must constantly look for the latest trends and insights to help them produce the best possible content for their audience. The following 30 statistics should give you an innovative idea of what to expect in the world of content marketing in 2023.
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