Analysing the content marketing industry

Content marketing’s rise has been extraordinary, uniting marketing disciplines and providing new storytelling opportunities. We’ve investigated this by using a clear framework that analyses current trends, the brands capitalising and what they are using. It provides compelling insight for any marketer, investor or aspiring entrepreneur. If you would like to refine the information for your exact needs, then please get in touch.

Market understanding

We’ve identified a set of factors underpinning the industry’s exceptional growth. The most significant, although perhaps least discussed, is a rise in computing power. This has prompted increasingly sophisticated social media apps and the ability to manage vast amounts and data in the cloud. It has also led to the growth of data-driven marketing techniques and the rise of online advertising.

These factors have created a situation where new content sits within an ever-growing and vast pool of existing content. At the same time, the sheer amount of online advertising has homogenised most brands, particularly when combined with short-term strategic thinking. Brands that cut through develop a clear, consistent and authentic voice that often avoids direct selling. Brand activism provides a powerful mechanism to do, but only if the brand is sincere in its message.

Marketing strategy

We’ve identified campaigns from four brands that clearly prove success is possible in relation to current trends. These brands share similarities in their ethos that transcend their size, existing awareness, or revenues. Each has managed to develop authentic customer relationships by connecting with socially relevant issues across multiple channels.

We’ve assessed the budgets and commercial success of each campaign. This analysis shows how content marketing can bring about financial benefit and long-term brand equity. Broader still, it can bring about social change. A uniting feature of each campaign is the ability to convey a powerful yet simple message across multiple channels.

Marketing activation

Delivering major content marketing programmes requires a careful balance of in-house and agency teams. Broadly speaking, agencies are still entrusted with the responsibility of creating big ideas. Typically, the resulting campaigns focus on mass media, although TV is by no means as important as it once was. Instead, it is the agency’s ability to facilitate campaigns at scale across multiple channels that makes them indispensable.

By contrast, in-house teams typically manage data-led social media and content marketing programmes. These go much further than community management and are essential for the development of instant and responsive audience relationships.

This research includes

• 17 pages of analysis (5,500 words).

• Evidence-based approach.

• Case study examples and success stories.

• Main tools/services/agencies.

• References for additional reading.

• Published July 2020.

Any questions?