According to Outbrain, a leading Web content discovery platform, content marketing continues to be one of the rising stars of the online marketing world. Unlike traditional marketing, brands from American Express to General Electric or Proctor & Gamble use it to reach and engage their target audiences by providing value to the online experience instead of interrupting it.

The company tried to shed light on the state of content marketing in 2012 and identified the following key findings:

• 100% of brand and agency marketers surveyed utilize content marketing in their overall marketing strategies. At 87% of respondents, video is the most common form of content created.
• Social media is the most popular channel marketers use for driving traffic to content with 96% of respondents currently utilizing. Usage is up from 88% in 2011.
• Marketers employ content marketing efforts to drive brand awareness and target top of purchase funnel consumers rather than for generating direct leads or sales. Social media engagement is the most popular indicator marketers consider when measuring the success of content marketing efforts (89%), followed by views or content downloads (76%).
• Social media, video advertising and content marketing are viewed as the most effective tactics used for brand awareness, consideration and affinity.
• 82% of brand and agency marketers expect to increase content marketing efforts in 2012.

Video is tops among content marketers

One hundred percent of the marketers surveyed utilize content marketing as a part of their overall marketing strategy and are currently creating digital content specifically for informational and/or entertainment value to consumers.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Social media leads content marketing distribution efforts, paid search marketing on the rise

All of the surveyed marketers are creating content, but how do they get it in front of consumers? Social media continues to grow in importance as a tactic for content marketing.

 

 

 

 

Brand awareness and top of purchase funnel consumers are target for content marketing efforts

Social media engagement ranked as the most popular factor that marketers use to measure the success of their content marketing efforts. The 2012 survey results found increased emphasis on success metrics that focus on brand awareness and target consumers in the top of the purchase funnel such as social media engagement and organic search referrals.

 

 

 

Social media, video advertising and content marketing are the most effective tactics for developing brand awareness

82% of marketers intend to increase content marketing efforts in 2012

From this year’s survey results, it’s clear that marketers are beginning to rely on content marketing as a trusted tool to reach consumers.

It’s also clear that the industry shows no signs of slowing down, with 82% of respondents planning to increase or greatly increase their efforts in the coming year.

Source: www.outbrain.com