I was explaining what I do to a co-worker the other day, and his response was: “yeah, but does content marketing actually work?”
It’s a fair question, particularly from startups and small companies, looking to put their money in strategies that will deliver real, measurable results.
I (of course!) had my sales patter down about providing genuinely useful information to your audiences, encouraging traffic to your site and helping your Google rankings. But, I thought to myself, wouldn’t it be great to pull out some COLD HARD STATS to convince him.
So, ladies and gentlemen, here is some proof of the value that content marketing brings to businesses, big and small…
More website visitors
Research shows that businesses that publish more than 16 blog posts per month receive almost 3.5 times more traffic than those publishing 4 or fewer monthly posts. HubSpot, 2015
Loads more leads
If you publish more than 16 blog posts per month, studies indicate that you’ll enjoy around 4.5 times more leads than your competitors publishing 4 or fewer. HubSpot, 2015
Both B2B and B2C brands can benefit
B2B companies that blog more than 11 times per month get almost 3 times more traffic than those blogging just once per month. B2C companies doing the same, receive more than four times as many leads as those that blog just four or five times per month. HubSpot, 2015
Whitepapers are leading the pack
Blogs are powerful, but whitepapers could be even more so, ranking as the top content type for driving leads (53% of marketers say they do), followed by webinars (50%). DemandWave
Supporting your sales teams
Nearly half of buyers (47%) view between three and five pieces of content before engaging with a sales rep. Demand Gen Report, 2016
Social popularity
Did you know that B2B buyers are the most likely to share blog posts, with 40% identifying that they share them frequently, followed by infographics (39%) and videos (37%). So, it will also drive your social clout. DemandGen
Your competitors are probably doing it
In 2017, 53% of businesses said blog content creation was their marketing priority, second only to growing SEO and organic presence (62%). Meanwhile 47% were focused on content distribution and amplification. Hubspot
And so are your role models
42% of the Fortune 500 now have a company blog, a figure which has risen steadily for the last 10 years. Mark Schaefer
It doesn’t just work for big businesses
Small businesses that blog get 126% more lead growth than those that don’t. Content Marketing Institute
Plus it’s fantastic value for money
Content marketing costs 62% less than traditional marketing but generates approximately three times as many leads. DemandMetric
So, there you have it. Proof to all the doubters out there that content marketing isn’t just for show and does indeed deliver for the bottom line for all kinds of businesses.
That’s not to say it’s easy. Content marketing requires dedication and commitment to producing and promoting exciting, informative content, frequently and consistently. But get it right and your efforts won’t go unrewarded.
Not sure where to start with content marketing? Then you’re in the right place. Scripsy has years of experience helping businesses produce and promote content that drives traffic, leads and builds your brand. Want to know more? Then drop us a line at info@scripsy.co.uk.
You can also find more info on the benefits of getting in the content game in our blog asking what’s the point of content marketing.