Proof Content Is Marketing’s Most Versatile Tactic

0
50

Share on LinkedIn

Marketers, particularly B2B marketing, rely on a huge range of tactics to achieve a number of (seemingly) disparate goals. The folks building awareness might use social media. The team in charge of lead generation might spring for paid search. Marketers focused on customer loyalty could choose events.

But there’s one tactic marketers at every stage of funnel find valuable: content marketing.

Below is a chart from the Content Marketing Institute’s 2012 B2B Content Marketing Report. As you can see, content is a favorite for every stage of the funnel – from awareness to generating leads to renewals.

As you can see, content marketing is reported as a useful tactic at even rate for both brand awareness and customer acquisition. At 66%, lead generation is right near the top as well, demonstrating a full funnel endorsement.

These numbers make sense when you think about stretched the definition of content. It can be crafted and re-purposed for just about any goal, whether that’s warming up leads or just getting your name out there.

But content marketing is a favorite in B2B circles because of the relatively low costs. Recently, Eloqua and Kapost took a look at how the costs of producing content stacked against paid search, and found that a content strategy decreases in cost while rising in return over time.

If the chart above says anything, it’s that content marketing represents the most flexible, and possibly efficient, tool in the marketer’s toolbox.

Are you in content marketing? What ways does it drive the needle for your marketing efforts?

Republished with author's permission from original post.

Jesse Noyes
Jesse came to Eloqua from the newsroom trenches. As Managing Editor, it's his job to find the hot topics and compelling stories throughout the marketing world. He started his career at the Boston Herald and the Boston Business Journal before moving west of his native New England. When he's not sifting through data or conducting interviews, you can find him cycling around sunny Austin, TX.

ADD YOUR COMMENT

Please use comments to add value to the discussion. Maximum one link to an educational blog post or article. We will NOT PUBLISH brief comments like "good post," comments that mainly promote links, or comments with links to companies, products, or services.

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here