It was just a few years ago that content was being hailed as the next big thing in the marketing world. But today, it is difficult to find a business without a content strategy. In fact, according to the Content Marketing Institute’s “2017 B2B Content Marketing Trends” report, 89 percent of B2B marketers are using a content marketing strategy. Of the 11 percent that aren’t, more than half intend to launch a content marketing initiative within the next year.
The resulting proliferation of content has been highly valuable for consumers. Individuals have access to more educational resources than ever before, helping them find the ideal business relationships to cultivate.
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But the abundance of content has also created a number of new challenges for marketers. The flip side to having more educated consumers is that they are also more discerning, have greater expectations, and are not swayed by gimmicks or jingles.
Furthermore, the sheer volume of content available today makes it increasingly difficult to stand out. A rich content strategy is no longer enough of a competitive differentiator in your market—it’s simply a starting point.
As a result, marketers must find a way to tailor their content to more closely align with the desires of their consumers.
So, what do consumers want?
As it turns out, consumers are asking overwhelmingly for more personalization. According to Customer Communications Insights’ 2016 webinar “Digital Customer Experience Trends for 2016,” 77 percent of consumers have recommended or paid more for a brand that provides personalized experiences.
Many businesses are not blind to consumers’ desire for greater personalization. Fifty-eight percent of businesses surveyed for the Customer Communications Insights’ survey revealed that addressing the rising customer expectation for personalized services is a critical prioritythis year.
Despite the fact that many marketing leaders do recognize the need to pursue personalization as part of their content strategy, the prospect remains a challenge for many organizations. According to Demand Metric’s 2016 “Content Personalization Benchmark Study,” 59 percent of marketers surveyed indicated that they lack the technology and resources to pursue personalized content initiatives.
Because so many marketing departments lack the funds and technology to pursue personalization autonomously, it is likely that businesses will continue to lean heavily on dedicated, independent content vendors for support.
Independent content vendors will also continue to play an important role due to the volume of content that will need to be generated to provide personalized experiences for all consumers.
If your marketing department is looking to take your content marketing strategy to the next level, learn how a contract strategy vendor can help here.
