Are you hoping to achieve results with content marketing in 2017? Want to know the tactics being used by others and how successful they have been?

Content marketing has been a buzzword in the digital marketing world for quite some time now. With each passing year, the landscape of content marketing evolves, influenced by changing consumer behavior, technological advancements, and shifts in search engine algorithms.

As we delve into the year 2017, it’s essential for marketers to stay updated with the latest trends and statistics to craft effective content marketing strategies. In this blog post, we’ll explore the important stats that defined content marketing in 2017 and discuss their implications for businesses looking to succeed in the digital age.

Point Visible share the stats you need to know in this infographic.

 

Content Creation and Consumption

1.1. The Rise of Blogging

In 2017, blogging continued to be a dominant content format. According to a report by HubSpot, companies that published 16 or more blog posts per month received 3.5 times more traffic than those that published 0-4 monthly posts. This underscores the importance of consistent blogging in attracting and engaging audiences.

1.2. Video Content’s Ascendancy

Video marketing saw exponential growth in 2017. A staggering 87% of online marketers used video content, and 85% of businesses considered it an integral part of their marketing strategy. The popularity of video content can be attributed to its ability to convey messages effectively, entertain, and engage users on various platforms.

1.3. The Power of Visual Content

Visual content, including images and infographics, continued to be a vital part of content marketing strategies. Tweets with images received 150% more retweets than those without images, and articles with relevant images garnered 94% more views than text-only articles.

1.4. Content Personalization

Personalization emerged as a significant trend in 2017. According to a study by Demand Metric, 80% of consumers were more likely to do business with a company if it offered personalized experiences. Content tailored to individual preferences and behaviors became essential in capturing and retaining audiences.

Content Distribution

2.1. The Social Media Dominance

Social media platforms played a pivotal role in content distribution in 2017. Facebook, with its 2.07 billion monthly active users, remained the leading platform for content sharing, followed by YouTube, Twitter, and Instagram. Brands leveraged these platforms to reach their target audiences effectively.

2.2. Email Marketing’s Resilience

Email marketing continued to deliver results in 2017. According to the Direct Marketing Association (DMA), email marketing had an average ROI of 3800%, making it a cost-effective channel for content distribution. Personalized and segmented email campaigns were particularly successful.

2.3. The Mobile Revolution

The increasing use of smartphones changed the content distribution landscape. In 2017, 52.2% of all website traffic worldwide came from mobile devices. It became imperative for businesses to ensure that their content was mobile-friendly to cater to the growing mobile audience.

2.4. Content Syndication

Content syndication platforms like Outbrain and Taboola gained prominence in 2017. These platforms allowed businesses to distribute their content on popular websites, increasing visibility and driving traffic to their own sites.

Content Marketing ROI

3.1. Measurement Challenges

Despite its growing importance, measuring the ROI of content marketing remained a challenge for many marketers in 2017. According to the Content Marketing Institute, only 35% of B2B marketers and 27% of B2C marketers claimed that they could measure the ROI of their content marketing efforts effectively.

3.2. Content Marketing Budgets

Despite measurement challenges, businesses were willing to allocate more budget to content marketing. In 2017, 39% of marketers planned to increase their content marketing budgets, recognizing its long-term benefits in building brand authority and customer trust.

3.3. The Value of Quality Content

High-quality content continued to be the cornerstone of successful content marketing. According to a survey by Adobe, 59% of consumers said that they would choose engaging content over beautiful design. This emphasized the importance of focusing on content that provided real value to the audience.

SEO and Content Marketing

4.1. Content-Length Matters

In 2017, longer-form content gained traction in SEO. Content with word counts exceeding 1,000 words consistently ranked higher in search engine results. This shift encouraged businesses to invest in in-depth, informative articles that answered users’ questions comprehensively.

4.2. Voice Search and Content Optimization

With the rise of voice-activated devices like Amazon Echo and Google Home, optimizing content for voice search became crucial. Statistics indicated that 20% of mobile searches were voice searches, and this number was expected to grow. Marketers had to adapt their content to align with the conversational nature of voice search queries.

Content Promotion and Engagement

5.1. Influencer Marketing

Influencer marketing gained prominence in 2017, with 86% of marketers using influencer marketing tactics. Collaborating with influencers allowed brands to tap into their followers’ trust and expand their reach effectively.

5.2. Interactive Content

Interactive content, such as quizzes, polls, and surveys, became a popular engagement strategy in 2017. It provided a more immersive and personalized experience for users, increasing their time spent on a website and improving conversion rates.

5.3. User-Generated Content

User-generated content continued to be a valuable asset for businesses. According to Stackla, 79% of consumers said that user-generated content influenced their purchasing decisions. Encouraging customers to share their experiences and reviews became an essential part of content marketing.

Content Marketing Challenges

6.1. Content Overload

The abundance of online content led to content overload in 2017. Users were inundated with information, making it challenging for brands to capture their attention. To stand out, businesses had to create high-quality, unique content that resonated with their target audience.

6.2. Ad Blocking

The use of ad blockers continued to rise, affecting traditional display advertising. This shift forced marketers to focus on creating non-intrusive, valuable content that users wouldn’t want to block.

6.3. Content Saturation

Certain niches and industries became saturated with content, making it difficult for new entrants to gain visibility. Marketers had to employ creative strategies and niche-focused content to break through the saturation.

Conclusion

Content marketing in 2017 was marked by various trends and challenges that continue to shape the industry today. From the rise of video content and the importance of personalization to the dominance of social media and the impact of voice search, businesses had to adapt and evolve to stay competitive.

While measurement and ROI measurement remained challenging, the value of quality content and its ability to build brand authority and customer trust couldn’t be overstated. Content marketing budgets were on the rise, reflecting its growing importance in the overall marketing strategy.

As we look back at 2017, it’s evident that the content marketing landscape has evolved significantly, but the fundamental principles of providing value to the audience and adapting to their changing preferences remain constant. Staying updated with the latest trends and statistics is crucial for marketers looking to navigate the ever-changing world of content marketing successfully.