Content Marketing Benchmark Report

1. Content Marketing Benchmark Report © 2014 Demand Metric Research Corporation in Partnership with Ascend2. All Rights Reserved. Benchmark Report Content Marketing in 2014: Sponsored By:

2. TABLE OF CONTENTS 3 4 5 6 7 8 Executive Summary Content Marketing Objectives Current Content Marketing Success Obstacles to Content Marketing Success Premium Content Usage Content Type Effectiveness 12 14 15 Channel Effectiveness for Content About Marketo About Demand Metric & Ascend2 10 11 Content Campaign Resources Content Marketing Software Usage 16Content Type Execution Appendix – Survey Background9 13 Content & The Sales Cycle TABLE OF CONTENTS 3 4 5 6 7 8 Executive Summary Content Marketing Objectives Current Content Marketing Success Obstacles to Content Marketing Success Premium Content Usage Content Type Effectiveness 12 14 15 Channel Effectiveness for Content About Marketo About Demand Metric & Ascend2 10 11 Content Campaign Resources Content Marketing Software Usage 16Content Type Execution Appendix – Survey Background9 13 Content & The Sales Cycle

3. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Content is an essential component of marketing. Buyers self-educate more deeply into the sales cycle than every before. Content marketing is an essential strategy to attracting, engaging and acquiring customers during this self-education process. Yet only 13% of respondents believe their content strategy is “very successful” at achieving important objectives. What will content marketing success look like in the year ahead and how will marketers achieve it? To find out, Demand Metric in partnership with Ascend2 fielded the Content Marketing Survey and completed interviews with 521 marketing and sales decision-makers and practitioners from around the world. We thank these busy professionals for sharing their valuable insights with you. The charts in this report compare the strategies and practices of small and mid-size businesses (SMB) with large enterprises. This research has been produced for your use. Put it to work in your own marketing strategy planning and presentation materials. Clip the charts and write about them in your blog or post them on social media. Please share this research credited as published. - Jerry Rackley, Chief Analyst – Demand Metric EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Content is an essential component of marketing. Buyers self-educate more deeply into the sales cycle than every before. Content marketing is an essential strategy to attracting, engaging and acquiring customers during this self-education process. Yet only 13% of respondents believe their content strategy is “very successful” at achieving important objectives. What will content marketing success look like in the year ahead and how will marketers achieve it? To find out, Demand Metric in partnership with Ascend2 fielded the Content Marketing Survey and completed interviews with 521 marketing and sales decision-makers and practitioners from around the world. We thank these busy professionals for sharing their valuable insights with you. The charts in this report compare the strategies and practices of small and mid-size businesses (SMB) with large enterprises. This research has been produced for your use. Put it to work in your own marketing strategy planning and presentation materials. Clip the charts and write about them in your blog or post them on social media. Please share this research credited as published. - Jerry Rackley, Chief Analyst – Demand Metric

4. 20% 28% 18% 27% 33% 31% 26% 43% 56% 20% 24% 24% 25% 26% 29% 32% 52% 53% 0% 20% 40% 60% Increase social media engagement Increase marketing ROI Improve customer retention rate Increase direct sales revenue Improve organic search (SEO) rankings Increase number of website visitors Improve sales-readiness of leads Increase brand or product awareness Increase number of leads generated Most Important Content Marketing Objectives Enterprise SMB Content Marketing Benchmark Survey, Demand Metric and Ascend2, January 2014, n=521 CONTENT MARKETING OBJECTIVES As a strategy, content marketing is capable of delivering each of the benefits listed in Figure 1. This data makes clear that lead generation is the current top objective for content marketing strategies with companies of all sizes. As a lead generation strategy, content marketing is more effective when paired with other objectives on this list, such as increasing website visits and improving organic search rankings. While these latter objectives are not highly ranked, they also are top drivers of lead generation performance. 4 Figure 1: Most Important Content Marketing Objectives 20% 28% 18% 27% 33% 31% 26% 43% 56% 20% 24% 24% 25% 26% 29% 32% 52% 53% 0% 20% 40% 60% Increase social media engagement Increase marketing ROI Improve customer retention rate Increase direct sales revenue Improve organic search (SEO) rankings Increase number of website visitors Improve sales-readiness of leads Increase brand or product awareness Increase number of leads generated Most Important Content Marketing Objectives Enterprise SMB Content Marketing Benchmark Survey, Demand Metric and Ascend2, January 2014, n=521 CONTENT MARKETING OBJECTIVES As a strategy, content marketing is capable of delivering each of the benefits listed in Figure 1. This data makes clear that lead generation is the current top objective for content marketing strategies with companies of all sizes. As a lead generation strategy, content marketing is more effective when paired with other objectives on this list, such as increasing website visits and improving organic search rankings. While these latter objectives are not highly ranked, they also are top drivers of lead generation performance. 4 Figure 1: Most Important Content Marketing Objectives

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6. ABOUT DEMAND METRIC & ASCEND2 About Demand Metric Demand Metric is a global marketing research & advisory firm serving a membership community of over 40,000 marketing professionals, CEOs, and business owners with advisory services, 100+ research & benchmark reports, 20+ consulting methodologies, 50+ training e-workshops & courses, and a library of 500+ practical tools and templates. Using Demand Metric resources, members complete projects faster and with greater confidence, boosting respect for the marketing team and making it easier to justify needed resources. Our 1,200+ corporate clients range from start-ups to consulting firms to members of the Global 1000. To learn more about Demand Metric, please visit: www.demandmetric.com. About Ascend2 Ascend2 is a market research firm with over 50,000 research subscribers and survey panelists comprised of sales & marketing professionals. Each month they field new research studies and generate reports that typically include 12 to 18 pages of charts and analytical commentary. Demand Metric partners with Ascend2 to leverage their panel of research survey panelists and develop additional benchmark reports for community members. Learn more about Ascend2 at www.Ascend2.com. To read the rest of this Benchmark Report, become a Demand Metric member today! ABOUT DEMAND METRIC & ASCEND2 About Demand Metric Demand Metric is a global marketing research & advisory firm serving a membership community of over 40,000 marketing professionals, CEOs, and business owners with advisory services, 100+ research & benchmark reports, 20+ consulting methodologies, 50+ training e-workshops & courses, and a library of 500+ practical tools and templates. Using Demand Metric resources, members complete projects faster and with greater confidence, boosting respect for the marketing team and making it easier to justify needed resources. Our 1,200+ corporate clients range from start-ups to consulting firms to members of the Global 1000. To learn more about Demand Metric, please visit: www.demandmetric.com. About Ascend2 Ascend2 is a market research firm with over 50,000 research subscribers and survey panelists comprised of sales & marketing professionals. Each month they field new research studies and generate reports that typically include 12 to 18 pages of charts and analytical commentary. Demand Metric partners with Ascend2 to leverage their panel of research survey panelists and develop additional benchmark reports for community members. Learn more about Ascend2 at www.Ascend2.com. To read the rest of this Benchmark Report, become a Demand Metric member today!