Blogging Trends That Bring Content Marketing Down to Business. In fact, 28% of B2B marketers, and 30% of B2C marketers now say their program has reached the sophisticated or mature stage of progress – the point where their efforts are able to provide measurable value to the business. Consider these data points from CMI’s research: 80% of B2B marketers and 75% of B2C marketers include blogging among their current techniques. In fact, as the findings from Orbit Media’s third annual blogging trends survey reveal, some interesting changes are happening when it comes to content length, time spent creating posts, promotion efforts, and performance measurement. In fact, CMI’s 2017 research found that 53% of B2B practitioners who say they are achieving greater success now than in previous years attribute the increase to spending more time on content marketing. Fewer bloggers are going it alone Key findings: The majority of bloggers get a second set of eyes on their posts, and approximately one in four works with an editor to help maintain optimal quality and production standards. Our perspective: It’s no surprise that bloggers are increasingly relying on visuals and other multimedia content formats to engage audiences. What metrics will we use to measure success? Our perspective: You worked hard to produce your content and make it valuable to your audience. For help getting started, use the template provided by CMI’s Michele Linn in her post on how to simplify your editorial reporting.
If you’ve seen any of CMI’s 2017 Benchmarks, Budgets, and Trends research, you may have noticed that the content marketing industry is growing up. In fact, 28% of B2B marketers, and 30% of B2C marketers now say their program has reached the sophisticated or mature stage of progress – the point where their efforts are able to provide measurable value to the business.
Increasing sophistication with content doesn’t mean practitioners have outgrown the tools and techniques that helped them reach greater success. And, despite all the channels, formats, and digital innovations emerging in our industry over the last few years, one tried-and-true tactic, in particular, continues to lead the pack when it comes to reliably driving returns on the content investment: blogging.
Consider these data points from CMI’s research:
- 80% of B2B marketers and 75% of B2C marketers include blogging among their current techniques.
- 52% of B2B and 51% of B2C marketers expect that blogging will be their most critical tactic for achieving success in the upcoming year.
But just because blogging doesn’t seem to be losing its standing in the marketing mix doesn’t mean marketers’ preferred practices aren’t subject to shifts in media trends and consumption preferences. In fact, as the findings from Orbit Media’s third annual blogging trends survey reveal, some interesting changes are happening when it comes to content length, time spent creating posts, promotion efforts, and performance measurement.
While Orbit Media Strategy Director Andy Crestodina’s own summary focuses on what’s changed over the past year, the results also reveal trends gradually gaining momentum. Below are some findings that we at CMI see as particularly noteworthy, along with some actions we suggest to help you take full advantage of this powerful content marketing channel.
Bloggers are increasingly replacing snackable content with sumptuous feasts
Key findings: The average blog post now takes over three hours to write (a 26% increase, year over year), and the number of bloggers who spend more than six hours on a post doubled in a year.
Our perspective: Anyone can throw together some personal opinions or controversial remarks, toss in a few supporting stats or anecdotal examples, share it in a public forum, and call it a “blog post,” but that doesn’t mean it’s truthful, meaningful, or even valuable content (a hard lesson that Facebook is learning).
Consumers want to trust their information sources and are increasingly expecting that content be rigorously researched, factually accurate, and worthy of their time and attention – meaning that it helps them make better decisions and confidently complete the tasks they need to get done.
Though high-quality, highly detailed content can take more time and resources to produce than snackable, short-form blog posts, the extra effort is likely to pay off in terms of greater customer interest, awareness, and action over the long term. In fact, CMI’s 2017 research found that 53% of B2B practitioners who say they are achieving greater success now than in previous years attribute the increase to spending more time on content marketing.
Our recommendation: Just because you recognize the value of publishing longer, more-detailed blog posts doesn’t make writing them any less intimidating – especially when you are staring at a bunch of blank pages that need to be filled and you are having trouble deciding on a topic.
One way to reduce the stress that can paralyze your writing process is to focus on executing only the most meaningful ideas that enter your creative pipeline. You can use plenty of techniques to prioritize your post topics and avoid wasting energy on projects that will be difficult to bring to fruition, including this four-step process outlined by CMI’s Michele Linn.
Fewer bloggers are going it alone
Key findings: The majority of bloggers get a second set of eyes on their posts, and approximately one in four works with an editor to help maintain optimal quality and production standards.
Our perspective: In addition to meatier, more detailed posts, the Orbit survey reveals an increasing reliance on more formalized editorial processes…
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