Marketers’ Big Dilemma in 2013: Content

I just got a new copy of DMNews in the mail (yes, I love getting the real magazine,) and they had an infographic entitled “Marketers’ 2013 Wish List”.

A couple of things jumped out at me and I think they all point to something:  The overarching need for CONTENT.  A study that I found reported that in 2013 the investment in content marketing is going up for the majority of companies, but the emphasis has shifted from how to build engaging content to how to build ENOUGH content.

Just to make this easier to follow, I scanned the graphic and then annotated it.

The reality facing marketers is one that will be daunting in 2013, especially if you’re a small to midsize company with a really slim marketing staff.   

Content is essential.  Let’s face it: if you want good email marketing that delivers results, you need content.  If you want to engage people in social media and drive interest in your products and services, you need content.  But content is work.  And the need for additional staff or resources to do that work is real.  But hiring people isn’t easy, and may not solve your problems.  What you need is access to affordable content development capabilities that can augment your marketing staff and keep your marketing moving forward. 

The reality is you don’t just need volumes of content.  You need content that is purposeful and drives and engages people towards the outcomes you want.  You need content that fits into a pathway, that resonates with your target audience, and that matches where they are on their buying journey.  It must build trust as well as engage them. This allows you visibility about where they might be in their buying cycle.

While the majority of companies will be investing in larger quantities of content (which is one very real need) and less on engaging content the true need is to implement a content development process. The process ensures the content you develop fulfills a purpose, and helps you achieve your company’s growth goals.

I did a webinar last fall that was entitled “3 Roadblocks to Lead Nurturing Success.” In that webinar, we outline a process that will help you design content in ways that will resonate with your target audience and achieve your goals.

We have been working with customers to help them develop these “pathways” and implement a content development process, and we also have services that augment your marketing and can deliver content on a regular basis that will help you win.