Content is the New Currency: A Marketer’s Strategic Imperative

Despite economic challenges, increasing inflation and budgetary cutbacks this past year, marketers are turning up the notch when it comes to content creation. To keep pace with expected return on investment, marketers are forced to get creative, explore new methods of engagement and leverage the latest technological developments in content creation. Feedback from marketing leaders indicates that content creation and distribution is still vital for brand recognition, lead generation and increasing revenue.

Marketers Ramp Up Content Production Amidst Economic Challenges

Although budgetary restrictions plague the technology industry, marketing decision makers are doubling down on content production. Content production is increasing in order to match pace with competitors, optimize additional channels and engage with new targets. According to recent findings, an impressive 92% of marketers increased content output in comparison to content production last year.

Even with reports of decreased marketing budgets as a percentage of overall revenue in 2023, marketing leaders report spending more for content creation and distribution. In fact, 9 out of 10 marketers reported an increase in budget to accommodate content.

Accelerating Content Production with Artificial Intelligence

Increased investments in content production, with growing expectations of content quantity, indicate a need for faster, more innovative production. In order to achieve these increased rates of output, a growing population of marketers are turning to advanced technology, such as artificial intelligence (AI). The enthusiasm for this tool has grown significantly over the past few years. A few years ago, only 47% of marketers expressed interest in using AI for content marketing. Now, estimates reveal that 81% of marketers report AI use for content creation. This drastic shift in sentiment and usage indicates a future trend in the use of AI for marketing content.

Prioritizing Social and Video for Maximum Impact

While the industry explores new methods of content creation, it continues to leverage engaging channels and formats for distribution. For years, organizations have touted the benefits of social media for marketing efforts. So, it is no surprise that 46% of marketers plan to increase distribution of social media content. Similarly, marketers continue to see success with video content. To capitalize on this format, 41% of marketers plan to increase distribution of video content. Even marketers with more limited budgets indicate that social media and video content are most important for marketing initiatives. This trend may suggest that future marketing investments continue in this direction.

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The Importance of Content Cadence

The industry is not only increasing the quality and quantity of content, but also the cadence of postings. Across industries and company sizes, daily content creation is gaining traction. On average, close to half of companies globally push content every day. Of these global companies publishing daily, only one third have adopted a daily publishing schedule. Other content cadence trends show that among these global organizations, B2B companies are outpacing B2C companies in daily content production.

From Creation to Conversion: Tracking Content Success

The content creation landscape for marketing leaders is in constant flux, driven by evolving search engine algorithms and the impending cookie-free era. Executives are leveraging multi-faceted approaches in their marketing strategies. Nearly half of marketing executives are using research and website analytics to comprehend audience behavior and adapt their content and distribution techniques accordingly. This data-driven approach is supported by strategic planning that aligns with product launches and marketing campaigns. Creating marketing content is now a more collaborative effort, where sales and marketing teams work together to produce revenue-generating content.

In an era marked by economic uncertainty and evolving consumer behaviors, content creation has emerged as a strategic imperative for marketers. The industry is undergoing a transformative shift, characterized by increased investment, rapid production and a focus on data-driven strategies. Despite ongoing challenges, the potential rewards are substantial. By embracing innovative technologies, understanding audience needs and measuring performance rigorously, marketers can position their organizations for long-term success in the competitive digital landscape. Ultimately, the future of marketing hinges on data-driven content strategies that resonate with audiences and deliver tangible business results.

Bio: Susan Thomas is a B2B tech marketing executive best known for delivering winning communications programs for industry leaders and the companies commanding the biggest exits in the technology industry. Founder of 10Fold, Susan built the agency to become one of the top eight percent of all B2B communications agencies in the United States. 10Fold has won five dozen awards for service excellence and Susan has won several dozen awards for her leadership and the company culture she has built at 10Fold which includes offices in the Bay Area and San Diego, CA as well as Austin, TX and Boston, MA.  Technology leaders relying on 10Fold over the years include Brocade, Comcast, Computer Associates, Itron, Nimble Storage, ProofPoint, Rockwell Automation, Seagate, Versa and Vodafone, as well as 400+ IPO-bound startups.

Notable Venture Capitalists and Private Equity firms throughout the United States and EMEA refer companies to 10Fold based on their service excellent and reputation for positioning companies for leadership.  In the past five years, 10Fold has been credited with helping to create billions in corporate valuations through strategic communications programs.

Prior to 10Fold, Susan was a manager for Sybase (acquired by SAP) where she was responsible for visibility of core System 10 product lines. Prior to Sybase, Susan was a manager for MemorexTelex, helping the company communicate with its investor, analyst and media audiences. Before Susan left, she managed a budget of more than $2 Million and reported to the Chief Financial Officer of this global, $2 Billion corporate entity.

Susan is on the advisory board for Heritage Commerce Bank, Stanford Health Care (East Bay) and LaborIQ by Think Why. Susan also served as an advisor to the Stanford School of Business as a mentor and judge for their entrepreneurial program and competition. Susan is a distinguished member of the Barton School of Business Dean’s Advisory Board at Wichita State University. Susan was selected as one of just 14 executives (among the 45,000 members) in Vistage for a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2023 – to participate with the Small Business Association at the White House. Susan has been a member of Vistage since 2006, and prior to that was a member of the Women’s President’s Organization for 10 years.  Susan has continuing education credits with the Institute for Women’s Leadership and the Strozzi Institute. Susan lives with her husband, Jim, and they spend as much time as they can with their two daughters, two sons and their wonderful daughter-in-law. Susan’s favorite hobby is riding her quarter horse in the beautiful hills of Northern California.

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