2018北美技术内容营销趋势（英文版）_36页_2mb

2018 Technology Content Marketing: Benchmarks, Budgets, and Trends—North America Summary

Core Content Marketing Trends

The 2018 Technology Content Marketing report provides insights into the state of content marketing in North American technology organizations. It highlights the growing commitment to content marketing, the effectiveness of various strategies and tools, and the evolving budget and spending patterns.

Overall Success and Commitment

• Success Increase: The percentage of technology marketers reporting high levels of overall content marketing success increased from 24% in 2017 to 31% in 2018. Another 50% reported moderate success.
• Commitment: Nearly 70% of technology marketers indicated their organization is extremely or very committed to content marketing.
• Leadership Support: The percentage of marketers who agreed their leadership team gives them ample time to produce content marketing results increased from 51% to 66%.

Top Performing Content Marketers

The top-performing content marketers (most successful) are characterized by:

• High organizational commitment (91%)
• A sophisticated/mature content marketing approach (80%)
• A documented content marketing strategy (76%)
• Emphasis on audience building (95%)
• Effective project management (69%)
• Realistic expectations about content marketing's capabilities (86%)

Content Marketing Maturity Levels

• Sophisticated/Mature: 10% of respondents
• Mature: 35%
• Adolescent: 26%
• Young: 24%
• First Steps: 5%

Content Marketing Strategy and Technologies

• Documented Strategy: 43% of respondents reported their organization has a documented content marketing strategy, similar to last year.
• Digital Technologies Used: On average, organizations use five digital technologies for content marketing.
• Top Technologies: Analytics tools (91%) and marketing automation software (75%) are the most commonly used.
• Other Technologies: Video tools/platforms (30%), content collaboration/workflow software (27%), content planning/creation software (14%), content promotion/distribution software (13%), and digital asset management (DAM) systems (11%).

Content Creation and Distribution

• Buyer Journey Focus: There was a decrease in the percentage of marketers who always/frequently craft content based on specific points of the buyer's journey (from 60% to 50%).
• Right Content to Right Person: An increase in the percentage of marketers who prioritize providing the right content to the right person at the right time (from 49% to 63%).
• Most Effective Content Types: eBooks/white papers, email, and LinkedIn are the top three content types for achieving specific objectives.
• Most Effective Formats: The top three formats for content distribution are email, webinars, and digital magazines.
• Social Media Platforms: LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook are the most effective social media platforms for content marketing.
• Email Types: Email newsletters, partnership emails, and ad hoc newsletters are the most commonly used.

Budget and Spending

• Average Budget Allocation: 24% of total marketing budgets are spent on content marketing, with the most successful marketers allocating 30% on average.
• Budget Expectations: 42% of total respondents expect their content marketing budget to increase in the next 12 months.
• Young Organizations: Over half (54%) of those in the first steps/young phase plan to increase their content marketing budget.

Metrics and ROI

• Metric Alignment: 48% of respondents rated their organization's alignment of metrics with content marketing goals as excellent, very good, or good.
• ROI Measurement: 59% of marketers measure content marketing ROI, with 39% not doing so and citing the need for an easier way to do so as the top reason.
• Effectiveness of Metrics: Nearly 80% of respondents can demonstrate how content marketing has increased audience engagement and lead generation using metrics.

Methodology and Demographics

• Survey Methodology: The report is based on an annual survey conducted by the Content Marketing Institute, sponsored by IDG Communications.
• Respondents: 274 respondents from North America, representing 90% B2B, 8% B2B+B2C, and 2% B2C organizations.
• Company Size and Revenue: The survey included a range of company sizes and revenue levels, with a global sample of 2,190 marketers.

Key Takeaways

• There is a clear upward trend in the perceived success of content marketing efforts.
• Organizations are increasingly adopting sophisticated strategies and tools.
• Leadership support and time allocation are crucial for content marketing success.
• Email, LinkedIn, and webinars remain the most effective content types and formats.
• Budget increases are expected, particularly among less mature organizations.

Conclusion

The 2018 report underscores the growing importance of content marketing in the technology sector, with a focus on strategic alignment, measurement, and the use of advanced tools. As the field continues to evolve, organizations that invest in training, process refinement, and audience-centric content are more likely to achieve success.