Content marketing will be the top priority for chief marketing officers (CMOs) this year despite an ongoing struggle to measure the true impact of strategies and campaigns, a new study published by PAN Communications has found.
The annual Content Fitness Report analyses the latest trends and challenges facing chief marketing officers. Content remains a core focus for brands as 60% said they will be prioritising investment in this area during the next twelve months, while 50% said they will double down on thought leadership.
This highlights how content and engaging creative is being centred around high-quality editorials, articles, and blogs, that can push a brand’s desire to be an authority in a specialised field or sector. Content and thought leadership were way ahead of the rest in terms of budget allocation for 2018.
While content is critical to marketing strategies, 65% said they are still struggling to measure their campaigns effectively. The vast majority of those that said they lack confidence claim determining the return on investment is a particular problem.
Just one in five respondents said they are managing a successful content program, which suggests many brands could benefit from working with an expert third party ahead. A similar number said they are “ahead of their competitors” in this regard.
Moving forward, 16% of marketers said they will boost investment in content by 25% or more, while 28% will see spend grow by between 5-10%. Other budget priorities for the year include influencer marketing, martech investment and employee and customer advocacy.
