Survey: Half of Marketers Struggle with Developing Content Marketing Strategies

For nearly half of marketers (48 percent), developing an effective strategy and adequate resources are major stumbling blocks to successful content marketing efforts, according to Ascend2’s “2016 State of Content Marketing Survey.”

Budget constraints (47 percent) and the inability to measure effectiveness (36 percent) are also pain points for marketers.

Looking to the future, marketers are bullish on their content marketing efforts. A total of 89 percent of marketers reported the effectiveness of their content efforts is increasing, with more than one-third (35 percent) indicating it’s “increasing significantly.”

The survey revealed research reports (46 percent), blog posts (45 percent) and videos/podcasts (40 percent) are the most effective types of content. However, the most effective content isn’t always the easiest to create. Respondents named video/podcasts (64 percent) and research reports (62 percent) as the most difficult content types to create.

The survey authors noted how strategy can help marketers utilize resources effectively. “Lack of an effective strategy is the top obstacle to content marketing success. Planning an effective strategy requires a balance of what is most effective with what is realistic to create,” the authors wrote.

The survey included 219 marketers from both small and large companies.

B2B Organizations Look to Strengthen Content Teams

Investment in content marketing is on the horizon according to Curata’s “2016 Content Marketing Staffing and Tactics Barometer.” The data showed 42 percent of organizations (primarily B2B) have an executive responsible for content marketing. By 2017, this percentage is anticipated to increase to 50 percent or more.

Further, 42 percent of respondents indicated they would expand their content marketing staff levels by the end of the year.