UK 2018,IN THE,CONTENT MARKETING,Benchmarks,Budgets, andTrends,Welcome,Differences Between UK Marketersby Organisations Commitment toContent Marketing,Usage & Team Organisation,Content Creation & Distribution,Methodology/Demographics,About,TABLE OF CONTENTS,3,4,5,10 Commitment & Overall Success16 Content Marketing Strategy & Technologies,19,37,38,29 Goals & Metrics34 Budgets & Spending,2,3,WELCOMEGreetingsMarketers,Its a pleasure to be reporting on the practices of UK content marketers for the sixth year. Content marketing has changed quite abit since 2013, so our annual survey has evolved as well.In 2018, UK marketers will need to ensure that theyve set appropriate goals for content marketing (based on their organisationsunique objectives)and that theyve aligned those goals with the right metrics. As you will see on page 30, 40% of those surveyedsaid theyre doing a fair or poor job in this area.One of the most interesting observations was how big of a difference a slight increase in an organisations commitment to contentmarketing can make. When marketers move from the neutral position of being “somewhat” committedto the stronger positionsof “very” or “extremely” committedtheres a good chance theyll improve their overall content marketing success (see the charton page 4).Special thanks to our report sponsor, Tomorrow People, an award-winning UK B2B content agency that helps us disseminatethese research findings. We hope you find the information valuable as you plan your content marketing activities for 2018 andbeyond!Yoursincontent,LisaMurton BeetsResearchDirectorContentMarketingInstitute,4,MostCommitted,AllRespondents,SomewhatCommitted,Organisationsoverallcontentmarketingapproachisextremely/verysuccessfulHasadocumentedcontentmarketingstrategyOrganisationdoesanexcellent,verygood,orgoodjobofaligningmetricswithcontentmarketinggoalsPercentageoftotalmarketingbudgetspentoncontentmarketing(average)Rates project management flow during content-creation process as excellent/very goodAgreesthatorganisationhasrealisticexpectationsaboutwhatcontentmarketingcanachieveAlways/frequentlydeliverscontentconsistently(e.g.,onadefined,regularlyscheduledbasis)AgreesthatorganisationvaluescreativityandcraftincontentcreationandproductionAgreesthatleadershipteamgivesampletimetoproducecontentmarketingresults,38%58%50%40%47%83%78%96%73%,23%38%43%30%35%59%56%75%58%,5%19%32%19%21%40%34%57%43%,COMPARISON CHARTDifferences BetweenUKMarketers byOrganisations Commitment*to Content Marketing,*Charttermdefinitions:The“mostcommitted”respondentsarethosewhodescribetheirorganisationscommitmentleveltocontentmarketingasextremelyorverycommitted.The“somewhatcommitted”describeitassomewhatcommitted.Base:UKcontentmarketers.ContentMarketingintheUK2018Benchmarks,Budgets,andTrends.ContentMarketingInstitute.,5,ATRALIANCONTENTMARKETINGORGANISATIONThe larger the organisation, the more likely it is to have a centralisedcontent marketing group that works with multiple brands/product linesthroughout the organisation.39% of this years UK respondents said their organisations are in thesophisticated/mature phase of content marketing maturity; 26% are inthe adolescent phase; and 34% are in the young/first steps phase.More than half of respondents (53%) outsource at least one contentmarketing activity. Content creation is the activity they outsource mostoften (42%).,6,Contentmarketingisdefinedas“astrategicmarketingapproachfocusedoncreatinganddistributingvaluable,relevant,andconsistentcontenttoattractandretainaclearlydefinedaudienceand,ultimately,todriveprofitablecustomeraction.”Base:AllUKrespondents.,YesContentMarketingintheUK2018Benchmarks,Budgets,andTrends.ContentMarketingInstitute.,No,USAGE & TEAM ORGANISATIONDoes your organisation use content marketing?PercentageofUKRespondentsWhoUseContentMarketing,86%,14%,ContentMarketingintheUK2018Benchmarks,Budgets,andTrends.ContentMarketingInstitute.7,USAGE & TEAM ORGANISATIONHow would you describe your organisationscontent marketing maturity level?HowUKMarketersAssessTheirOrganisationsContentMarketingMaturityLevel,Providingaccurate,SOPHISTICATED7%measurementtothebusiness,scalingacrosstheorganisation,Findingsuccess,MATURE32%yetchallengedwithintegrationacrosstheorganisation,Havedeveloped,ADOLESCENT26%abusinesscase,seeingearlysuccess,becomingmoresophisticatedwithmeasurementandscaling,Growingpains,YOUNG27%challengedwithcreatingacohesivestrategyandameasurementplan,some,FIRST STEPSDoing 7% aspectsofcontent,buthavenotyetbeguntomakecontentmarketingaprocess,Base:UKcontentmarketers;aidedlist.,USAGE & TEAM ORGANISATIONHow is content marketing structuredwithin your organisation?UKContentMarketingOrganisationalStructure,Centralisedcontentmarketinggroupthatworkswithmultiplebrands/productlinesthroughouttheorganisationEachbrand(productline/property)hasitsowncontentmarketingteamBoth:AcentralisedgroupaswellasindividualteamsthroughouttheorganisationSmall(orone-person)marketing/contentmarketingteamservestheentireorganisationOtherContentMarketingintheUK2018Benchmarks,Budgets,andTrends.ContentMarketingInstitute.8,21%,7%10%5%,57%Base: UKcontentmarketers;aidedlist.,9,ContentMarketingintheUK2018Benchmarks,Budgets,andTrends.ContentMarketingInstitute.,USAGE & TEAM ORGANISATIONWhat content marketing activities does yourorganisation outsource?ContentMarketingActivitiesUKMarketersOutsource,42%,14%11%,ContentCreation(e.g.,writers,designers,videoproduction)ContentPromotion/DistributionContentMarketingMeasurement,ContentMarketingStrategyOtherDonotoutsourceanycontentmarketingactivities,47%,10%5%,Note:Morethanhalf(53%)ofrespondentsoutsourceatleastoneofthecontentmarketingactivitieslisted.Base:UKcontentmarketers.Aidedlist;multipleresponsespermitted.,10,UKCONTENTMARKETINGOVERALL SUCCESS50% of respondents described their organisations commitment levelto content marketing as extremely or very committed; 43% describedit as somewhat committed; and 8% described it as not very or not at allcommitted.75% characterised their organisations overall content marketing approach asextremely, very, or moderately successful.68% reported that their organisations overall content marketing success hasincreased (much more/somewhat more) compared with one year ago.,1%,ContentMarketingintheUK2018Benchmarks,Budgets,andTrends.ContentMarketingInstitute.11,Base:UKcontentmarketers;aidedlist.,COMMITMENT & OVERALL SUCCESSHow would you describe your organisationscommitment level to content marketing?UKOrganisationsCommitmenttoContentMarketing,ExtremelyCommitted,Very Committed,30%43%SomewhatCommitted,Not At AllCommittedNot VeryCommitted,20%7%,3%,3%,ContentMarketingintheUK2018Benchmarks,Budgets,andTrends.ContentMarketingInstitute.12,Base:UKcontentmarketers;aidedlist.,52%,20%22%,COMMITMENT & OVERALL SUCCESSHow would you characterise the successof your organisations current overallcontent marketing approach?HowUKMarketersRatetheSuccessofTheirOrganisationsOverallContentMarketingApproachVerySuccessful,ModeratelySuccessful,MinimallySuccessful,ExtremelySuccessfulNot At AllSuccessful,ContentMarketingintheUK2018Benchmarks,Budgets,andTrends.ContentMarketingInstitute.13,COMMITMENT & OVERALL SUCCESSHow does the success of your organisationscurrent overall content marketing approachcompare with one year ago?HowUKMarketersRateTheirOrganisationsContentMarketingApproachComparedWithOneYearAgo54%25%14%,2%,0%,5%,MuchMoreSuccessful,SomewhatMoreSuccessful,AbouttheSameasOneYearAgo,SomewhatLessSuccessful,MuchLessSuccessful,DoesNotApply(programislessthanoneyearold),Base:UKcontentmarketers;aidedlist.,14,ContentMarketingintheUK2018Benchmarks,Budgets,andTrends.ContentMarketingInstitute.,Otherfactorscited:We Have Given Our EffortsTime to Bear Fruit and Are Now Getting Results(24%); Content Marketing Technologies/Tools(22%); More Budget for Content Marketing(22%); Content Marketing Training/Education(13%); Changes in Our Target Audience(s)(10%); Assistance of Outside Expertise (7%);and Other (3%).Base:UKcontentmarketerswhosaidtheirorganisationsoverallcontentmarketingapproachismuchmoreorsomewhatmoresuccessfulcomparedwithoneyearago.,COMMITMENT & OVERALL SUCCESSTo what factors do you attribute your organisationsincrease in overall success with content marketing?FactorsContributingtoUKMarketersIncreasedSuccessOvertheLastYear,83%,68%,Content Creation (higherquality, more e cient)Strategy (developmentor adjustment)Content Distribution (bettertargeting, identi cationof what works)Content Marketing HasBecome a Greater PriorityManagement/HR (organisationalchanges, sta ng, new contentmarketing roles),41%39%38%,38%28%,Spending MoreTime onContent MarketingContent Measurement(growing in ability to show results),OPINIONS ABOUT CONTENT MARKETINGIndicate your level of agreement with the following statementsconcerning content marketing in your organisation.UKMarketersOpinionsAboutContentMarketing,80%75%,11%16%,9%9%,59%58%,55%,20%23%23%,34%,41%,20%19%22%25%,22%,33%,Our organisation is focused on building audiences(building one or more subscriber bases)Our organisation values creativity and craftin content creation and production,Our organisation has realistic expectationsabout what content marketing can achieveOur leadership team gives us ampletime to produce content marketing resultsWe are discontinuing speci c content marketingactivities that weve found to be ine ective, so wecan concentrate on those that yield the best resultsOver the last year, it has become increasinglydi cult to capture our audiences attention,We are creating less content than one year ago,but that content is driving greater resultsContentMarketingintheUK2018Benchmarks,Budgets,andTrends.ContentMarketingInstitute.15, Agree, Neither Agree Nor Disagree, Disagree,45%Base:UKcontentmarketers;aidedlist.,16,UKCONTENTMARKETINGSTRATEGY & TECHNOLOGIES78% of respondents said their organisation has acontent marketing strategy (38% said it is documentedand 40% said it is verbal only).Respondents reported their organisations use an averageof three digital technologies specifically for managing contentmarketing efforts.The two types of technology with the highest reported use are analyticstools (81%) and email marketing-focused technology (78%).,4%,19%,40%,CONTENT MARKETING STRATEGY & TECHNOLOGIESDoes your organisation have acontent marketing strategy?PercentageofUKMarketersWhoHaveaContentMarketingStrategyYes, and it isdocumented38%,No, with no plansto have one within12 monthsNo, but plan to haveone within 12 monthsContentMarketingintheUK2018Benchmarks,Budgets,andTrends.ContentMarketingInstitute.17,Yes, but it is notdocumentedBase:UKcontentmarketers;aidedlist.,ContentMarketingintheUK2018Benchmarks,Budgets,andTrends.ContentMarketingInstitute.18,Base:UKcontentmarketers.Aidedlist;multipleresponsespermitted.,Othertechnologiesused:Webinar/OnlinePresentationPlatforms(20%);VideoTools/Platforms(17%);Content,TechnologiesUKMarketersUsetoManageContentMarketingEorts(Top4),81%78%,59%,46%,AnalyticsToolsEmail MarketingTechnology (email-focused)Content Management SystemMarketingAutomationSoftware(automation-focused),Planning/CreationSoftware(9%);ContentCollaboration/WorkflowSoftware(8%);ContentPromotion/DistributionSoftware(8%);ContentOptimizationSoftware(6%);DigitalAssetManagement(DAM)System/FileStorage(5%);andOther(1%).AVERAGENUMBERUSED:3,CONTENT MARKETING STRATEGY & TECHNOLOGIESWhich type(s) of digital technologies does your organisationuse specifically for managing its content marketing efforts?,19,UKCONTENTMARKETING&DISTRIBUTIONWhen asked how well content-creation projects flow withintheir organisation, 35% of respondents rated the flow asexcellent or very good; 34% rated it as good; and 31% rated it as fair or poor.Among the content types, distribution formats, and social media platformsthat respondents use, they rated case studies, email, and LinkedIn as mosteffective in helping their organisation achieve specific objectives.44% of respondents send a monthly newsletter via email.,CONTENT CREATION & DISTRIBUTIONHow often do you take thefollowing conceptsintoaccountwhile creating content foryourorganisation?HowOftenUKMarketersConsiderVariousConceptsWhileCreatingContent,74%72%71%70%57%56%,43%,36%,21%Base:UKcontentmarketers;aidedlist.,21%23%23%26%35%34%,5%5%6%4%8%10%,9%,Ensure that our content isfact-based and/or credible,Prioritise delivering content qualityover content quantityConsider how our content impacts the overallexperience a person has with our organisationFocus on creating content for ouraudience versus our brandPrioritise providing the right content tothe right person at the right timeDi erentiate our content fromour competitions contentDeliver content consistently(e.g., on a de ned, regularly scheduled basis),Craft content based on speci cpoints of the buyers journeyContentMarketingintheUK2018Benchmarks,Budgets,andTrends.ContentMarketingInstitute.20, Always/Frequently, Sometimes91%, Rarely/Never,7%,28%,34% 27%,4%,CONTENT CREATION & DISTRIBUTIONHow would you rate the project management flow during thecontent creation process (from concept through completion)within your organisation?HowUKMarketersRatetheProjectManagementFlowDuringtheContentCreationProcess,EXCELLENT,VERYGOOD,GOOD FAIR,POOR,Thevastmajorityofourprojectsmovealongeiciently,Most of ourprojectsmove alongeiciently,Someofourprojectsmovealongeiciently,butwefacebottlenecks,Most of ourprojects areheld up bybottlenecks,Many of ourprojectsmove alongeiciently,