Has the Internet has completely changed the way businesses market? Maybe not as much as you might think. While marketers are embracing a variety of online tools, including social media, they still perceive quality copy as key to the success of their online efforts. Our 2012 Content Marketing survey provides some eye-openers about how marketing professionals perceive, use and value online content.

1. 2012 Digital Content Marketing Survey

2. Overview
There is no doubt content marketing is popular, but what's working, what's
most important, and how are marketers going to accomplish all of this?
Brandpoint and the Content Marketing Institute set out to answer these
questions.
We surveyed 389 marketing decision-makers and found that marketers are
looking for help and consider quality more important than quantity and cost:
Marketers see the best results come from social content,
e-newsletters and blogging.
70% of marketers plan to outsource at least one form of content in
the next 12 months.
Marketers consider engaging/creative storytelling, custom
content, and professional-level writing the most important attributes
when outsourcing content:
Read on to see the results to all of the questions we asked.

3. The most common forms of online content
marketing used are social
content, blogging, press releases and online
articles
Q: Which forms of online
content marketing do
you currently use?
99% of respondents have
used at least one form of
content marketing
base: 389 respondents, multiple answers

4. The best results are coming from social
content, e-newsletters, blogging and online
articles
Social content 53%
Q: Which THREE forms of
E-newsletters 38%
online content
marketing do you see Blogging 37%
the most results from? Online articles 31%
Video 28%
Press releases 28%
Digital whitepapers and/or eBooks 21%
Images & infographics 14%
Mobile content 4%
Advertorials 4%
base: 389 respondents, multiple answers

5. Marketers plan on increasing the outsourcing of
most forms of online content in the next 12
months
Video 29%
32%
Q: Which of the following Images & infographics 17%
22%
online content Online articles 22%
22%
marketing functions
Digital whitepapers and/or eBooks 14%
do you plan to 17%
outsource in 2012? Blogging 16%
17% Past 12 months
Next 12 months
Q: Which online content Social content 13%
17%
marketing functions Press releases 17%
14%
have you outsourced 5%
Mobile content
in the past 12 months? 13%
E-newsletters 6%
9%
Advertorials 8%
7%
70% plan to outsource at
least one form of content in
the next 12 months.
base: 389 respondents, multiple answers

6. Those seeking content providers look for
professional-level writing, custom content, and a
proven track record
Professional-level writing 49%
Q: When evaluating the
Truly custom content 38%
services of a content
Proven track record 34%
provider, what are the
top THREE attributes Strategic consulting/advising 30%
you look for? SEO expertise 26%
Culture fits with your org 24%
Excellent customer service 20%
Comprehensive reporting capabilities 15%
Lowest possible cost 12%
Long-term partnership 10%
Full selection of services 8%
base: 389 respondents, multiple answers

7. Those outsourcing content most value engaging
storytelling, custom content carefully crafted,
and professional-level writing
Q: What are the THREE Engaging and creative storytelling 44%
most important
elements about the Crafted custom content 39%
written content you
Professional-level writing 34%
receive from an
outsource partner? Well edited copy 31%
Copy written for SEO 25%
Only 13% reported
Originality 23%
they do not
outsource online content. Low cost 18%
High volume of content produced quickly 5%
base: 389 respondents, multiple answers

8. 82% of marketers place a high value on content
written for people, not search engines
Q: How important is it to
you that the copy you
use on your website
and blog is written for 37%
a person rather than a 27%
search engine? 14%
18%
3%
Search Engine Optimized Customized to Consumer
base: 389 respondents

9. 80% of marketers describe their organization's
online content strategy as customized, engaging
content and they will pay a little more for the
value added
11% 1%
Q: Which of the following No Answer
Wrote in their
phrases best describe own strategy
your organization’s
online content 7%
Very high volume of
marketing strategy?
generic content at low
prices
80%
Customized, engaging
content with responsive
customer service/paying a
little more for the value
added
base: 389 respondents

10. Those polled were marketing decision-makers
from a variety of business types and sizes
Q: Including all locations, how many
Q: Is your organization an agency? people (including yourself) are
employed by your organization?
1%
No Answer 1 6%
2-6 17%
31%
No 7 - 50 25%
51 - 250 20%
68% 251 - 1000 12%
Yes
1000+ 19%
base: 389 respondents

11. Method: Data Collection
Hosted by Readex.
Online survey February 15 – March 5, 2012.
389 usable responses, a 4.6% response rate
based on net effective mail out.
The margin of error for percentages based on
these 389 respondents is ±5.0 percentage
points at the 95% confidence level.

12. About Us
Brandpoint has been connecting brands with consumers through original and compelling
content since 1996. Our Content Creation, PR, and SEO services span the continuum of
content marketing needs. With a client portfolio including hundreds of the nation’s leading
agencies, SEO firms and brands, Brandpoint is recognized as a pioneer in content-based
marketing solutions and real-time reporting of measurable, effective results.
Learn more at www.brandpoint.com or 877.374.5270
The Content Marketing Institute (CMI) teaches marketers how to own their media channels
instead of having to rent them through advertising. CMI does this through events like
Content Marketing World, media properties like Chief Content Officer magazine, and
strategic consulting and research for some of the best-known brands in the world.
To see how other marketers are having success with content marketing, download our
ultimate eBook, 100 Content Marketing Examples.