Contentoo Report State of Content Creation 2022
Industry Report S tate of Content Creation2022
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2 1 Introduction Meettheexperts 4 3 Interactive content Video content 6 5 Personalized content Collaborative content 7 8 Un-gating content Conclusion Page 2 State of Content Creation 2022
1 Our experts see both opportunity and challenge in the creation of content that consistently leaves target audiences Intro: State of Content interested, impressed, and intrigued. Creation 2022 Without it, our experts say, organizations’ marketing efforts will be lacking, no matter how well-developed their strategies or wide their distribution channels. We believe As both an organization and a these categories accurately represent this, collection of freelancers, acting as foundations for the trends that colleagues, and peers, Contentoo are the name of the game for 2022. has a vested interest in outstanding content creation. We By grouping our expert’s thoughts, insights, and experience on each, we hope understand how it can elevate your organization will be able to find the and differentiate, and we are value you need to continue developing passionate about the craft as content that is unique, impactful, and both an art and a skill. We believe effective as you navigate the rest of this ourselves to be content experts, year – and all of those that follow. with a responsibility to curate information that will drive organizations content marketing efforts forward. With this in mind, we have used the first quarter of this year to speak with marketing experts and leaders about the challenges and trends in content creation that they expect for the remainder of 2022. Through these conversations, we have realized tremendous focus being placed on five distinct categories: interactive content, video content, personalized content, ungated content, and collaborative content. Page 3 State of Content Creation 2022
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2 Melanie Warning Head of Marketing, Meet the experts Contentbird Robert Rose Koen Jordaans Chief Strategy Officer, Founder, The Content Advisory Apostle Regina Karnapp Thomas Igou Managing Director, Head of Content, Content Marketing Forum e.V. Get Accept Bert van Loon Cor Hospes Independent Strategist, Founder & Strategist, BVL I&A Merkjournalisten Ron Dawson Veronica Guguian Principal Content Strategist Founder and Marketing Strategist, HubSpot for Startups, HubSpot SPIN Ideas Christopher Hooper Martin Rua Global Head of Content Marketing, EMEA Corporate Com. Manager, GoCardless OMRON Healthcare Europe Verena Keimer Jurjen Nouhet Marketing Director, Marketeer, Zenjob All Your BI Sergi Garcia Jonas van de Poel CMO, Head of Content Marketing, Red Points Unmuted Janine Grafe Remco de Vries Content Marketing Lead Continental VP of Marketing, Europe, PageGroup inSided Tom Hitch Mark Grasmayer Head of Content, Head of Marketing, Oktra Workspace 365 Hans Dekker Elise Hofman Content Marketing Strategist, Marketing Manager, Newtype Marketing Zoku Marcel Nanning Joost de Kok Owner, Nanning Marketing and Head of Marketing, b2bmarketeers.nl Contentoo Page 4 State of Content Creation 2022
3 who often provide companies with personal information as they engage with it. Content Marketing Institute reiterates Interactive content this point in a recent article: “[With interactive content, organizations Interactive content refers to can] gain direct insights on their content that moves beyond interests, preferences, and behaviors, and learn personal identification data points, simply reading, watching, or which was never possible with passive listening, instead encouraging content techniques.” direct participation or action from target audiences – resulting in deeper, more meaningful brand Businesses would be wise to experiences. focus on getting more deeply connected and developing a Polls, quizzes, smart widgets, digital tools more interconnected such as ROI calculators – examples of interactive content are as wide-ranging as platform of interactive they are engaging and memorable. content experiences. “Interactive versus static content boils Robert Rose down to the difference between actively Chief Strategy Officer consuming information and passively The Content Advisory reading it,” according to American magazine “Inc.”. “[This] is why marketers put its effectiveness at 93% and static content's effectiveness at only 70%.” Our experts agree. Of those surveyed, 30% stressed the importance of interactive [This] is why marketers put its content in the coming year. But its creation effectiveness at 93% and static is not without challenge. As compared to content's effectiveness at only 70%. relatively simple, straightforward content such as blogs or white papers, interactive In addition to efficacy, interactive content requires a larger investment of content holds the potential to collect both money and time. It also requires valuable data from target audiences, specialized talent to create it. Page 5 State of Content Creation 2022
I’m convinced interactive content will fundamentally change the content landscape. You’re creating shared experiences with your target audience. Aconversation is always better than a monologue. Joost de Kok Head of Marketing, Contentoo Page 6 State of Content Creation 2022
4 “But brands with more technical solutions can no longer do without,” says Joost de Kok, Head of Marketing at Contentoo. Video content “It’s a necessity when it comes to differentiating yourself from your competitors. I’m convinced interactive Perhaps obvious in its efficacy content will fundamentally change the and potential for engagement – content landscape. You’re creating shared experience with your target and with no need for an audience. A conversation is always better explanatory introduction – video than a monologue.” content has been a mainstay in content marketing strategies Those organizations seeking to jump into since the rise of the internet, even the interactive content pool should be more so from 2010 forward. cautious, however, ensuring that they have carried out proper research into the format, and putting out assets that have From interviews to event coverage, to clear value and purpose. To do otherwise animations and customer testimonials, the is to distract, adding worthless noise to allure of video is undeniable, according to an already-crowded arena. a HubSpot blog. There, it is revealed that “video on landing pages is capable of Interactivity can definitely help make increasing conversion rates by over 80%, content more engaging, and we have and the mere mention of the word ‘video’ developed a number of applications in your email subject line increases open where this is the case ... rates by 19%. [Meanwhile], 90% of customers also say videos help them make “We are striving for simplicity and quality buying decisions.” in our content,” Christopher Hooper, Global Head of Content Marketing at the mere mention of the word ‘video’ GoCardless, says. “Interactivity can in your email subject line increases definitely help make content more open rates by 19%. [Meanwhile], 90% engaging, and we have developed a of customers also say videos help number of applications where this is the them make buying decisions. case, but interactivity has to be used wisely. If it adds nothing to or detracts Unsurprisingly, video content also plays a from the content experience, then we key role for our experts in 2022. They, have found it is not worth it.” however, are predominantly shifting Page 7 State of Content Creation 2022
toward shorter-form video, capitalizing on the popularity and ubiquity of numerous social media apps that highlight the form. “Especially Instagram Reels and TikTok,” says Verena Keimer, Marketing Director at Zenjob. “When it comes to inbound marketing, we’ll be exploiting video more than we already do.” Static photo content will always be relevant, but video footage still proves to be more engaging time and time again. Elise Hofman Marketing Manager Zoku When producing video content, Content Marketing Institute writes in another blog, strategy is key. It “requires purpose and In addition to tapping into new channels for should be created, managed, and activated video content, our experts understand that with the structure and optimization for all longer videos – webinars and extended the channels where it may be experienced.” interviews being prime examples – remain This means thinking about ways to more-than-viable forms of established incorporate video into other forms of com- munication. The challenge there, content to strengthen and empower it. according to Ron Dawson, Principal Doing so also benefits SEO – enabling Content Strate- gist, HubSpot for Startups organizations to squeeze more out of the at HubSpot, is “being the signal in all the content they create. noise.” It’s all about “strong visual experiences,” adds Marcel Nanning, Owner “We’re making sure we tie podcasts back to of Nanning Marketing & b2bmarketeers.nl. an article and transcript, and a video. Then “Including video, hybrid events, and we’re linking those things to pillars,” says metaverse-like experiences.” Remco de Vries, VP of Marketing at inSided. Page 8 State of Content Creation 2022
5 “It’s also a proven marketing technique,” according to an article by Marketing Insider Group. “90% of US adults say that Personalized content they find personalized marketing content appealing, and personalized CTAs are over 200% more effective than generic CTAs.” Personalized content places focus on smaller, sometimes niche, 90% of US adults say that they find personalized marketing content groups rather than categorized appealing, and personalized CTAs buyer personas or larger sections are over 200% more effective than of target audiences. generic CTAs. By making use of retargeted ads, for Although at first glance it may seem that example, or personalized greetings on personalized content would be more web pages, organizations are able to effective in a B2C context, this isn’t develop human-centric approaches to necessarily the case. Customers, be they content creation, allowing them to better consumers, SMEs, or corporates – more attend to the emotional needs of their specifically the buyers behind them – are customers. all people. Our experts –whom 25% directly referenced personalized content – understand this. Through this Marketers mainly see people understanding, they are able to take strides toward leveraging it in B2B as data and algorithms, not marketing strategies. as people. And that has not really made the world more “[There], we noticed an increased focus on showing more empathy rather than beautiful and better. being functional in the way you communicate,” says Verena. “You want to be more emotional and engaging. This Cor Hospes means you understand your target Founder & Strategist audience, you provide them with Merkjournalisten something that’s helpful – as in relevant – and that you also bear your company values in mind and stay true to them.” Page 9 State of Content Creation 2022
It’s relatively straightforward to create adistinct, unique experience between anindividual and your brand. What’s moredifficult is to create an experience that truly resonates with the customer in that moment. Robert Rose Chief Strategy Officer, The Content Advisory Page 10 State of Content Creation 2022
They also notice a distinction between Done effectively, the result is symbiotic – “personalized” and “personal” content. and a “networking win-win,” says Elise Personalized content is certainly of import, Hofman, Marketing Manager, Zoku. “[You] according to Robert, but delivering personal find other people or brands to partner with, value may be even more so. “It’s relatively so you can leverage one another’s skills, straightforward to create a distinct, unique expertise, and trusted customer base. And experience between an individual and your as a bonus, it also splits the content brand,” he says. “What’s more difficult is to creation efficiency in half.” create an experience that truly resonates with the customer in that moment.” However collaborative the content, organizations should ensure that the focus Additionally, according to Mark Grasmayer, remains on target audiences – readers, Head of Marketing at Workspace 365, viewers, listeners – rather than the personal or personalized content is especially collaborative parties themselves. Says Tom effective when targeting specialized roles. Hitch, Head of Content at Oktra: “We have a solution with a high impact and target the entire decision-making unit, “Sometimes you see collaborative content consisting of communication, information, that has been created because of how it and IT managers,” he says. “It is important makes the creators feel. It feels like an that each role gets the right information, egotistical project. A good piece of because they will not understand or feel the collaborative content gives you the chance message that you want to bring across if you to reach new markets, attract a new deliver the wrong content. Each person has audience, and turn them into your own.” their own goals to achieve, and your content should help them to do so.” Collaboration partners help 6 us cope with the rising expectations and Collaborative content complexities of content marketing projects. Collaborative content, which sees Regina Karnapp two or more organizations working Managing Director together on content that will serve Content Marketing Forum e.V. both companies’ target audiences. Page 11 State of Content Creation 2022
An impressive 40% of our experts agree “That’s something we did this year, and it on the power of the form, as it enables was a very interesting experience. During them to build stronger relationships with the pandemic, many people have created prospects and broadens impact potential, an audience on social media. There are with two organizations leveraging one more influencers than ever before. It’s another’s target audiences to increase another new channel that you can conversions. This can be achieved leverage.” through guest blog posts, testimonials, or interviews. The “wisdom, expertise and Jonas van de Poel, Head of Content insights [external parties can bring to Marketing at Unmuted, meanwhile, is your organization are gold,” reads an using this year to make use of Orbit Media blog. “And a few of their collaborative marketing from a slightly nuggets can add serious value to your different angle. “My focus for 2022 is to piece.” make sure content creation for our clients can easily take place without this An impressive 40% of our experts dependency on in-house writers,” he agree on the power of the form, as it says. “This means focusing on enables them to build stronger collaborative content creation where we relationships with prospects ... embody the role of editor more than that of content creator.” In approaching such content, our experts are also expanding the scope of what collaboration means, with some looking to 7 high-profile individuals or organizations to help sell their products or services. Like Content un-gating short-form video, influencer marketing capitalizes on the popularity of social media – and our experts are making use of such partnerships to create brand A blog from content curation awareness and excitement, as well as to company Scoop.it reveals that generate leads. “80% of B2B content marketing assets are gated.” This number is “If your audience belongs to an industry large, but given gated content’s that has clear thought leaders – people potential for lead generation, is who influence decision-making – then why wouldn’t you want to use them?” asks unsurprising. Sergi Garcia, CMO of Red Points. Page 12 Contentoo Industry Report
The debate is whether someone signing up for gated content is really a measureofbuyingintent. Someone downloads some content because they wanttoread,watchorlisten to that content, not necessarily because they are a buyer looking to buy. The key thing, in my opinion, is what happens to a lead once the content has been downloaded. Christopher Hooper Global Head of Content Marketing, GoCardless Page 13 State of Content Creation 2022
By requiring target audiences to provide lean away from it, opting instead to personal details before downloading a release their content for free, with no typically long-form asset such as a white strings attached. While this tactic may paper or trend report, organizations are not be ideal from a lead generation able to quickly and easily gather standpoint, it drastically increases information about – and means of direct content reach. contact with – potential customers. It also acts as a solid foundation on which “We believe in offering the public as to build a content strategy. Assets that many relevant brand touchpoints as are most commonly downloaded are seen possible as they move through the funnel as more valuable, providing marketing until they’re ready to buy, so that then decision-makers with direction and focus you’re at the top of their minds,” Sergi for future content. says. “It’s not about the leads you can generate, it’s about the marketing- On the other hand, gated content doesn’t sourced revenue you can provide. Also, play well with SEO and brand awareness. when un-gated, all of your content Which is why, in 2022, we are noticing becomes indexable for search engines, organizations – and 35% of our experts – which brings more traffic you can convert.” The real magic is in understanding why we are gating a piece of content? If the answer is, ‘So we can get more names for sales people to call, that’s a bad reason. Robert Rose, Chief Strategy Office at The Content Advisory, adds to this, urging organizations to think strategically about the types of content that are gated, and those that are not. “The trouble is that it’s usually a binary argument: do or don’t. The real magic is in understanding why we are gating a piece of content? If the answer is, ‘So we can get more names for sales people to call, that’s a bad reason. Page 12
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8 There are many nuanced ways to look at gating and un-gating content. For example, perhaps you gate a piece of Conclusion – All exclusive research for two weeks in order about differentiation to build an audience for an upcoming webinar on the topic. And then, after the webinar, you un-gate everything,” he says. “Or perhaps you gate the targeted During our conversations with segmented results, but un-gate the our marketing experts, we overall executive summary. discussed a great deal of content types, strategies, and ideas. They ran the gamut, from those The real question isn’t categories examined above, to whether you should gate or those on the horizon of the not- un-gate your content, but so-distant future, including AI rather what is it we are and Web 3.0. trying to achieve – and how In the near-term for content marketing, we will we use the information see a rise in empathetic, human approaches we receive in return? to content, regardless of type. An emotional connection is the most effective way of creating both impactful first impressions and Robert Rose Chief Strategy Officer long-term customer relationships. Forbes, for The Content Advisory example, calls it “the super weapon of marketing and advertising,” with “campaigns with purely emotional content performing about twice as well as those with only And one of the best rules I’ve seen people rational content.” use to make that last decision is to ask ourselves if we would be willing to tell the It's also the best way for organizations to consumer what’s going to happen to their differentiate themselves – a statement with data after they sign up for this white which our experts nearly unanimously agree. paper or E-book. If we’d be embarrassed to tell them, then it’s probably a safe bet Trends are trends – and popularity, that we should rethink gating it.” popularity, our experts say. And there is Page 15 State of Content Creation 2022
“Channel trends are always overrated. undeniably something to that. But orga- Social media and other publishing nizations should steer away from creating channels will come and go. Content is the content for the sole reason of joining the key, not the channel you use to post it,” party. Whatever its form, your content Regina adds. must simultaneously bring value to your target audience and your organization. Everything else is secondary. We understand, however, that we live in an increasingly digital world – and with it, an increasing amount of industry The challenge is not so noise – for better or for worse. much the format, but We understand, however, that we live in standing out within the an increasingly digital world – and with formats. it, an increasing amount of industry noise – for better or for worse. To stand out, companies must take strides to create Sergi Garcia CMO content that differentiates themselves Red Points from the competition, as well as cultivate interest and loyalty from internet-savvy consumers and target audiences, who “A lot of content is produced and demand increasingly high-quality everybody fights for the attention of their content. audience,” Marcel says. “You have to deserve that attention and deliver the With differentiation being key, we have best content in your field in order to learned that best-performing content stand out. formats – as well as other variables such as publishing frequency, volume, and You have to deserve that attention channels – often take a “listen first” and deliver the best content in your approach, opening lanes of dialogue with field in order to stand out. your prospects and customers, and involving them in the content marketing This can only be done by diving deep into process, from strategy to execution and the target audience and translating measurement. This is the best proxy for insights into creative and valuable deciding what formats are likely to content. The same creativity is needed resonate with your audience, thus making for the distribution of that content.” your content program a success. Page 16 State of Content Creation 2022
Thank you We’d like to thank all of our marketing Contentoo's managed service model experts for their time, effort, and insights. means an experienced content advisor Without you, this guide would not have works closely with each client. been possible. We can’t wait to see what Companies can upscale and downscale the future holds for the industry. And as content production as needed, without we plan and forge the path forward, we compromising quality. Contentoo clients will continue to do our part in include Mollie, Swapfiets, Rituals, communicating, collaborating, cultivating, Booking.com, and Meatless Farm. For and elevating those who are doing more information, visit contentoo.com. amazing things in content marketing. About Contentoo Founded in 2017, Contentoo is Europe’s leading platform for marketing talent. talk to content advisor Contentoo matches marketing teams with its pre-screened freelance community of more than 500 content marketing talents, Contentoo including copywriters, translators, Koivistokade 68, 1013 BB Amsterdam, localization experts, UX writers, designers, The Netherlands content strategists and SEO specialists. [email protected] With a net promoter score (NPS) of 86 and [email protected] more than 20,000 projects successfully [email protected] executed, Contentoo’s proprietary method for matching freelance talent to client 020 - 70 70 627 needs means companies can always find the perfect professional for the job—no matter the industry, writing style, or content type. Page 17 State of Content Creation 2022
