Content marketing on the rise internationally

For the study, over 700 communication managers from eight countries were surveyed on the "State of Content Marketing" and the future of content marketing. The study was initiated by the Content Marketing Forum and designed by the market research and strategy consultancy Zehnvier, Zurich.

The study, which includes German-speaking countries, the UK and the USA as well as individual countries from Scandinavia, the Benelux countries and Eastern Europe as representatives of the respective regions, shows that companies in most countries already rely on content-driven communication rather than advertising: In most countries, around half of companies already rely on content-driven communication rather than advertising messages (Poland 56%, DACH 55%, Belgium 52%, Norway 50%). The UK is the pioneer when it comes to content marketing: Here, 81% of companies already state that they use the power of journalistic content and exciting stories to bind existing customers even more closely to the brand and attract new customers. US companies, on the other hand, are currently focusing more on advertising (see Figure 1).

For the future, however, the formula on both sides of the Atlantic is: content marketing instead of traditional advertising (see Figure 2). Three quarters of American companies (76%) plan to pursue a content-driven strategy in three years' time. In European countries, between 80% (Norway) and 92% (Belgium) of companies intend to focus primarily on journalistic content in their marketing and corporate communications in the future. "The study we initiated clearly shows that we are in the era of content when it comes to marketing and communication," confirms Viviane Egli, CMF Board Member for Switzerland.

Content marketing scores along the customer journey - and beyond

What are the driving forces behind this internationally observable reorientation? First of all, of course, the limits of advertising. Consumers and other target groups often no longer perceive traditional advertising messages at all, are tired of them or only place limited trust in them. Against this background, it seems only logical that the decision-makers surveyed see the particularly high quality of contact as one of the core advantages of the content-driven communication approach compared to traditional advertising (agreement between 56% in the UK and 72% in Norway).

So what are the specific strengths of a content-driven communication strategy? To find out, the communication managers were asked for different communication goals along the customer journey whether they believe these can be better achieved through a classic, advertising-based communication approach or a content-driven approach. The results show a very uniform picture internationally: the content-driven approach is seen as having an advantage in six out of eight areas surveyed (see Figure 3).

With informative, advisory or entertaining and journalistic content, the brand image can be better optimized and the credibility of the brand increased rather than with advertising messages and impulses. The same applies when it comes to positioning the brand as an expert and thought leader. Communication managers also see the content marketing approach as having an advantage when it comes to communicating brand and product information to the target group or acquiring new customers. The international vote is also clear at the end of the purchasing process: When it comes to "customer loyalty", the study participants consider content-driven communication to be equally superior. The advantages of an advertising communication strategy are limited to increasing brand awareness and creating concrete buying impulses.

Employee-focused content marketing: importance increasing rapidly

In the view of the study participants, the strengths of a content-driven communications approach also extend beyond the customer-side purchasing decision process: Useful content and exciting stories are also seen as the key to employees' hearts and minds. Communications decision-makers across countries are convinced that editorial content is very well suited to employer branding. It is a better way of presenting a company as an attractive employer and strengthening employees' sense of belonging than using messages with an advertising slant.

Cross-country vote: Owned media take the strategic lead

In light of these results, it is not surprising that the majority of communication managers internationally are convinced that owned media will increasingly take the strategic lead in communication (see Figure 4).

Depending on the country, between 48% (Norway) and 60% (Belgium) of communication decision-makers believe that owned media will take the lead over paid and earned media in the future. Only a minority of respondents - between 8% (DACH region) and 20% (UK), depending on the market - do not share this view. At the same time, it is clear that only a minority of companies across all countries have a clearly defined, integrated content strategy (see Figure 5): Only 19% each of the German-speaking and British, 13% of the American, 12% of the Belgian and 7% of the Norwegian companies state that they have a clearly defined strategy covering owned, paid and earned media.

What is content marketing?

The proclamation for content marketing is constantly increasing in the professional world of media, communication and marketing. And on an international level. What is meant is the discipline that used to be called custom publishing, corporate publishing or corporate media and which is anchored in journalism; what is meant is the activity - in an expanded sense - with owned, paid and earned content. Content marketing in Germany, Austria and Switzerland is defined by the CMF as follows:

- As corporate, brand, product and employee communication, content marketing is driven by relevant, editorial content.
- Content marketing uses all available media channels such as print, video, mobile and online - individually and in cross-media systems.
- Content marketing has a measurable impact along the entire customer journey and in internal communication. The communication effects range from increasing brand awareness, image cultivation and customer loyalty to acquiring new customers and triggering direct purchasing impulses.

Or in Great Britain:

Content marketing is the discipline that creates high-quality, editorial brand content in all media channels and on all platforms - with the aim of generating binding relationships, customer benefits and measurable success for brands. Source

Content Marketing Forum (CMF)

The CMF is the interest group of the leading media service providers in German-speaking countries and, with more than 100 member companies, the largest association in this media discipline in Europe. As an industry association, the CMF represents a media sector with an annual turnover of around 5.8 billion euros. The association's members are publishers and agencies that design and implement pioneering content strategies for their clients, producing effective content for all media genres including print, video, mobile and online.

Content marketing in Switzerland

In relation to the size of the country, Switzerland is home to an above-average number of internationally operating companies. In addition to the large corporations (financial world, pharmaceuticals, food, etc.), there are a large number of innovative middle market companies as well as smaller companies that operate in the fields of IT, mechanical engineering, medical technology, precision instruments, etc. and are internationally established. precision instruments etc. and are internationally established. These companies are increasingly turning to journalistically qualified B2B (but also B2C) publishing in their communications. Cross-media (online publishing, print, videos, social media) has been a matter of course for some years now. These companies and organizations also publish internationally in their internal communications. Of course, there is also a national content marketing business in Switzerland. This is the case in all industries and also in the public sector. Companies and organizations are increasingly shifting their communication and marketing budgets to CM projects. External service providers are practically always involved in the establishment of CM projects and for consulting, but in some cases also for the continued operation of in-house media platforms. Switzerland has a very lively, but also fragmented CM scene. The specialized service providers are united in the Swiss section of the Content Marketing Forum association; there are currently 13 of them. Almost all of these service providers are so-called agencies. Profit centers of publishing houses have had little or no success in the CP and CM business in Switzerland over the last 20 years.

International Content Marketing Forum (ICMF)

The ICMF is a network of content marketing associations. Currently, 18 countries from Europe and North America are members. The largest members are the Content Marketing Forum (CMF) in Germany, Austria and Switzerland and The Content Marketing Association (CMA) in the UK. The ICMF was founded in 1999 and the individual content marketing associations promote the development of content marketing locally. Their members are the designated service providers in content marketing, essentially market players with journalistic roots and structured differently depending on their national home markets. In countries with large home markets such as Germany, publishing houses with their own CM units are at work alongside agencies, in contrast to countries with small home markets, where publishing houses tend to be the exception. Today's average specialized CM service provider is an agency of a larger or smaller size, operating internationally, with its own resources or with partners in all areas of CM, in content strategy, content creation and content distribution. Some countries have also opened up to agencies of other types: for example, media agencies can also apply for membership of the CMA in the UK. (pd)