NetLine Corporation recently released a study that laid out trends and compared surveys in over 300 industries, from companies of various sizes.
According to research done by Google through a study entitled ‘Zero Moment of Truth’, the average amount of content touches a consumer needs in order to become a customer is eighteen. This varies across different industries, but as content marketers, we know we need multiple content touches over time to encourage people to become paying customers. Align this with the fact that there is a lot of content that needs to be - and is being - produced.
The amount of content on the Internet is increasing, and your target audiences are being flooded by this stream. According to Netline’s study, this increase means it takes longer for them to come back for more content.
The study concludes that as content marketers, we need to increase the “relevance, usefulness and readability” of our content.
So how do content marketers solve this issue of potential customers taking longer and longer to come back for more content touches? The answer is we need to take our content to them. We can no longer expect to have a basic standard for content to receive the appropriate amount of content touches we need to produce customers.
Instead, we need to reach them where they hang out online through a non-interruptive format.
Content Marketing and Amplification
Today’s content amplification isn’t what it used to be. It’s artificial intelligence (AI) driven and has targeting capabilities like never before. In addition, content marketing and its amplifications are outperforming the interruptive media buys brands have been doing in the last decades. Technology for the first time ever is allowing content marketers to target demographics, interests and social native networks, all at the same time. AI optimizes ad units, and it only shows those which drive content engagement. This is great for content marketers who leverage this powerful tool to amplify content.
Because of the Netline study, we can conclude that the amount of time between content touches with the same brand is growing. Since we know most industries (especially business to business ) need a specific amount of touches before a prospect can become a buyer, the assumption is that sales cycles should be getting longer.
To fix this problem, content marketers need to take their content to the consumer using techniques like the application technology above. Otherwise, you risk being lost in the increasing number of content.
Content is important, but you need the right people to view it in order for its effort to remain effective.
At The Burnette Agency, it is our aim to tell your story through a variety of mediums, clarifying your voice and bringing overall brand awareness! Visit our website and fill out our contact form here or call us at 404.850.2081 for more information.
