Content Marketing Institute Releases New Research on State of Agency Content Marketing
A whopping 76% of agency professionals surveyed reported using paid channels to distribute content to market their firm in the previous 12 months. The previous year, only 59% reported using paid content distribution to market their business. That’s a key finding in Content Marketing Institute’s just-released research for agencies, Agency Content Marketing 2020: Benchmarks, Budgets, and Trends. This is the second year for the research that looks at how agencies use content marketing to promote their own businesses.
“It’s interesting to see a 17-point increase in those reporting their agency uses paid channels to distribute content about their own firms,” shares Cathy McPhillips, VP of Marketing, Content Marketing Institute. “As CMI founder Joe Pulizzi has always cautioned, it’s important for agencies and brands to invest in their own channels and not rely on “renting” space on someone else’s land. We applaud those that continue to build their own audiences.”
Who gets those paid content distribution dollars?
- Paid social media advertising is the top paid distribution method agencies used by far (83%).
- Of this group, the top two paid channels are Facebook (82%) and LinkedIn (58%). Over one-third (38%) of those reporting use of more than one paid social channel say LinkedIn generates the best results, followed by Facebook.
Which owned channels do they use?
- Almost every agency respondent (91%) in the survey said their firm uses social media for organic content distribution.
- And agencies aren’t ignoring their owned channels: 86% say their agency uses its company website/blog and 78% use email.
- And 61% say their agency staff takes the opportunity to speak at or attend events to market their business.