Results from a recent spending study signal good news for content marketers in 2012. According to the 2011 “Spending Study” conducted by the Custom Content Council, total spend on branded content went up significantly in 2011—to $1,914,000 per company, the highest level ever. Publication budgets increased by 68 percent.
These results are fueling optimism: Almost one-third (30 percent) of respondents felt their branded content budgets would rise again in 2012. Respondents saw the most growth in electronic content (39 percent) and the least growth in print (16 percent). About 16 percent of marketers reported that their companies are making a deliberate, even aggressive shift from traditional marketing into branded content.
Educating customers ranked as the No. 1 reason for using branded content, with retention as the second leading reason. Up-selling customers was ranked as a low priority, signaling a shift to viewing branded content as a long-term investment rather than short-term or transactional.
“This spending study caps a year of cautious but steady growth in the custom content market,” says Lori Rosen, CCC’s executive director. “There is no question that branded content has emerged as a leading driver for marketers of all sizes. This spending study shows growth points across a number of major factors -- from outsourcing to higher budget allocations.”
View more results of the Custom Content Council Spending Study here.
