The Definition of Content Marketing Has Evolved. Has Your Strategy?

Content marketing is publishing and distributing valuable content relevant to a defined audience to drive action, such as website traffic, lead conversions, or purchases.

Content marketing, once a catchphrase and digital marketing tactic, is now seen as a key component in the success of all brands’ online marketing strategy. Make that–their marketing strategy. Online marketing and marketing are now synonymous in our digital age.

With years of content publication, tracking, and measurement under our belts, we have the data to state confidently that content marketing accelerates business growth. Content marketing continues to evolve. We’ve also had to grow and change to stay ahead of the game.

The Definition of Content Marketing Has Evolved

Since the early 2000s, organizations have used data to make better decisions about what, when, where, and who to target in online marketing campaigns. We’ve learned that customers are increasingly engaged in the buying process. They seek information to answer their questions, educate themselves about the options, read reviews, view demo videos, and scope out online communities for support before they even speak with a salesperson or purchase a product.

Without content, none of this is possible. Content marketing feeds search engines, social media channels, online media outlets, and brand blogs. Content is the fuel that powers the internet.

HubSpot’s 2021 State of Marketing Report explains that 82% of marketers polled report actively using content marketing, up from 70% in 2020. Marketers are creating video, blogs, and infographics as the primary marketing media, while social media is the top channel used in marketing today. As buyers spend more time on social media, marketers serve content to match their interests.

Twenty years ago, when brands and publishers shifted their focus from print and television to the new world of digital media, marketers focused on creating websites with educational and promotional content while figuring out how to get search engines to serve up their sites in search results. That part hasn’t changed much.

However, internet use, content consumption, and buying habits have changed. 77% of Americans go online daily and spend an average of 7 hours and 3 minutes looking at their screens. 

Knowing how much time consumers spend online and what digital channels they engage with provides insight into where and how to reach them with our marketing campaigns. Advanced customer experience analytics and data on buyer behavior allow us to build highly customer-centric content strategies. We know what our customers want and where and when they want it.

Focus on the Buyer

Just as SEO has moved beyond the days of mass-producing keyword-heavy material, content marketing has also evolved. Google has shifted how it serves searchers to provide the most relevant, helpful content based on search intent. Likewise, content marketers have changed their focus to publishing useful content that serves buyers by answering their questions and adding value to the customer experience.

Companies that use content to build trust and forge a relationship with buyers will be remembered when the buyer is ready to purchase.

Marketing, Sales, and Customer Success Alignment

The alignment of the customer experience between the marketing, sales, and customer success teams has become a priority in recent years, particularly in B2B companies. Content that was once only used for marketing purposes is now part of the relationship-building focus of sales and customer success. Personalized content experiences that meet specific customer needs are used in sales engagement to help buyers make decisions, fueling sales growth, increasing customer retention, and achieving higher referral rates.

Content Consumption

Savvy content marketers realize that different buyer groups prefer different forms of content. Using data on buyer behavior, we are creating content in the format that best attracts our target audience. Types of content marketing include:

• Blog content
• Videos
• Infographics
• Podcasts
• Social media posts
• Ebooks and white papers
• Case studies and testimonials
• Webinars

In particular, video has seen tremendous growth. 67% of marketers say posting videos on social media platforms like YouTube, Instagram, or TikTok has the biggest ROI of any marketing strategy. Video marketing is particularly effective in the sales funnel, with 88% of marketers reporting that video has generated leads.

Learn more in our video 20 Video Marketing Statistics That Demand Your Attention.

Also, consider the increasing use of mobile devices and smartphones when creating content. In the last quarter of 2024, 62% of global website traffic came from mobile devices (excluding tablets). Content marketing campaigns built around the mobile experience, voice search, and content that is easy to digest and share will appeal to mobile device users.

AI Overviews and AI Chat Search

AI-driven search experiences like Google’s AI Overviews and conversational search tools like ChatGPT reshape how consumers discover and engage with content. Instead of relying solely on traditional search engine results pages (SERPs), users increasingly turn to AI-generated summaries and chat-based answers that synthesize information from multiple sources. 

This shift means content marketers must rethink their strategies, focusing on structuring content in ways that AI can easily interpret and surface in responses. Well-organized, authoritative, and context-rich content stands a better chance of being cited by AI models, making brand visibility in these new search formats a critical consideration.  

Another major shift is the impact of AI chat search on the buyer journey. Consumers increasingly use conversational AI to evaluate products, compare solutions, and seek recommendations without visiting a company’s website. This requires brands to build credibility beyond their own domains through third-party mentions, customer reviews, and expert citations that AI can reference. 

Marketers must also embrace conversational content strategies, ensuring their messaging aligns with how AI-driven searches present information. By adapting to these changes, businesses can remain discoverable and influential in an era where AI shapes content consumption.

Learn 5 Steps to Optimize Your Site for AI Search

The Role of Content Marketing

The perception of the role of content marketing within organizations is one of the biggest changes in its evolution. Once seen as a “nice to have” (as in “it would be nice to have a blog” or “when we reach a certain size, we’ll start doing email marketing”)  growth-driven organizations now realize they can no longer wait until “someday” to begin using content in their online marketing, sales, and customer success strategies.

Content marketers now have a seat at the table as companies plan their annual marketing strategy. Armed with data that takes a deep dive into what’s working and what isn’t, along with trends in search engine optimization and social platforms, we help shape the business goals and map out how to achieve them.​ According to the Content Marketing Institute, 70% of B2C brands and 73% of B2B organizations use content marketing to connect with their target buyers. 

How Content Marketing Works

High-growth companies now understand that content adds value at every stage of their buyer’s journey and, like a magnet, pulls leads from one stage to the next. Having a blog and occasionally promoting blog content on their social channels is not enough. Companies that successfully use content marketing create consistent, buyer-centric messaging across all channels, planned out in focused, measured campaigns.

Content marketers are working smarter, not harder. The best ROI comes from publishing high-quality pieces of content, and then promoting that content on the right channels to the right audience. Publishing blog posts frequently, then hoping to climb in search rankings, won’t yield the best return on your content marketing efforts. You’ll get more bang for your buck when you publish high-quality content, distribute it on targeted marketing channels, and repurpose it in multiple ways.

Guest posting on authoritative third-party sites is an effective addition to the content mix. The opportunity to expand brand visibility and thought leadership, gain high-quality backlinks, and drive organic search and referral traffic makes guest posting an important part of content marketing campaigns. 

Change Is Constant

One thing is certain: the definition of content marketing will continue to evolve. Technology will advance and bring new, exciting ways to reach customers.  As we gain deeper insights into buyer needs and behaviors, content preferences, and internet use, we will develop better, more targeted ways to connect with our buyers.

As AI-powered search reduces the number of clicks to original content, marketers must adapt by providing more value within AI-friendly formats. This includes optimizing for structured data, incorporating direct answers to common queries, and ensuring that brand messaging is clear even when AI extracts and summarizes content. 

Additionally, businesses must create engaging, in-depth resources encouraging users to explore beyond the AI-generated overview. Thought leadership pieces, unique research, and interactive content experiences can help brands stand out and drive deeper engagement, even when AI is the first touchpoint.  

It’s an exciting time in marketing. Are you ready for the changes to come? Here are a few actionable items that will help you meet the challenge:

• Begin with a clear understanding of your buyer persona and their online buying behavior.
• Map out your buyer’s journey.
• Create helpful, compelling content that addresses their problems and questions at each stage of the buyer’s journey.
• Publish content unique to your brand – think original research, customer success stories, and industry insights. 
• Build your email list by offering unique content resources that potential buyers can download.
• Use email marketing to nurture leads by sending relevant content to them based on their interest.
• Publish blog content consistently and promote it on all your channels, ensuring you have a strong brand voice to build thought leadership.
• Use keyword research and SEO best practices to ensure your content performs well in search.
• Add guest posting on relevant, high-authority sites to your content marketing strategy.
• Optimize your website for the mobile experience.
• Use analytics to track and measure your content performance.
• Always put your buyers first – a customer-centric focus will serve you best.

Are you looking for a digital marketing partner that can help you enhance your content strategy? Contact us!

Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in August 2021, and has been updated for freshness, completeness, and accuracy.