Statistics can give you valuable information about what works, what doesn’t, and how to build a strategy to rise above the rest. Our SEO experts did some digging and brought you the hottest content marketing statistics that will help you build your brand’s voice.
Content Marketing Statistics: What’s Hot
The content marketing industry is estimated to be worth $600 billion in 2024. (Business Wire)
With a valuation of $400 billion in 2021, the industry’s significant growth trajectory and the critical role it plays in shaping modern marketing strategies are evident.
Content marketing is set to generate $107 billion in revenue within 2026. (Statista)
In 2022, it was estimated roughly $63 billion, and $72 billion in 2023. This shows that the content marketing industry is growing and will continue to grow in the near future.
90% of marketers say that content marketing is part of their marketing strategy (Semrush)
However, there are a lot of different levels of strategy maturity among them: 22% have well-documented and advanced strategies, 42% have a fairly developed plan, and 36% are just getting started.
According to 38% of respondents, the content marketing industry is very competitive.
And, 19% of them report that the industry is hypercompetitive.
With so many brands fighting for consumers’ attention, creating engaging content has become a critical factor for success. Competition drives innovation and makes companies keep improving their content strategies so that their target audience stays engaged.
76% of marketers use content marketing to generate leads. (Content Marketing Institute)
Last year, it was around 67%, so every year more and more marketers are implementing content marketing.
Also, 63% of marketers say content marketing nurtures leads, and 50% say it builds loyalty with existing clients.
97% of marketers say their content marketing strategy was a success. (Semrush)
So, if you can implement a proper marketing strategy, there is only a 3% chance that you will be unsuccessful.
Publishing more content is the top tactic for 55% of marketers. (Semrush)
A lot of marketers say publishing more is the best way to improve their content game. Increasing content volume can boost engagement, and brand visibility, and improve results.
69% of businesses are spending more than 10% of their total marketing budget on content. (Semrush)
The majority of businesses spend a lot of money on content, with two-thirds spending more than 10%. Content marketing is getting more and more recognition for its value and effectiveness. Rather than being just an ancillary expense, content creation and distribution are becoming a cornerstone of marketing strategy.
75% of marketers say personalized experiences make sales and keep customers coming back. (HubSpot)
Three out of every four marketers agree that when they customize experiences for customers, it helps them sell more and keeps those customers returning for more. This means understanding what each customer likes and giving them exactly that, which helps businesses grow and keep their customers happy.
81% of respondents report that creating brand awareness is their number one goal. (Content Marketing Institute)
In most cases, content marketers’ top priority is building brand awareness. In order to get customers engaged and loyal, content plays a key role in introducing and familiarizing them with a company’s identity and offerings.
There’s a 74% higher chance of businesses seeing lower performance if they spend less than $15,000/month on content marketing. (Siege Media)
To achieve marketing success, you need to invest in content creation and distribution. Ample funding supports the production of high-quality, engaging content that attracts and retains customers.
Businesses that dedicate 10%-50% of their content efforts to content design are 33% more likely to report success. (Siege Media, Venngage)
Also, 36.7% of marketers say it’s hard to come up with engaging visual content consistently.
More than half of businesses that invest in content marketing publish content every day. (The Manifest)
As a result, consumers stay engaged with the brand because there’s always new, relevant content to read. In addition to maintaining top-of-mind awareness among their audience, these businesses establish themselves as authority sources in their respective industries by providing fresh, relevant content every day.
SEO Content Marketing Statistics
SEO has the highest ROI of all content marketing channels at 16%. (HubSpot)
It’s easy to see why SEO is the best content marketing channel, with a return on investment of 16%, which is more than paid and email marketing (14%). That’s $1.16 for every dollar spent on SEO.
According to 46% of marketers, SEO is a top factor for a successful content marketing strategy. (Semrush)
Most marketers point to SEO as a major factor in a successful content strategy. Search engine algorithms can help you amplify your reach and impact if you align your content with them.
A page that has more backlinks gets more organic traffic from Google. (Ahrefs)
Pages that have 13 or more referring domains get more than 10k organic traffic per month. Also, websites that have more than 160 referring domains rank for more keywords than those that don’t.
A 45% higher success rate is reported by companies who use link building. (Siege Media)
Companies that incorporate link building into their strategies report a noticeable increase in success, once again proving the power of backlinks.
Every month, the #1 ranking page gets an extra 5%-14.5% more dofollow backlinks from new websites. (Ahrefs)
Organic search rankings are becoming increasingly competitive as a result of this ongoing influx of backlinks.
Companies that engage in blogging receive 97% more backlinks to their site. (HubSpot)
When a company blogs, the chances of getting backlinks almost double. Besides attracting external recognition and enhancing digital presence, this strategy is especially effective at attracting attention from all over the web.
49% of marketers say that organic search has the best ROI. (Search Engine Journal)
Nearly half of marketers consider organic search as the best ROI. With this sentiment in mind, organic search is an essential part of digital marketing because it drives quality traffic, enhances visibility, and ultimately generates sustainable returns.
75% of people never scroll past the first page of search results. (DemandSage)
Also, The first organic search result on Google gets 31.24% clicks on average and 69.1% of all clicks go to the first 5 organic results.
That means a high-ranking position on the first page is crucial in today’s world to maximize visibility and capture user attention due to the fierce competition for top search rankings.
Leads generated by SEO have a 15% closing rate. (DemandSage)
By attracting high-quality prospects who are more likely to convert into paying customers, SEO can help drive business growth and maximize revenue potential.
Google gets 83.58% of its traffic from mobile devices. (Semrush)
That means you have to account for mobile optimization of your website’s content. Content that is not mobile-friendly will not drive traffic and is practically useless.
15% of Google’s searches are brand new searches. (Forbes)
About one in seven searches comes from queries Google has never seen before, so it’s a constant reminder that user curiosity is constantly evolving and there’s no end to what we can do with it. Marketers and content creators need to stay creative and adaptable, always ready to meet their audiences’ changing needs.
SEO optimization was the focus of 46% of companies with successful content marketing strategies. (Semrush)
Nearly half of companies with fruitful content marketing strategies have placed a strong emphasis on SEO optimization. This highlights the importance of search engine visibility in attracting a targeted audience.
As a result, their content marketing efforts are not only more visible but also more successful, showing how important SEO practices are.
AI Content Marketing Statistics
67% of businesses are using AI tools for content marketing. (Semrush)
35% of the businesses that don’t use AI didn’t know they could and 37% of them didn’t know how to.
50% of marketers believe inadequate AI adoption is holding them back from achieving their goals. (MailChimp)
Almost half of marketers believe that insufficient AI adoption is preventing them from reaching their goals. This perception highlights the growing recognition of AI’s potential to drive marketing effectiveness, causing businesses to prioritize AI integration to unlock new opportunities and address evolving consumer demands.
58% of marketers plan on increasing their investments in AI and automation like chatbots in 2024. (HubSpot)
It’s a great time to leverage the power of chatbots and other innovative technologies with the winds of change blowing steadily. It allows for better customer interactions, streamlined processes, and unlimited creativity.
72% of marketers agree that AI and automation tools like chatbots help them personalize the customer experience. (HubSpot)
AI and automation tools like chatbots are getting more popular for creating personalized customer experiences. These technologies are building deep connections with consumers, driving engagement, and building long-term loyalty.
In the past year, 75% of video marketers have used AI tools for creating or editing videos. (Wyzowl)
Brands are using artificial intelligence to speed up video production. It’s true that AI can speed up video production, but brands must remember the human touch is still important.
73% of consumers trust content written by generative AI. (Capgemini)
This trend is common among many age groups, from Gen Z to Gen X.
Also, 53% of people trust Generative AI for financial planning, 53% of them trust AI for personal interaction, and 67% of consumers trust AI for medical advice.
84% of marketing leaders believe AI helps with personalization. (Zippia)
The vast majority of marketing leaders think AI can help with personalization. As a result of this widespread belief, AI is used to analyze huge amounts of data and tailor content and experiences.
91.5% of big companies are spending money on AI. (Zippia)
The high investment rate shows corporations are recognizing AI’s transformative potential across various business functions, from enhancing productivity to boosting innovation and competitive advantage.
50% of content marketers use AI most often to brainstorm new topics. (Content Marketing Institute)
Also, 49% of them use AI to research headlines and keywords, and 36% write content.
Content Marketing ROI Statistics
92% of marketers believe content to be a valuable resource for driving long-term ROI. (ZipDo)
Content consistently proves its worth as a strategic investment, whether it builds brand awareness, nurtures customer relationships, or drives conversions. Having this high level of confidence in content’s ability to deliver long-term ROI shows how important it is to modern marketing strategies and how valuable it is to business.
Small businesses get 126% more leads from content marketing. (ZipDo)
Small businesses can increase conversions and business growth by creating compelling and relevant content tailored to their target audience. This substantial boost in leads shows how strategic content creation can make a huge difference to small businesses today in a competitive digital world.
54% of businesses actively measure their content marketing ROI. (Semrush)
There’s a growing trend among companies to assess how effective their content strategies are at driving tangible business results. To optimize resource allocation, show stakeholders the value of content marketing efforts, and gain insights into how well their content initiatives are performing, these businesses measure ROI.
Businesses that don’t spend enough on content marketing struggle to generate leads. (Siege Media)
When businesses don’t spend enough money on content marketing, it’s hard to get new leads. If they don’t spend enough, they don’t have engaging, quality content to grab potential customers’ attention. These businesses don’t get the opportunity to build relationships and convert visitors into leads if they don’t have compelling content to draw people in.
61% of marketers believe social media engagement is the top metric for measuring ROI. (Semrush)
Businesses are placing their bet on social media which is proved once again by this stat. That’s why they are using interaction, shares, likes, and comments across social platforms to assess how effective their content marketing strategy is.
Interactive content sees over 50% more engagement than static content. (MediaFly)
Compared to static content, interactive content gets a lot more engagement. You can use interactive infographics to quizzes to captivate your audience but they also encourage them to participate. By adding dynamic elements, you’re making content more memorable and shareable, which boosts engagement.
52% of marketers say content marketing helps them rank better. (ZipDo)
The best way for businesses to boost their online visibility, climb search engine rankings, and get more organic traffic is to create high-quality content consistently. The statistic reaffirms how crucial content marketing is to search engine rankings and emphasizes how important it is to digital marketing overall.
Social Media Marketing Statistics
The number of social media users worldwide is expected to hit 5.17 billion in 2024. (Statista, DataReportal, SmartInsights)
Besides that, social media usage grew by 320 million people from January 2023 to January 2024, and most people use 6-7 different social networks a month.
With a growing user base, businesses have a huge audience pool to reach out to. In an increasingly interconnected world, social media can be a powerful tool for connecting with consumers, building brand awareness, and growing businesses.
More than a third of consumers (31%) will use social media to find answers in 2024. (HubSpot)
This underscores social media’s growing importance as a source of information. To meet consumer needs, businesses need a strong presence on social media, and they must engage effectively on these platforms.
73% of marketers use social media to promote their content. (Semrush)
On top of that, 51% use social media ads to promote their content.
It’s no secret that social media is a huge part of content distribution and audience engagement, as about three out of four marketers use it. Marketers realize that social media is effective for reaching target demographics, building brand awareness, and driving traffic to their content.
Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube are the top 3 social media platforms that marketers use to drive ROI. (HubSpot)
Among them, Facebook and Instagram drive the most ROI (29%), with YouTube following closely behind at 26%.
25% of content marketers use podcasts or other audio content to promote their brands. (HubSpot)
In 2024, 47% of marketers plan to spend more money on audio content and podcasts.
It proves how engaging audio formats are. By incorporating podcasts into their marketing efforts, businesses can tap into a diverse range of listeners and offer valuable, on-the-go content that resonates with their target demographic.
The average American spends about 31 minutes per day on Facebook. (Statista)
Because so many people use Facebook, businesses have a great chance to connect with their target audience, share engaging content, and build lasting relationships.
50.1% of marketers believe TikTok offers the highest ROI for influencer marketing. (Influencer Marketing Hub)
This is followed by Instagram Reels (29%) and YouTube Shorts (12%).
So, if you’re looking to amplify your marketing efforts and maximize your ROI, social media might just be the answer.
Video Marketing Statistics
A whopping 91% of people have viewed an explainer video to learn more about a product or service. (Wyzowl)
Also, 82% of people have been convinced to buy a product or service by watching a video. And 77% of them have bought a product or downloaded an app after watching a video about it.
87% of consumers say video quality impacts their trust in a brand. (Wyzowl)
According to 89% of consumers, brands should make more videos in 2024. That means, having high-quality videos is crucial to building credibility and a positive brand image.
91% of businesses use video as a marketing tool. (Wyzowl)
With adoption rates soaring to impressive levels, video has become a staple marketing tool for most businesses. In 2024, 68% of marketers who don’t use video plan to start.
45% of marketers think video content performs better than any other form of content. (Semrush)
Video content outperforms all other forms of content, according to nearly half of marketers. To be more specific, 43% of marketers believe that it’s the short-form videos that do the trick.
With a 17% ROI, short-form videos are the most effective tool for content marketing. (HubSpot)
Short-form videos, with a 17% return on investment (ROI), emerge as the top performer in content marketing. This is higher than quality content that reflects brand value (13%) and influencer marketing (12%).
According to 33% of marketers, adding videos to blog posts helps their content rank higher. (Semrush)
One in three marketers believe that adding videos to their blog posts can improve their content’s search engine ranking. That’s because videos enhance the user experience, increase engagement, and boost the user experience.
In 2024, 85% of marketers plan to increase or keep their video budget the same. (Wyzowl)
69% of them have spent on ads and the rest opted for organic exposure.
It’s clear that video will remain a top priority for marketers in the coming year. Another interesting find is that nearly a third of marketers rely only on organic reach, rather than amplifying it with paid advertising.
90% of marketers say video marketing has produced a positive return on investment. (Wyzowl)
The majority of marketers who use video content believe that it helps increase brand awareness, web traffic, leads, dwell time, and sales.
Email Marketing Statistics
AI is used by 49% of marketers to generate email content. (HubSpot)
95% of marketers who use generative AI for email creation rate the technique as “effective,” while 54% rate it as “very effective.”
53% of marketers still use email marketing as their preferred channel for content promotion. (Semrush)
Email marketing continues to be the preferred channel for content promotion for more than half of marketers. Email remains a cornerstone of content promotion strategies despite the proliferation of digital marketing channels.
71% of email marketers use personalized subject lines. (Litmus)
Some of them also like to include dynamic content (64%), animated GIFs or PNGs (56%), HTML and CSS interactive (37%), and video (15%) in their email for personalization.
Subject lines between 61-70 characters have the highest open rate. (GetResponse)
The optimal subject line length ensures messages are fully visible, maximizing engagement. This character range strikes the right balance between concise yet impactful messaging.
An average reader spends 51 seconds reading a newsletter after opening it. (Nielsen)
Users would rather scan the newsletter rather than read it. 35% of users scan only a small part of the newsletter.
Only 19% of readers fully read newsletters.
B2B Marketing Statistics
28% of B2B businesses have reported tremendous success with content marketing. (Content Marketing Institute)
Only 15% reported their strategy was unsuccessful with 57% reporting moderate success.
70% of B2B clients prefer reading blogs over traditional advertisements to learn about a company. (Demand Metric)
Blogs offer in-depth insights and build trust with a professional audience, making them more effective than traditional advertising for B2B customers.
71% of B2B researchers search for products and services generically rather than using branded keywords. (Google)
B2B researchers prioritize exploring a wide range of options and comparing offerings over simply focusing on known brands, emphasizing the importance of optimizing content for relevant keywords.
52% of B2B businesses spend 10-25% of their marketing budget on content. (Content Marketing Institute)
Most B2B companies allocate between a tenth and a quarter of their marketing budget to content creation and strategy. This allocation is also likely to increase for 45% of these companies this year.
Compared to traditional marketing, content marketing costs 62% less and generates three times more leads in B2B industries. (Demand Metric)
Content marketing cuts costs significantly compared to conventional methods while attracting customers three times more effectively.
Influencer Marketing Statistics
In 2024, Influencer Marketing is expected to reach $24 billion. (Influencer Marketing Hub)
Clearly, influencers are becoming increasingly recognized as powerful drivers of brand awareness, engagement, and conversions.
In 2023, 51% of marketers reported working with creators or influencers. (HubSpot)
It’s becoming increasingly obvious that influencer partnerships are effective at reaching and engaging target audiences. In today’s competitive environment, such collaborations drive brand awareness and loyalty by fostering authentic connections with consumers.
47% of marketers report successful micro-influencer partnerships. (HubSpot)
Businesses are finding success with smaller, more niche influencers because they offer access to engaged, loyal communities at a lower price point.
56% of marketers use influencer marketing for creating user generated content. (Influencer Marketing Hub)
Influencers create content that resonates with audiences, fosters engagement, and bolsters brand credibility with this approach. Those influencer partnerships fuel content creation and drive marketing success, which is a testament to their power.
70% of marketers prefer to work with micro and nano influencers. (Influencer Marketing Hub)
Instead of macro influencers and celebrities, marketers choose influencers that are lesser known influencers that have a niche-specific audience. This way, marketers can create content that gives off a more authentic feel and spend less money.
Build a Content Strategy That Works
With these latest content marketing statistics and SEO trends in mind, you can identify what will work in 2024 and build a killer strategy that will help you create a powerful brand presence.
As getting meaningful traffic is getting harder, these strategies will definitely make your marketing easier and more efficient.