Content Marketing

The Truth Behind The Hype

Content marketing is the most over-hyped phrase since “integrated marketing”. The definition of content marketing goes something like this: create great consumer- centric content and market it to the right prospects on the right channels at the right time.

And that idea has only been around since… the Burma Shave signs in the early 1900’s. Road signs were staggered in a sequence of messages to weave the Burma Shave product into safe driving messages. People driving cars had the discretionary income to purchase their expensive razors and were already on their way to retail locations where they could buy the product.

Most of the content created and marketed by and for brands is a total waste of time and money. That’s the truth.

Agencies and clients are spending millions of dollars developing digital and social media content based on hunches, gut feelings, copying competitors and at best high-level data analytics.

Want proof that most content marketing simply isn’t working today?

60 – 70% of content churned out by marketing departments today sits unused.
(Source: Sirius Decisions)
55% of all website page views get less than 15 seconds of attention.
(Source: Chartbeat)
Nearly 90% of people watching TV shows fast-forward the ads.
(Source: The Guardian)

(1:05 minute video)

Are we saying content marketing isn’t a great tool for marketers? Of course not.

As a matter of fact, making smart content marketing decisions based on the actual online behaviors of your prospects is the only way for brands to survive and thrive in today’s business environment.