I first started talking about content as a business asset in 2010. Earlier this month the Content Marketing Institute released a new Content Management & Strategy Survey showing 92% of marketers believe it’s an asset, too. In the past seven years we’ve had a massive shift in our attitude towards content. The research shows we still have more to do if marketers are going to realise the promise of generating business assets from our content marketing efforts. I tend to agree.
One of the most interesting findings in the survey was the need for a strategy to manage content assets. For more than five years, we’ve heard the best way to guarantee success in our content marketing efforts is to have a documented content marketing strategy. The strategy needs to focus on the content, for sure, but also on the marketing. We recommend your content marketing strategy uses a 3-pronged approach including original content, distribution and amplification. It’s the only way to ensure the content you’re creating is getting to the audience you’re trying to attract.
And guess what? It works. But if content is a business asset, what do you need to consider to keep it working for you long after the initial publishing date and rollout have occurred? According to the survey, marketers are a little vague on this.
No strategy for managing content assets
Fewer than half (46%) of the marketers responding to the survey say they have a documented strategy for managing content as a business asset.
Structured approach to content management is lacking
There’s not a lot of structure being used to manage content as a business asset. Traditional marketing tools like style and brand guidelines are the most widely used but critical communication tools like messaging frameworks are not in widespread use.
Scalability is labour intensive
Where content is being reused and repurposed, too much human intervention is required, creating a scalability nightmare.
Poor use of technology for managing content assets
Most of the marketers (82%) taking the survey don’t have the right technology, don’t use the technology as much as they should or don’t have any technology at all to manage their content marketing assets.
Getting to your goal
Content marketing has been equated with dieting. It’s something you have to do consistently, over time, to get the results you want. Marketers and businesses are recognising the importance of making an investment in content marketing and taking a long-term approach. But, like dieting, getting to your goal is the first step and perhaps the easiest. The real work for dieters comes in managing the weight loss over time. Content marketers must do the same if they want to achieve maximum results from their content assets over the long term.
Maintaining content assets
As the content marketing discipline matures and businesses become comfortable with the concept of modern marketing techniques, the next obligation we as marketers have is to protect the content assets we’ve built. The new research provides solid guidelines on where to focus your efforts. I encourage you to read the results.
Where to get help
If you’re wondering how to move your marketing expense into a business asset and preserve your investment over time, get in touch. We can help you address issues relating to strategy, structure and scalability to ensure you’re getting the most out of your content marketing efforts.
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