TNS research from the CMA amongst leading marketers shows the growing importance of content. Those who use it spend more on content than any other media; and 51% plan to spend more this year.

1. ©TNS 2013
A study conducted by TNS for the CMA - November 2013 www.the-cma.com
Content Marketing
State of the Nation
Executive Summary

2. ©TNS 2013
www.the-cma.com
“This study shows that whether it be long term
engagement, building brands or customer
acquisition over 70% of marketers are now using
content marketing.
For those using content marketing it is the single
most important channel across the full marketing
mix and equates to 20% of their total budgets.
As with any successful content, quality is
essential and at The CMA we look forward to
driving this agenda forward”.
Clare Hill, MD CMA
Content Marketing – State of the Nation

3. ©TNS 2013
A study conducted by TNS for the CMA - November 2013 www.the-cma.com
49%
25% 26%
£5 -£9m £10-29m £30m+
We spoke to 130 marketing decision makers in a range
of companies with an annual turnover of £10m+
Turnover
£60m+
£20-£59m
£10-£19m
Marketing spend
3
£
Sectors coveredRespondents were mainly at
Managerial and Director grades
£31% 34%

4. ©TNS 2013
A study conducted by TNS for the CMA - November 2013 www.the-cma.com
Awareness of content marketing
is widespread among UK marketers
Source: Q3. Had you heard of content marketing before you started this survey?
Base: UK professionals involved in marketing activities n=130
aware of CM
4
85%

5. ©TNS 2013
A study conducted by TNS for the CMA - November 2013 www.the-cma.com
A substantial proportion of those aware of
content marketing are currently using it
Source: Q6. Based on the above, does your organisation use content marketing?
Base: UK professionals involved in marketing activities n=130
Usage of content marketing (% of total)
These tend to be
bigger, international
or multinational
companies
5
use CM
70%

6. ©TNS 2013
A study conducted by TNS for the CMA - November 2013 www.the-cma.com
19 10 9 15 14 11 7 6 6
Approx. 20p of every £ spent by those who use content
marketing is spent on CM, more than any other form
Marketing spend
among CM users
(%)
Source: Q7. Roughly what proportion (%) of your marketing spend is on each of the following?
Base: UK professionals using content marketing n=91
Base: UK professionals who do not use content marketing n=39
Content
marketing
Print
advertising
Direct
marketing
Events TV
Internet
advertising
Outdoor Social Radio
6
…among CM
NON-users
(indicative %)
18 25 12 18 15 12 8 5

7. ©TNS 2013
A study conducted by TNS for the CMA - November 2013 www.the-cma.com
19 10 9 15 14 11 7 6 6
Marketing spend
among CM users
(%)
Source: Q7. Roughly what proportion (%) of your marketing spend is on each of the following?
Base: UK professionals using content marketing n=91
Base: UK professionals who do not use content marketing n=39
Content
marketing
Print
advertising
Direct
marketing
Events TV
Internet
advertising
Outdoor Social Radio
7
…among CM
NON-users
(indicative %)
18 25 12 18 15 12 8 5
Where CM is not used, print advertising and direct
marketing get a bigger share of wallet

8. ©TNS 2013
A study conducted by TNS for the CMA - November 2013 www.the-cma.com
19 10 9 15 14 11 7 6 6
18 25 12 18 15 12 8 5
Marketing spend
among CM users
(%)
Source: Q7. Roughly what proportion (%) of your marketing spend is on each of the following?
Base: UK professionals using content marketing n=91
Base: UK professionals who do not use content marketing n=39
Content
marketing
Print
advertising
Direct
marketing
Events TV
Internet
advertising
Outdoor Social Radio
8
…among CM
NON-users
(indicative %)
Budget growth for CM likely to impact these two areas

9. ©TNS 2013
A study conducted by TNS for the CMA - November 2013 www.the-cma.com
51
Plan to increase
Remain the same
Decrease
42
While overall budgets are essentially static, half of
organisations plan to increase CM spend in next 12 months
Source: Q17b. How do you expect your organisations’ marketing spend / budget to change over the next 12 months? Spend
on content marketing | Above the line marketing spend | Overall marketing spend
Base: 130 for overall, 91 for content marketing
Overall Marketing Spend Content Marketing Spend
9

10. ©TNS 2013
A study conducted by TNS for the CMA - November 2013 www.the-cma.com
51
Plan to increase
Remain the same
Decrease
42
While overall budgets are essentially static, half of
organisations plan to increase CM spend in next 12 months
Source: Q17b. How do you expect your organisations’ marketing spend / budget to change over the next 12 months? Spend
on content marketing | Above the line marketing spend | Overall marketing spend
Base: 130 for overall, 91 for content marketing
Overall Marketing Spend Content Marketing Spend
97%
of businesses that
currently spend over
£350k on CM are
planning to increase
this further
10

11. ©TNS 2013
A study conducted by TNS for the CMA - November 2013 www.the-cma.com
11
Brand engagement and brand building top the list
of objectives for marketers using CM
Engage customers
with the brand
long-term
Build the
brand
Acquire
customers
Source: Q8. What are the key objectives for using content marketing in your organisation?
Base: UK professionals using content marketing n=91
21 3

12. ©TNS 2013
A study conducted by TNS for the CMA - November 2013 www.the-cma.com
12
But how effective is CM perceived
to be in achieving targets?
Source: Q15. Which objectives would you say you achieved/are achieving with content marketing?
Rank according to % who rated CM to be “5 - very effective” or “4 - effective” (scale from 1-5)
Engage customers
with the brand
long-term
Build the
brand
Acquire
customers
21 3

13. ©TNS 2013
A study conducted by TNS for the CMA - November 2013 www.the-cma.com
Measuring effectiveness of CM efforts particularly ROI
is a key challenge, as is creating good quality content
Source: Q10. What are the key challenges your organisation has encountered in its CM efforts?
Base: UK professionals using content marketing n=91
Top 3 challenges marketers face with content marketing
Creating content
of appropriate quality
Proving the
effectiveness of
CM internally as we
define it
Securing
enough budget
1 32
13

14. ©TNS 2013
A study conducted by TNS for the CMA - November 2013 www.the-cma.com
14
“
Changes in Google algorithms mean quality online content
is vital to being visible. But the current risk is that marketing
departments do not have the right skills or understanding
to practice content marketing properly – and these brands
will suffer at the hands of Google. Those with backgrounds
in journalism are a must-have asset for brands engaging
in content.
Sharon Flaherty, Head of Content and PR, Confused.com
”
Reinforcing the point on quality

15. ©TNS 2013
A study conducted by TNS for the CMA - November 2013 www.the-cma.com
15
CM activities are currently predominantly being done
in-house, an opportunity for agencies
74
60
56
51
39
38
37
37
33
32
Internal employees/resources
PR agency
Ad agency
A specialist CM agency
Freelance CM professionals
Other freelance professionals
Online publisher
Freelance journalists/editors
Social media agency
Integrated agency
“ATL agencies have traditionally
been good at helping clients design,
evaluate and sell marketing
interventions internally. It is
important for CM agencies to adopt
the same approach to show how
effective content can support
business objectives.
Chris Moriarty, Head of
Corporate Affairs, CIM
”Source: Q9. Who do you work with in planning and implementing your content marketing activities?
Base: UK professionals using content marketing n=91
Quote: In-depth interviews with practitioners
Currently use

16. ©TNS 2013
A study conducted by TNS for the CMA - November 2013 www.the-cma.com
In summary
The industry is
largely aware of
content
marketing
It is widely used,
primarily for
brand
engagement and
building, less so
acquisition
Key issues
surround proving
its
ROI and creating
appropriate
quality content
The role of
specialists
in delivering
content
marketing to
organisations has
room for growth
16

17. ©TNS 2013
A study conducted by TNS for the CMA - November 2013 www.the-cma.com
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