So much to do, and so little time? Four "state of content marketing" reports show how content marketers are managing the burden of too much work.
The job of a content marketer is multifaceted, dynamic ... and practically non-stop.
Indeed, from creating strategies to engage target audiences, to dealing with the ever-shifting landscape of modern digital media platforms, the role can be a lot to handle.
To help make sense of all these changes and better understand what’s most important for effective content marketing today, I took some time to review several “state of content marketing” reports from industry experts.
And boy, did I find some interesting statistics!
In this blog post, we look at the expectations on content marketing teams today, and explore the benefits of bringing in external content experts to help with project overload.
The sheer number of marketing campaigns is on the rise
It's not your imagination — marketing professionals' workloads are increasing year over year.
In fact, according to HubSpot's The State of Marketing report for 2023, more than 40% of marketers surveyed are working on more campaigns each quarter than they did the year before.
Moreover, these demands show no sign of slowing down this year. Respondents shared that content marketers plan to launch an average of nine (!!!) campaigns per quarter in 2023.
Not per year — per QUARTER.
Waaaaay too much time is being spent internally on content creation
No wonder B2B content marketers feel overstretched!
In Casted's recent The State of the Content Marketer Report, participants said they spend an average of 33 hours on content creation each week, including:
Social media messages, newsletters, and blog posts (98%)
Videos and webinars (61%)
Whitepapers (47%)
Podcasts (32%)
Audio clips (4%)
Thirty-three hours equals to about 82% of a content marketer's work hours every single week!
Unfortunately, that doesn't leave much time for other core responsibilities such as communication strategy, campaign management, and working with agencies.
How content marketers plan to weather project overload in 2023
With project overload becoming an increasingly pervasive issue, here are some ways that content marketers (and content marketing teams) are managing the growing pressures:
Outsourcing expertise: the "who"
Content Marketing Institute's B2B Content Marketing: Insights for 2023 report states that nearly half of respondents believe their organization will hire or contract "content producers" (with an emphasis on writers, designers and videographers) in 2023.
What content marketers need help with the most
According to SEMRush's The State of Content Marketing. 2023 Global Report, now is the time for more, more, more. That is, more content, created and published more frequently.
But it's not just about sharing content for content's sake. Respondents desire more research-based, value-driven, higher-quality content:
Meanwhile, the B2B Content Marketing: Insights for 2023 report shows that content marketers believe "quality" is the number-one factor in helping differentiate their content and brand from the competition:
Budgeting for external help
Obviously, hiring extra help costs money. So how much should organizations and content marketing teams be investing in it?
According to SEMRush's The State of Content Marketing: 2023 Global Report, the most successful content marketers spend more than 10% of their total marketing budget on content.
Meanwhile, just over half of respondents spend at least $USD3,000 each month on content marketing.
While some organizations may balk at spending that amount, it's important to consider the time savings. By hiring freelancers and contractors, content marketers can focus on other important activities — enabling them to continue creating quality content without sacrificing other areas of their business.
Invest in a high-quality content creator who saves you time
In the midst of a sea of content "experts," it can be hard to discern who's truly worth your investment. It's all too easy to get roped into an endless cycle of advice from the loudest voices, only to find yourself feeling more overwhelmed than ever.
That's where finding a time-saving creator of quality content comes in. These skilled professionals understand the need to alleviate the stress of overloaded teams — not add to it.
That's where true expertise comes in — a content creator who can adapt to your unique workflow and produce high-quality content efficiently, enabling you to focus on other crucial tasks while still maintaining (if not exceeding) your marketing goals.
Ready to find an expert content creator who can save you time without sacrificing quality? Let's talk. Book your free 30-minute consultation with me today.