Content marketing enables brands to build a relationship with their audience and engender trust by addressing their needs at every step of the customer journey. With Google favouring pages with high-quality content and digital consumers hungry for media that informs and entertains, the creation of compelling content is now a vital part of any brand’s marketing strategy.

This report outlines the business case for content marketing and provides best practice guidance on how content can serve customers at every stage of the purchase funnel. It covers:

  • The customer journey: Content marketing can fulfil a range of marketing objectives throughout the customer journey. How can brands use content to attract prospects and move them down the funnel?
  • Content formats: Different formats lend themselves to different parts of the funnel. What are the most effective, and what are the golden rules for making content stand out?
  • Content channels: How can brands use and combine owned, earned and paid channels to distribute and amplify content?
  • Measurement: Content KPIs should relate specifically to the business’s overall objectives. What metrics are most useful for measuring content performance?
  • Creating a strategy: What are the 14 steps to creating a content marketing strategy, and what tools and frameworks exist to support businesses in building an effective strategy?