To Google or not to Google in 2025? What does AI mean for content marketing? Let me tell you a (not so) secret: even Chat GPT uses Google to answer your queries! Well, sort of.
Through the muddy waters of 2023 and 2024’s major algorithm changes and AI advancements, content marketing remains a business superpower. Even though some people are quick to write it off.
When answering your queries, Chat GPT’s tools might aggregate results from Google, Bing, DuckDuckGo, or other search engines, as well as specialized knowledge bases.
However, the way it selects the answers you’re provided with very much follows the standard SEO Metrics: Factors like backlinks, domain authority, and trustworthiness are taken into account by the search engine tools.
So what does that mean for Content Marketing? Well, let’s delve into 20 key content marketing stats that continue to ring true, offering insights to inform and elevate your marketing strategies.
1. Content Marketing Strategy
80% of content marketers who consider their efforts very successful have a documented content marketing strategy. (The State of Content Marketing by Semrush)
As with any marketing effort, your content needs to be backed up by a strong strategy, to seamlessly incorporate it into your other marketing activities.
You can start by taking a peek at your competitors and spend time analyzing their moves: what works best for them, what’s their positioning on the market.
It helps you understand what successful strategies you can incorporate in your own plan, as well as understanding how can you stand out from your competitors and take advantage of their missed opportunities.
Find your positioning and messaging, then proceed to plan your content: choose your topics carefully, target the right keywords, create keyword clusters around them, and, of course, set your KPIs.
Regular content audits are also crucial, to help you pivot and optimize where needed.
2. Long-Form Content’s Impact on Backlinks and Rankings
Long-form content (1,000+ words) receives 77% more backlinks than short articles. the average word count of a Google top 10 result is 1,447 words. (Backlinko)
This content marketing stat should not exactly be taken verbatum. Google itself has stated multiple times that there is no direct link between word count and rankings, as longer text does not factor in the ranking algorithm. However, there are a series of benefits that you simply can’t achieve without it.
First of all, company blogs that deliver quality content that is truly helpful, informative, and instructive, naturally tend to go into longer word counts to achieve this result.
And quality content is one of the most important qualifiers for high rankings, especially since 2023’s latest updates.
The EEAT framework (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness) that Google follows is at the core of content marketing success. Strategically incorporate in-depth, authoritative content to not only cater to search engine algorithms but also provide substantial value to your audience.
3. Content-Length Impact on Social Shares
Content that has between between 1,000 and 2,000 words receives the most social shares. (Backlinko)
Long-form content not only (indirectly) benefits rankings, but studies out there support it is more shareable on all social media platforms.
But as with all word-count-based information, the actual numbers are murky.
While Backlinko’s above-mentioned study explains they’ve seen decreasing shares with content that exceeds 2,000, older studies performed by HubSpot encouraged creating content of over 3,000 words if you aim for social media shares.
The solution? Test it out and see what works best for your audience and industry. While it’s good to keep an eye on these numbers, the perfect word count does not exist.
Simply strike a balance between in-depth content and audience engagement by creating comprehensive pieces that resonate with your audience and encourage sharing.
4. Personalization Matters
Approximately 80% of consumers are more likely to purchase from brands offering personalized experiences. (Epsilon)
Generic approaches don’t win customers over. Plain and simple, people need to feel connected to the brand and they need to relate to your messaging.
A personalized approach proves inclusion and the willingness to make an effort to show you’re tailoring to people’s needs.
If possible, take it a step forward and leverage AI-driven tools to dynamically tailor content based on user behaviors, preferences, and demographics.
5. Social Media as a Content Distribution Channel
A significant 73% of marketers believe that social media marketing has been effective for their business. (Social Media Examiner’s Annual Report)
The same report indicates that, while declining, Facebook still maintains dominance, TikTok adoption is growing, and interest in YouTube is high among marketers.
That rings true for both B2B and B2C brands.
Optimize content for each social media platform: tailor strategies to unique demographics, different engagement styles, and specific algorithms to make the most of each channel.
6. LinkedIn’s Content Effectiveness
LinkedIn is 277% more effective for lead generation compared to Facebook and Twitter. (Source: HubSpot)
In the ever-evolving landscape of digital marketing, the significance of the right platform for lead generation cannot be overstated.
LinkedIn has a unique position as a platform where professionals and businesses come together and interact. This is especially true if you find yourself within the B2B sector.
The platform’s emphasis on professional networking, industry insights, and targeted content aligns seamlessly with the needs of businesses seeking meaningful connections and qualified leads.
7. Content Engagement on Stories
Nearly 58% of people have become more interested in a brand/product they saw on Instagram stories. (Hootsuite)
Despite their time-sensitive manner, stories have quickly surpassed regular posts in terms of performance and conversions.
People are more likely to be convinced by Stories than regular posts to visit a website and make a purchase.
That’s because Stories create a sense of urgency, fostering real-time engagement and building a narrative around your brand.
However, it’s worth mentioning that short-form videos such as Reels are also gaining in popularity, so think about incorporating both in your strategy.
If you haven’t already, prioritize LinkedIn within your lead generation strategies, tapping into its unparalleled potential to connect with decision-makers and stakeholders in a more targeted and impactful manner.
8. Video Content Dominance
Video content is projected to represent 82% of all internet traffic by 2024. (Cisco Annual Internet Report)
However, beyond sheer traffic, video’s influence extends to consumer engagement, building brand loyalty, and obtaining conversions.
Video gives a face, voice, and personality to a brand. It can also make your audience feel like a part of your brand.
Add interactive elements within videos to enhance the experience and encourage people to actively participate by sharing or engaging with the video in any way.
9. Podcasting’s Resurgence
Around 42% of Americans listen to podcast content every month and podcast listenership is expected to grow by 17% in 2024. (Edison Research)
As podcasts continue to offer diverse content ranging from news and education to entertainment, these statistics underscore the enduring appeal and the increasing influence of podcasting in shaping the media landscape.
Extend your content marketing strategy to podcasting to reach audiences on the go. Offer valuable insights, interviews, and thought leadership in an accessible format.
While there is an array of podcasts out there, you can still take advantage of this format by finding a niche that is in line with your brand, an attractive format for potential customers, and aligning your written content to your episodes’ topics.
10. Visual Content Popularity for Product Research
When researching a new product or service, 92% of consumers prefer content in a visual format. (Source: VennGage)
These preferences are also backed up by consumers’ social media behavior.
Articles with images every 75-100 words get double the social media shares than the ones with fewer images. (Source: BuzzSumo)
Images have always been the go-to trick content writers use to break up the text and improve readability, but these stats prove that the benefits of using more images in written long-form content marketing go beyond just easy-to-digest purposes.
11. Voice Search on the Rise
62% of Americans already use voice assistants. (2023 Edison Research)
You’re well aware of Siri, Alexa, or Microsoft’s Cortana, so it’s only natural that search customs are changing.
If your SEO strategy has not shifted to accommodate voice search demands, it’s time to get busy.
Optimize and craft content in a conversational tone, focusing on natural language and long-tail keywords that have common use.
Simply put, write as you speak. Make the audience feel like you’re having a conversation through your content.
12. Interactive Content Engagement
Interactive content generates 4-5 times more page views than static content. (Demand Metric infographic)
Invite your audience to participate in quizzes, polls, and interactive infographics. The more entertaining they are, the more retention you’ll have.
Good interactive content will not only capture attention but also gain valuable insights into user preferences, which should help guide future marketing strategies.
13. The Power of User-Generated Content (UGC)
A staggering 93% of consumers find UGC helpful when making purchasing decisions, and millennials spend 30% of their media time interacting with UGC content. (Webinar Care)
Moreover, they also point out that UGC results in 29% more web conversions 25% higher ad performance.
Encourage users to share their experiences through reviews, testimonials, and social media posts to build trust and foster a sense of community around your brand.
14. Mobile-First Strategy
Approximately 90% of users access content via their mobile devices. (Statista)
Mobile views have already trumped desktop views years ago. While some industries might still see their traffic more evenly split between the two, those tend to be exceptions.
In case you’re late to the party, it’s time to switch your priorities.
Optimize content for mobile platforms, ensuring it is not only responsive but also visually appealing, concise, and loads swiftly. Google loves speedy pages.
15. Content Marketing Budget Allocation
The average business spends 25-30% of its marketing budget on content marketing. (Web FX)
And content marketing budgets have been increasing every year.
That’s because content marketing has proven to have a pivotal role in building brand equity, driving customer loyalty, and obtaining organic conversions on a long-term basis.
While paid ads bring conversions over a well-defined interval of time, organic content will work its magic over months or even years. Safe to say it’s the foundation of a brand’s digital presence.
16. Content Marketing ROI
Content marketing generates 3 times more leads than traditional marketing and is 62% less costly. (Upreports)
While budgets for content marketing may vary, companies spend thousands of dollars for these services.
For example, a Web FX survey shows that in 2024, businesses spend on average between $5,000 and $10,000 monthly on content marketing.
It might seem a big amount at first glance, however, the same survey details that 77% of businesses are satisfied with their return on investment (ROI) from content marketing.
On the other hand, traditional media racks up higher costs from production, distribution, and ad placements on TV, print publications, radio, or out-of-home banners. At the same time, the ROI for traditional advertising is considerably harder to measure and quantify.
17. Artificial Intelligence in Content Creation
72% of B2B marketers use generative AI tools for content-related tasks. (Content Marketing Institute)
Popular AI tools have proven to offer the right balance between automation and the human touch for years. But with the launch of Chat-GPT however, AI has seen a substantial boom across all industries.
In content marketing, the power of AI lies in its capacity to produce text, images, and videos that mimic human creation. Marketers can use it to brainstorm new topics, research headlines, research keywords, or even help with writing.
When used well, AI can be a great assistant that can take care of repetitive content marketing tasks and streamline content production.
18. Content Marketing Technology
45% of B2B marketers say it’s likely their organization will invest in additional content management technology in 2024, while 31% of B2B marketers say their organization has the right tech. (CMI)
A clear sign that the content marketing landscape is still expected to grow in 2024, but also that marketing technology is a pivotal part of any strategy.
Marketers check their SEO efforts with Ahrefs or Semrush, create Instagram stories and post visuals or videos with tools like Canva, they schedule posts with apps like Buffer, check their copy with Grammarly, or use multi-purpose suites like Hootsuite to manage everything.
19. Content Localization for Global Reach
76% of consumers are more likely to purchase if the content and product information is in their language. (Common Sense Advisory)
Language proves to be a potent catalyst for consumer engagement and purchase intent as it helps foster a deeper connection between brands and consumers.
This isn’t the case with just local businesses or your mom-and-pop stores, but it applies to brands with a global audience as well.
Being mindful of your product demographics not only makes your products more accessible to a big part of your core audience, but it also helps build trust and brand loyalty.
Adapt your content for different markets, including language and cultural nuances.
20. Content Collaboration Trends
63% of marketers plan to increase their influencer marketing budgets in 2024. (Influencer Marketing Hub)
Influencer marketing is a powerful tool that allows both business-to-business (B2B) and business-to-customer (B2C) brands to reach new potential customers, but only if done right.
Influencers come with a loyal fanbase that watches their content regularly and trusts their opinions. That means that a recommendation from a reputable influencer that is in line with your company values and creates content relevant to your brand goes a long way.
Collaborate with influencers to amplify your content reach, tapping into their dedicated followers for authentic and impactful promotions that have long-term effects.
However, don’t neglect co-marketing opportunities. Other impactful collaborations take place between two or more complementary brands that have similar audiences.
Take for example a video app and a graphic design app that can join forces to create amazing pieces of informative content.
Conclusion: Navigating 2025’s Content Landscape
These insights are not just numbers; they’re actionable strategies empowering you to craft strategies that resonate with your audience.
Be flexible, learn from the data, be mindful of algorithm changes, experiment with different strategies, and adjust your course as needed.
Remember, engagement is an ongoing process, not a one-time achievement.
