Why Content Marketing Matters in 2022

01. You can't hack it.

No, seriously.

There's no way to hack content marketing.

There are a lot of marketing tactics out there you can set and forget, but content isn't one of them.

Sure, you could have a robot write your blog posts, but you're still going to have to edit them. You could also auto-generate videos, but someone still has to put in the effort to start the auto-generator and feed it with existing content.

And, let's face it — if your content is bad, no one is going to take the time to engage with it.

So why does the fact that content is unhackable (read: hard to fake) mean it still matters? 

Because consumers know you can't hack it. An after being inundated with pop-up ads, paid search ads, ads in their YouTube videos, on their social media feeds, in their movies, and so much more, people are looking for something real. Also, they have an ad blocker, which means you need content marketing even if your ads are really successful.

The average consumer is tired of thin marketing efforts that don't actually offer them any value. They know that you can't fake content marketing — no matter what you do, someone has to write it or produce it or publish it — which is why most consumers trust and give greater credibility to content marketing over most other marketing tactics. 

Not sure you believe that one? Well of course, you skeptical consumer. Here, have some stats to back it up:

• 65% of B2B content consumers strongly agree they have higher preferences for credible content from industry influencers.
• Per dollar, content marketing produces 3 times more leads. 
• 71% of a B2B respondent poll state they reviewed a blog while on their buying journey. 

The average consumer only trusts what they can personally research and validate online these days. They won't be tricked or convinced and they won't be easily sold. That's why content marketing  — an unhackable marketing tactic — still matters today. 

02. Content marketing matches consumer behavior.

So we've established that content marketing is unhackable. You have to put in the effort to develop and promote good content because that's what the modern consumer is looking for.

They know content is difficult to create, and they appreciate companies who take the time to provide them with the in-depth information they're looking for. Which brings me to the second reason content marketing matters in 2022.

Consumers expect it. 

Let's say you ran a brand awareness ad campaign. A consumer sees your ad and thinks, "Hey, that's kind of what I was looking for!".

They're not going to click on your ad and make a purchase. Oh no.

They're going to see what your brand name is, type that into Google and land on your website.

And what they find when they do that initial search could make or break your ability to convert that visitor into a lead and ultimately a sale. 

If that visitor lands on your site, only to be met by 50 pop-ups, a chatbot that says "BUY NOW" and a form that asks for their credit card information, you can wave goodbye to any hopes you had of a sale.

That's a hard sell, traditional marketing technique that people don't want.

That visitor is looking to learn about you and your product. They want to know what you have to offer them in their search for the perfect solution to their pain point, whether that's what to buy Mom for her birthday or how many industrial screws to order for their product assembly.

And that means content.

Content marketing still matters in 2022 because it's what consumers want and expect from the internet. No matter what they're purchasing, they're first going to research the product, gain as much information about it as they can, and then make a final decision based on the company (ahem, content) they found most helpful in that research phase.

03. Content (marketing) is forever

Okay, so your consumers want content, and they trust content because they know it's unhackable. Fab for them, but what does that do for you? Content is hard to produce. It takes time and effort from your team. Besides meeting your consumer's needs, why should you care about content?

It's forever.

Lookout diamonds, there's a new contender in town.

In all seriousness, though, the wonderful thing about content is that even though it's challenging and time-consuming to develop, once produced, it's something that will continue to work for you forever.

Once you post a piece of content to the internet, it's there forever.

It'll continue to generate leads, help you rank for relevant keywords, and answer your ideal buyers' top questions about you, your product, or your industry.

In the fast-paced over-in-a-second world of social media, staying power is a pretty incredible benefit. That's one key reason why content is such a strong asset for any company in any industry.

04. Google STILL cares about content

Now we're bringing out the big guns.

There's not a company out there that doesn't want to rank on the first page of Google for ideal keywords. And content remains the best, most effective way to get there.

Google's top priority is always to deliver its users with the highest-quality, most relevant content to answer their queries. And as long as people are using Google (and nearly 4 billion of them are) content is going to be your best bet for visibility.

This one pretty much speaks for itself, there's not much more I can say here. Essentially, if you want to get found, and get found first, you need a solid content marketing strategy.

Thanks for the mic drop, Google.

05. Content is the single best way to demonstrate authority online

Consumers want content. Google wants content. It's pretty clear from the above four sections why content marketing matters in 2022.

I'd like to wrap all of that up into this last point — content is the single best way to demonstrate authority online. And authority is what you're looking for, both for search engines and consumers.

A quality content marketing strategy shows Google that you know what you're talking about.

Your content is relevant, researched, and helpful to people asking questions about your industry. That search engine authority is what's going to get you ranked on the first page for relevant keywords.

And once you get visitors to your website (by building that authority with Google and other search engines) your content is also how you demonstrate your subject authority to those consumers.

Any consumer, regardless of what they're purchasing, wants to buy from a company they feel they can trust. Content is what builds that trust, showing them that:

• You know what you're talking about
• Your product or service can solve the pain point they're experiencing
• You're going to deliver what you've promised, whether that's a product or a service

In the digital world, authority matters most. And content is how you build it. 

Still not convinced? What if I told you content marketing in 2022 was cheaper and delivered better results than other marketing methods?

Yeah, content is hard. I know first-hand. So if the above 5 reasons that content marketing still matters in 2022 weren't enough for you to break out the laptop and get typing, how about these stats? 

• Search Engine Journal says content marketing costs 62% less and drums up 3x as many leads as traditional marketing efforts. 
• Neil Patel has a slew of stats for you, but I love this one most: 70% of consumers prefer to learn about a product from an article over an ad. And 4x more would rather a video than an article. 

Not only do consumers and search engines want content marketing, but it's also one of the most affordable and effective lead generation methods for companies today.

What can I say? Content marketing works — in 2022 and beyond.

How should you ramp up content marketing efforts in 2022?

Now that I've sold you on all the benefits content marketing can offer, where should you focus your content marketing efforts in 2022?

My personal favorite is blogging. It's known, it's effective, and there are so many resources out there about how to optimize your blog for higher-quality leads.

But, if you're getting tired of typing, know that content marketing means so much more than just blogging in 2022. Other great, highly effective forms of content marketing include:

• Podcasts
• Video marketing
• Email campaigns
• Ebooks
• Online courses
• One-to-one conversations through chatbots and even social media IMs like Facebook Messenger
• Personalized content (I love this post from HubSpot if you're looking to master website personalization.)

If you had to pick two to lean into, I'd go with video content first, and then also spend some time optimizing content for voice search. 

Video Content
As younger generations age into the workforce, video content is going to be huge. Most consumers today are already opting for videos over written content, and that's a trend that's only going to keep moving forward. Now is the time to start experimenting with a video marketing strategy that can set you apart from the competition. 

Voice Search
We've been talking about optimizing for voice search since 2018, so I won't belabor the point here. The thing to remember is that people are becoming more reliant on personal assistants and voice-activated speakers, from Alexa to Google. The more you can develop content to capture those voice searches, the more your brand will stand out organically on the web. 

Looking for More Help Boosting Your Content Marketing Strategy in 2022?

I've got resources! Check out our blog: New Rules of Content Marketing in 2021 for an updated look at how you should be developing content. These ones also give a few helpful tips for getting started and developing a content strategy that delivers growth:

• Topic Clusters: The Future of Content Marketing
• 7 Content Marketing Strategies to Take Your Company to the Next Level
• What is the Purpose of Business Blogging?
• 7 Business Blogging Tips to Help You Rank Higher

Rather talk to a person? Get in touch with the Evenbound team! Content marketing is what we do, and we're always down to talk strategy.