3 ways to boost content performance

Companies are now publishers, no longer dependent on major networks to get their stories out. But competition is fierce – more than five exabytes of content is created and 27 million pieces shared every day. So how do you win the battle for attention?

It’s time for a shift from a volume focus to a performance focus. A myriad of tech tools can help you source, curate, distribute and amplify your content – all important tasks. But what tools are available to help you know if your content is truly effective?

A recent thought leadership paper co-authored by SAP and BrightEdge titled, “The Three Essential Elements of Content Performance Marketing” delves into this very topic and underscores the importance of:

1. Targeting demand by using data-driven insights to gain a deep understanding of your audience
2. Optimizing content by leveraging user intent research to map topics to buyer personas and purchasing funnel.
3. Measuring results by leveraging advanced technology and tracking the right KPIs. (In the paper, you’ll also find a very useful chart created by Smart Insights that provides KPIs for brand, content performance and commercial goals, across each stage of the buyers’ journey.)

All of this is very practical advice and when put into action it not only can tell you how your content is performing but where you should focus your efforts.

For example, Ecommerce marketers need to understand how content performs as it relates to the factors – such as offers, calls to actions and promotions – that drive conversions for ecommerce.

When marketers plan campaigns they have to be built and funded based on the actual performance of content and not guess work. If marketers are to win on the content battleground and secure further investment in content then measurement is the new imperative.  As Jake Sorofman, Research Vice President, Gartner says:

“Today, we see marketing leaders reining in a portion of their content marketing spending until they can reliably measure its performance, point to business impact and achieve the scale and control currently afforded by paid media”.

In a nutshell, the real content battleground is now about performance – measured in a meaningful way. By shifting our focus from the number of troops we deploy to the effectiveness of our engagement, we are more likely to emerge as a victor.

This article is published in collaboration with SAP Community Network. Publication does not imply endorsement of views by the World Economic Forum.

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Author: Jung Suh is a contributing writer for SAP Community Network.

Image: Traditional Incandescent light bulbs are seen at an apartment in Munich August 31, 2009. REUTERS/Michael Dalde.