Marketers are still trying to figure out how to track data and metrics related to content marketing. Ultimately, they need to show the effectiveness of content by tying revenue to digital marketing deliverables like blog posts, infographics, and webinars.
The metrics that matter, however, are not always obvious.
At least that’s what top marketers said at Content.NYC, an event which took place yesterday in New York City. The half-day event drew roughly 200 attendees, ready to learn about core aspects of content marketing including analytics, global content marketing, storytelling, and influencer outreach.
During the event, we caught up with marketers to find out two things: (1) how companies feel about content marketing analytics and (2) how well they grasp them.
From publicly traded companies to boutique video production houses, the answers were similar. It’s unclear how to best track content marketing analytics, but it’s a high priority—and marketers are investing in tools to find an answer.
As one marketer, who wanted to stay anonymous, said: “Do we have an ROI piece? No.”
Specifically, here’s what marketers are saying about content marketing analytics:
Peter Knapp, Marketing Director at Wiley, a global publishing company that specializes in academic publishing and marketing its publications.
Knapp says there are parts of Wiley that are advanced in terms of digital analytics. Specifically, they have teams dedicated to tracking data around topics of commerce, revenue, and conversions.
And content marketing analytics is “a new initiative” they’re tackling, he says.
David Gray, Senior Director of Marketing at Epsilon, an industry-leading marketing services firm
Gray says his marketing department has made investments in marketing tools and software, and there’s a pressing need for better analytics around content marketing.
“It’s one of the top three priorities in the marketing department,” he said.
John Matson, Marketing Manager at Guggenheim Productions, a New York-based video and film production house
Matson says for a company his size, the data associated with content marketing is based not only in sheer quantity of metrics (like page views, clicks or opens), but also in the quality of the people behind the engagement. He said one of his key objectives in developing content marketing metrics is identifying ways to understand what kinds of people are connecting with their brand and sharing their content.
“We are gathering the data, but not fully leveraging it,” he said.
John Giunta, Demand Generation Manager at MicroEdge, a leading provider of software and services to the “giving community worldwide”
Giunta is getting some necessary software tools in place, like investing in marketing automation software and CRM software. But similar to the other marketers in the room, they feel the content marketing data conundrum is not quite solved. He said content analytics will be key in determining what’s working and what’s not.
“For me, it’s a top priority,” he said.
Where Are the Answers?
6 in 10 professionals from around the world agree that there is pressure from senior management for their organization to become more data-driven and analytical. Clearly, this is driving greater awareness and interest in content analytics. And this goes beyond clicks, opens, shares and uniques. Marketers want to track how content is moving buyers through every stage of the funnel.
That’s why you can expect to see more marketers investigate and refine their approach to content analytics throughout the rest of the year.