Measuring Content Marketing probably seems as foreign to some as running a full marathon. A race, well, that probably seems much easier – here to there, not much concern for pacing, just have to get to the end with a good result. And if the results are poor, changes are made for the next race. Traditional print and digital marketing efforts can be looked at like the sprinter’s race, looking for a quick turnaround which is to evoke a response from a customer. Content Marketing is the marathon segment of your organization’s marketing efforts. It takes strategy, planning, execution, and re-alignment just like the runner trains, eats, and even sleeps for the big race. And just as runners set incremental goals within the marathon to track their progress, so should your organization.
Most organizations have the consumer that needs their product or service now and those who will need it eventually. That is why your marketing efforts should focus on the sprint and the marathon simultaneously. Content Marketing is creating the awareness and trust for a potential consumer when the need arrives. And measurements of progress do look very different than a promotional ad or incentive program. Targetmarketingmag.com has outlined the best ways to track your content marketing progress all while creating a realistic expectation of the new marathon you are now in with your competitors.
Jim Anthony | So-Mark Founder
Source: targetmarketingmag.com | Re-Post So-Mark 4/20/2017 –
In my last post, I addressed the metrics that should be a part of your content marketing KPIs. Today, I’d like to dive into what to look for in the marketing metrics you are measuring.
1. Think Motion Pictures, Not Snapshots
Perhaps the most important concept you can take away from this column is the truth that although data points can be valuable individually, you’ll gain the most insight from your KPIs by tracking them over time.
This will generally give you a more accurate picture of the health of your online marketing efforts since the trends can help you filter out more of the noise. The shorter the period you’re examining the more likely something anomalous will impact the accuracy of your data.
Over time, you’ll see trends develop and you’ll gain an understanding about the metrics where small changes are important and the metrics where even wild swings aren’t cause for alarm or celebration.
2. Think About Context
Here again, I am suggesting that you not look at individual data points discretely, but rather as part of a larger whole. For example, seeing an important page on your site with a higher-than-average exit rate might look alarming, but it might simply be the nature of that page’s content combined with the fact that it is a more popular page.
That’s not to say that you shouldn’t try to decrease the exit rate on your key pages, but you probably shouldn’t be comparing a page like that to a low-traffic page that appeals only to a small segment of your overall audience.