Study : Blogging and content marketing replacing traditional marketing

For law firms who market by sharing their intellectual capital, as opposed to traditional marketing and advertising, get ready for some company.

Traditional advertising is rapidly losing out as marketing professionals begin to realize the effectiveness and advantages of content marketing.

The Content Marketing Institute and MarketingProfs‘ second annual study on B2B content marketing demonstrates content marketing’s growth.

Per David Woodrow (@DavidWoodrow), Senior Vice President of Strategic Services for Skyword, analyzing the findings:

The era of traditional marketing through product placement, direct advertisements, and promotions may as well be over. Content marketing has rapidly picked up steam and is about to replace traditional marketing as we know it, with nine out of ten B2B marketers currently engaging in some form of content marketing.

Following articles as the leading form of content marketing are blogs and social media (other than blogs). E-newsletters, case studies, and whitepapers, though still used by over 50% of businesses already trail blogs and social media. Amazing when such tools didn’t exist only a few years ago.

Print magazines, print newsletters, traditional media, research reports, and micro-sites are being used by far below 50% of businesses.

The number of businesses blogging jumped 29% in the last year, going from 51% of businesses to 65% of businesses blogging. Blogging not only helped businesses gain trust, credibility, and authority, but companies that blog receive 55% more web traffic.

Blogs are also increasingly being viewed as effective in marketing with 58% of businesses believing blogs are an effctive marketing vehicle. Belief in Social media effectiveness jumped 61% from 31% in 2011 to 50% in 2012.

Woodrow shared the following expert commentary on trends we can expect to see in content marketing in the coming year. With some commentary from me:

• Jamie Pappas (@jamiepappas), Princple and founder of Pappas Advisors expects “The visual appeal of great looking content will continue to rise in popularity and momentum.” No doubt ine the case of professional services businesses like law firms. Not only do you need great looking blog design, but images in your blog content are critical especially when so many people consume your content on tablets and mobile devices that don’y include your web design.
• Bill Ives (@billives), Partner at The Merced Group sees the growth of mobile being a key development this year. No doubt, 65% of Americans have a smart phone or tablet and studies find that these folks consume more news and info.
• Robert Rose, Social Media Strategist at Big Blue Moose, Content Marketing Institute says this year’s differentiating strategy will be about “how we use content in the most creative, relevant, personalized and most engaging way possible.” Law firm blogs need to get away from legal updates and focus on personalized and engaging content. Relationships and business will follow.

Content marketing, especially in the form of blogging, is on the rise. This is right up the alley of lawyers and law firms who market via content and blogs. For law firms slow to adapt to blogging, it’s time to save money and be more effective by moving away from traditional marketing.