New York, NY (April 7, 2011) – 2010 saw a surge in emerging platforms for custom content, with video, mobile, virtual events and educational content spending hitting an all-time high of $12.5 billion, according to “Characteristics Study: A Look at the Volume and Type of Content Marketing in America for 2011.” However, the 11th annual industry study by the Custom Content Council and ContentWise finds print still dominates the market, with $24 billion spent on print production and distribution, and $3.6 billion spent on other forms of content. Of the average overall marketing, advertising and communications budget, 29% of funds are allocated to custom media.
Volume is strong, with the average company distributing custom content 404 times annually—more than once a day. In the print sector, the number of unique printed publications per company is 1.7, the same as 2009; frequency per title declined to six times a year and the number of pages per issue rose to an all time high of 29.4. The average circulation per issue also rose to 52,000 copies per issue.
For the eighth year in a row, titles targeting external audiences exceeded those targeting internal audiences at a 79%/21% ratio, with the USPS confirmed as the preferred distribution method (73%).
Other key findings of the Characteristics study include:
- The Future is Video: 57% of marketers say they will produce video, as compared to 54% last year—this is on the heels of a 7% increase in popularity of the format over the past year. The study indicates video use will continue to grow rapidly.
- The Presence of Advertisements: Paid advertisements expanded for the third year in a row, with 30% of printed custom publications carrying them.
- Average Age Per Title: This year, the average age jumped from 8.2 to 9 years, indicating the staying power of the printed custom publications.
- Decline in Number of Titles: The number of titles is 110,174, 3,000 less than 2009, as marketers broaden the array of content marketing media beyond print.
- Beyond Print: The most common other content format is website updates of articles, blog posts and other content (79%), while usage declined in e-newsletters, podcasts and RSS feeds.
“While print remains the choice du jour for most custom media programs, new media channels are providing more growth opportunities for the custom content industry,” said Lori Rosen, Executive Director, Custom Content Council. “This year’s study underscores multiple expansion areas for content. As the economy continues to rebound, the future of content looks very promising.”
Methodology:
The research was conducted via an emailed survey targeting a random sample of companies across all industries. Eight thousand survey invitations were emailed and approximately 197 were completed and returned, producing a +/-6% degree of accuracy at a 90% confidence level. Among the responding companies were: AARP, Allstate Insurance, ASPCA, Boston Scientific, GE Healthcare, Hoosier Energy, MassMutual, Nationwide, TCF National Bank, University of North Carolina.
About the Custom Content Council
The Custom Content Council (CCC) is the leading professional organization representing custom publishers in North America and is focused on promoting the growth and vitality of this dynamic marketing discipline. We define custom publishing as marrying the marketing ambitions of a company with the information needs of its target audience. This occurs through the delivery of editorial content – via print, Internet, and other media – so intrinsically valuable that it moves the recipient’s behavior in a desired direction. Marketers across the country, the media and other interested constituencies rely on the Custom Content Council as the authoritative source of industry news, data and trends, information on the effectiveness of custom publishing, and referrals to the top custom publishers in North America.
www.customcontentcouncil.com
