An agency survey found that 84% expect content marketing to become more important. However, 58% of agencies said clients had little knowledge of content marketing. Agencies struggled with understanding client expectations (33%) and scaling production (15%). A company survey found most had 1-4 content employees and spent under $15,000 annually on content. While 91% created blog posts in-house, only 50% made product descriptions themselves. 65% wanted to publish more content. A freelancer survey found 64% worked full-time with degrees, but 67% earned under $20,000 last year. While 94% created written content, attribution affected over half and 47% rarely received credit for their work.

1. The Current
CONTENT
ECOSYSTEM

2. We interviewed 300 in-house marketers, agencies,
and freelance creatives to see different opportunities
within the content marketing industry.
CONTENT MARKETING FROM
AN AGENCY PERSPECTIVE
84% of agencies said they expect
content to become more important

3. 5% thought their
clients were
very knowledgeable
58% of agency
representatives
thought their clients
knew nothing
about content
marketing
Only 10% said they
created more than 50
pieces of content per
month for their clients
82% said they
create an average
of 1-10 pieces of
content per month

4. 70% of agencies
said they produce
web copy
30% of agencies
said they create
static infographics
45% creates
interactive
media or videos
16% said
they create
illustrations
92% said they
produce blog
posts

5. WHEN ASKED ABOUT THE HARDEST OBSTACLES FACING
AGENCIES WHEN CREATING CONTENT FOR CLIENTS:
15% said scaling
production
33% said their
biggest challenge
was understanding
and matching client
expectations

6. WHAT COMPANY EMPLOYEES THINK
ABOUT CONTENT MARKETING
74% of respondents said their
companies had 1-4 content marketing
employees on staff and 17% said they
had more than 10
39% of survey respondents thought
their efforts weren't very effective
or weren't effective at all

7. 35% of companies said they
wanted better search rankings
and increased visibility
43% said they
wanted increased
sales and revenue
13% said they wanted higher
volumes of repeat traffic
and a loyal community
$

8. 26% OF COMPANIES
SPENT LESS THAN
$5,000 ON CONTENT
MARKETING ANNUALLY
22% SPENT BETWEEN
$5,000-$15,000
0
$3,000
$6,000
$9,000
$12,000
$15,000

9. 91% of companies said
they create blog posts
in-house while...
...50% said they create
their own product
descriptions
60% said content
marketing was smaller
than other channels

10. 43% of respondents said
they publish content
once per week
35% said
they publish
content daily
Only 13% of respondents
said they published content
multiple times per day
65% of respondents said
they want to publish more
22% feel like they publish
the perfect amount

11. HOW CREATIVES AND
FREELANCERS VIEW THE INDUSTRY

12. 24% of respondents
have more than 10
years of experience
as freelancers
23% have
spent three to
five years in
the field
78% of respondents
have at least a 4-year
college degree
28% have
a master's
degree or
above
64% OF FREELANCE CREATIVES
WORK FULL TIME
13% have a
high school
diploma or
GED

13. 60% OF RESPONDENTS HAVE A
PERSONAL BLOG OR WEBSITE
14% of freelancers said
they work more than 40
hours per week
40% said they
work between
21-40 hours
per week
67% of respondents
said they made less
than $20,000 as a
freelancer in 2015
6% said they
earned more
than $90,000
last year
$

14. 4% SAID THEY CREATED
STATIC INFOGRAPHICS AND
OTHER VISUAL CONTENT
94% OF RESPONDENTS
SAID THEY PRODUCE
WRITTEN CONTENT
12% work for
$0.03/word or less
27% said their
standard rate was
$0.04-$0.07/word
16% work for a range
of $0.07-$0.12/word
25% of respondents
were dissatisfied with
their pay rates
32% were happy
with what they
earned on a
per/word basis

15. 53% of writers said
attribution affected the
time and effort of their
work at least moderately
47% of freelance creatives
said they rarely or never
receive attribution or
bylines for their work

16. www.copypress.com