We’ve often seen references to “content marketing” in relation to digital advertising.

Too often, it is identified as the marketing sector’s favourite buzzword, meant to be pigeonholed to preserve the sacred cow of traditional advertising, or in the words of WPP Chief Executive Sir Martin Sorrell, “aspirational content”.

If that’s the case, then marketing is a lazy, negative image.

To belittle the work and potential of content marketing threatens its credibility. Its roots are deeply embedded in traditional marketing, so it needs to break away from its own monolithic barriers and embrace new opportunities.

The term “content marketing” is quite clever, however.

It covers multiple disciplines within a single organisation – online, print, social media and traditional TV – and also covers partnerships and events.

However, this is only part of the story.

We are experiencing a revolution in how digital and social media are connected to each other, but this is evolving so fast, we don’t yet fully understand it. We are all anticipating this convergence: the lines between these channels are blurring.

The prime example is the growth of “broadcast only” TV programming, as the online video market has transformed the quality and format of “traditional” video content.

We still believe the days of mass advertising are numbered. The audience is not happy to be pinned to digital devices 24/7. We have struggled to change this, and we need to, if we are to maintain our status in the digital revolution.

People want high quality curated content on every channel – not viral cat videos – in addition to short, compelling news reports.

Young people in particular are concerned about their credit ratings, which should mean content that aims to inform, inform and entertain. To deliver this quality, marketers need a growing range of vertical and thematic content across different and new platforms.

Content is not social media

Brands are not publishers.

While we recognise their valuable role in attracting people to the brands through their participation in content-related conversations, our research found that around 75% of consumers said they do not feel their personal information has been shared with organisations.

Our data show that people are more engaged with what they watch on TV rather than on social media.

The same is true for any form of “content marketing” – data does not make the case.

Relying on data may have once made sense, but no longer does. So it is crucial that everyone on the marketing team understands content marketing and builds the framework of investment, organisational capability and digital capability that will enable it to thrive in the social and digital revolution.

Personalised user behaviour

Artificial intelligence (AI) is not new.

We’ve been using AI to learn about the audiences we’re trying to reach for years.

But we still understand what AI does and the ways in which it is useful.

Everyone on the marketing team needs to understand it. They need to use AI intelligently to deliver high quality, engaging and relevant content that is relevant to the target audiences.

To that end, the future of content marketing is mobile first.

Smart, personalised content – whether through video or content shared using social media, or generated by other media – needs to be delivered via devices.

However, data still has some way to go. A key differentiator in mobile is that content that is likely to be shown to a user can be retrieved and served to the user, helping to retain the engagement.

Businesses need the digital innovation infrastructure in place to deal with the information overload of today’s consumer. The same will be true for content marketing.

Anyone in marketing is passionate about the journey towards the future. Many of them are beginning to see it for what it is – an exciting transformation that will help to shape the future of content.

Content Marketing 2025 is sponsored by Qubits.