In conclusion, a final poll was taken: “Based on the discussion, what marketing initiatives will you be planning for in 2017?” The results (see chart below) indicated that content marketing was the clear winner (81.8% of respondents had this as their top pick) and ABM and social media were second and third on the planning board, with events not terribly far behind.
As content marketing continues to gain in popularity, it is no surprise that it was the #1 choice for marketing initiatives in 2017. Digging a little deeper, Frost & Sullivan Moderator Nicole Coons asked the panelists whether they created their content marketing internally or externally.
All the panelists in attendance produced their content marketing using a combination of internal and external resources. Though they might sometimes partner with an analyst or thought leader, this group agreed that they knew their product and value proposition best, so they created most of their content internally.
In closing, as one of the panelists summed up, the discussion and analysis of marketing tactics and plans for both 2016 and 2017 presented a unique opportunity for all “to benchmark themselves.” Indeed, a very important exercise in an era of ever-changing marketing realities.
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