Junta42 blog

Everyone is a Publisher...and Why this Really Matters (for you Media companies too)

Thanks to BoSacks for passing over this Time article on Content Becoming a Pauper. 

The story is worth the read, but here is a little snippet that sums up the author's point. As you can tell, he is taking the viewpoint on the value of content as it pertains to traditional media companies.

"The value of content has never been ethereal. It has always been directly tied to what owners could 'get' for it, either through advertisers or subscribers. For content to have a value, it could never be free. Its position as royalty depended on that.

Content is rapidly being devalued."

BoSacks Speaks Out
Okay, before I make my comments, I wanted to include BoSacks comments on this topic:

"I'm not sure where to begin with my comments on this article, and perhaps I should wait a day or two before responding.  But then again, that is just not my way - vent first and think about it later.
 
The author keeps referencing the decreased value of content.  I admit that I need to ponder the question, but right now I say that perhaps it is his company's content that is devalued, but not content itself.  That may be splitting hairs, but somebody is always going to make money on content.  Right now it is Google; next year or in ten years it will be somebody else.  Google doesn't make the content, but they sure as heck have figured out how make money on the content.  So it still has as much value as before, but perhaps not by the same companies.  Get over it and start thinking in 21st century terms and actions."

@juntajoe Speaks Out
I think BoSacks' points are close to the mark.  Who can deny that Google is making money off media content? And yes, someone always makes money off content. But the issue goes much, much further and needs to be looked at outside the eyes of the media model itself.

• Content is more valued than ever before. When consumers need to find solutions, they actively seek out content (90% of buying decisions start on the web - Forrester, 2007) to find answers to their problems. It's content that supplies those answers, in the form of text, video, audio, and social media - and consumers have almost unlimited ways to get the content. The difference today is that consumers are finding those answers coming from their peers and their favorite brands as well as the media. Everyone is a media company. Everyone is a publisher.
  
  Almost all marketing tactics are optional today. The one strategy that is not optional is developing ongoing content for your customers to help them make better buying decisions. Organizations and individuals around the world are trying to figure out how to create valuable and relevant content. While there is plenty of bad content out there, great content is in high demand.
• Two Types of Media Companies. To BoSacks point, there is always someone making money off the content, but look at it this way: Money doesn't have to be made DIRECTLY from the content in the form of sponsorships and paid subscribers. Don't get me wrong, I still believe in paid content. I pay for content I really value, and have no problem with doing so (read this article on the suggestion that an online micro-payment content model could work similar to the way people buy songs on iTunes). Smart companies have been using content for centuries to develop relationships with consumers that ultimately (in the long run) sell products and services. MasterCard Small Business uses a content marketing strategy to sell more credit cards (over 50% of new signups come directly from informational articles). LEGO is one of the most prolific publishers on the planet. P&G uses content to sell more feminine products. Like these three examples, companies must produce content to survive as a business, and there are literally no technological barriers.
  
  So, while media companies produce content to profit directly (like Time, Inc., NY Times, Wall Street Journal, etc.), other media companies profit indirectly from the content (MasterCard, LEGO, P&G, etc.). Professionals in both media and marketing need to understand this - we all compete for the attention of the consumer, hoping to build lasting relationships. If you produce software for design engineers, then a magazine brand like Machine Design is not only your partner, but a competitor as well.

While I was writing this post, I was also watching a BtoB webcast we sponsored on Marketing Outlook 2009. Mark Wilson, CMO from Sybase, talked about how Sybase employs "frugal and authentic marketing" as part of their current marketing program. That means that they are producing a ton of targeted, multi-platform content to their customers and prospects.  This includes self-published books, video newsletters, YouTube videos, segmented enewsletters, white papers and other vehicles where they can efficiently and honestly tell their story and get involved in important conversations. Sybase is a media company.

Overall, I strongly disagree with Douglas McIntyre (the author) about the waining importance of content.  It's needed and accessed by consumers now more than ever. Pure media content is still wanted and needed, but there is more competition today, and since the traditional media business model is threatened, quality corporate content is becoming more important than ever (corporations have the money to invest in content).

I'll end with this. I was talking to a media consultant last week who asked me my advice for struggling media companies. I told her that most media companies have great brands, and great relationships with readers. Readership/engagement isn't necessarily their problem. The issue is that their advertisers aren't advertising as much anymore, and their business models are based on advertising/sponsorship revenue. Since that's the case, a media brand can do one of two things:

1. Start charging for content or premium content (much like what MarketingProfs does so well, or a product such as Copyblogger's Teaching Sells).
2. Develop products or services that make sense in their industry. A lot of media companies are starting to do this, such as GIE Media, who has an incredibly strong data/research business.

It's funny. Marketers are trying to become publishers and publishers are trying to become marketers. I wonder when the day will come where we won't be able to distinguish one from the other.

It's closer than you think.

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Creating a Custom Content Project? Here's Your Four Options

I was reading this Seth Godin post on "What Would a Professional Do?" and I couldn't help to think of the challenge that all marketers face regarding content creation.

Every company, no matter what size, needs valuable, relevant and compelling (and consistent) content directed to their customers. It's not an option anymore, and the research is starting to show that more and more marketers are investing in content marketing, even during these tough economic times.

Even though we (at Junta42) are huge proponents of outsourcing content strategy and execution to custom publishers and content professionals, there are options.

In following Seth's rationale for hiring a professional, they are eerily similar to your content creation options:

1. Hire a custom publisher/content provider.
2. Be as good as a custom publisher.
3. Realize that professional-quality work is not required for your content and merely come close.
4. Do work that a custom publisher wouldn't or couldn't do, and use this as an advantage.

The first option is the best choice if you have the budget to outsource this. Content creation and execution, especially from an integrated standpoint where print, online and in-person integration are involved, can be extremely complex. Also, in many cases, it's actually less expensive to outsource. When I was with Penton Media, we used to sit down with brands and associations and show them "line-by-line" how they could actually save money by outsourcing their project. If you take in all the internal resources necessary for a content project to work, that's absolutely the case.

The second option is a solid option. If you have the expertise in-house, and the available resources to dedicate to manage the editorial process, understand the art of storytelling that can drive sales, execute each step from content to distribution to feedback, and measure the effectiveness, it can definitely be done. One of the big issues here (check out the mistakes in this blog post) is that many internal communications specialists have a difficult time developing a story that doesn't actively sell. Remember, we need to tell a story that is valuable and relevant to the customer. That means, for the most part, leaving the sales messages out of the equation. 

The third option happens all the time. "We don't need it to be first-rate. We just need to get our newsletter, white paper, magazine out to our customers." If that's your attitude, don't do it at all. You're not doing your customers any service by sending them second- or third-rate information. Can anyone say SPAM?

The fourth option is an interesting choice. First of all, you can probably find a custom publisher to do just about anything. That said, there may be some content initiatives that only you could do. For example, Microsoft's Channel 9 project would have been impossible to pull off if an outside content agency came in to produce the project. But a Microsoft developer going around with a camera asking questions, altogether possible. And it's been an incredible success.

To Seth's point, the fourth option can be exciting. Today's environment allows you to be completely transparent with the content process. If you have an idea that is new and innovative (or at least new in your niche), try it. The worst thing that could happen is it doesn't work. Then you can try something new.

But if that's not for you, try calling in a professional.

Related Articles:

• Five Questions with Seth Godin
• Content Marketing is the Only Marketing Left, and 10 New Marketing Lessons

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Visual Representation of Content Marketing: Do You Agree?

I had a few of the folks at VizEdu.com send me this visual presentation of content marketing @Twitter, and I thought it was close enough to share.

I like what they've done, but as always with trying to depict a philosophy visually, it leaves a few things out.  Possibly for the next version?

Couple thoughts...

• This model completely leaves out content strategy, possibly the most challenging part of the content marketing process.  Check out this article by Kristina Halvorson (@halvorson) for more on content strategy, as well as in my book where we discuss this in detail. As part of content strategy is doing the research on the customer's informational needs and setting up listening posts. Hard to distribute good content marketing without an ear to the ground.
• A solid content marketing plan does not require viral or word-of-mouth to work.  There are plenty of retention-based content marketing programs that don't need to be spread in order to achieve behavioral objectives. That said, great content should naturally spread (for example, this 2009 predictions post was my highest clicked post of all time in just a few days as it spread through Twitter, Facebook and Stumbleupon).
• Content marketing does not only function online. Print content marketing, such as print newsletters and custom magazines/magalogs are still incredibly effective when done correctly (see the APA 25 minute research under Content Marketing Research). Customer events and roundtables are also a form of content marketing - the in-person kind. When planning your marketing, you should look at the all-important mix of online/print/in-person content marketing.

I must say, I'm still in awe at how the content marketing industry has changed and is evolving from custom publishing. Frankly, it's exciting and utterly confusing at the same time. How can it not be with all these terms?: content marketing, content strategy, inbound marketing, custom publishing, custom media, branded storytelling, private media, customer marketing, branded content and so on. Rick Liebling (@eyecube) calls this branding. For the most part, aren't they all pretty much the same thing?

Tell you what...let's all get together an pick a term.  You with me?

If you liked this, check out 10 Content Marketing Tips to Start Now for 2009 or Content Marketing on the Rise for 2009.

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New Research: With Economy Rattled, Marketers Spending on Content/Social Media

We've just completed our December Junta42 readership study and frankly, I'm surprised. I bought into the thinking, like most other marketing and publishing professionals, that marketers would hold back spending in all categories during these tough times.

I was wrong.

According to our research findings, marketers are continuing to stash more and more funds into their own content and social media initiatives. A full 56% of survey respondents stated that they will be increasing their content marketing spending in 2009 (remember, this study was completed the first week of December).

There will be some naysayers about this survey.  Junta42 subscribers, for the most part, have already bought into the fact that content marketing is the future of marketing, making them (most likely) predisposed to spending more in that area. Regardless, the results are staggering, and clearly tell us that corporate content initiatives aren't just a luxury anymore - they are necessity - the engine behind the entire marketing program.

Please check out the full results here, including who the respondents were, decision-making authority, and core content tactics for 2009.

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10 Content Marketing Tips to Start Now for 2009

One of the reasons I love my job is the different kinds of people I have the opportunity to interact with. Over the past year, I've met with entrepreneurs, thought leaders, agency executives, top marketers, social media gurus, publishing veterans, authors and others - all with particular insights and challenges about how to sell more, do more and be more.

If 2008 was the year social media went mainstream, 2009 should be the year of content marketing, the corporation as media company, the brand as publisher and broadcaster. Why? Because everyone of those incredibly intelligent people I met with, in some way or another, told me that the difference for brands who make it versus those that don't will be relevance. How can we, as brands, be relevant to our customers? How can we create and develop real relationships with them? How do we engage?

As my friend and colleague Kirk Cheyfitz has said over and over - brands can do only two things to create the goal of 100% engagement - we can inform our customers - or give them a good time.

To help, I've put together 10 tactics that I believe you need to seriously consider NOW as part of your 2009 content plan (not in any particular order).

1. Tell the Story Differently through Different Media - It's frustrating to watch the sheer number of marketers tell a great story, but repurpose that story the same way in all their media. Ian Alexander over at Eat Media constantly harps (and rightfully so) on the concept that the story you tell in print versus mobile versus website versus video must be told in a very different manner. Seems obvious, but it's not done. Most commonly, this mistake is made from taking a print custom program and just putting it online. Do you engage with content in the same way in print as you do the web? Most likely, you don't. Do not expect more of your customers than yourself.
2. Raid Traditional Media Outlets - As traditional media continues to lay off the best journalists in the world and layoffs and bankruptcies abound, your opportunity to acquire talent has never been greater. Of course, I'm biased a bit that I believe most marketers should outsource their content and find great providers through our service, but this opportunity is too good to be true. First, the talent is available now. Second, expert journalists are very open to working with corporations today. Third, you need great content to survive as a marketer. To do this, you need talent that understands how to tell a story. Go get that talent today while there is still time (and before they all start up their own content marketing businesses).
3. Why Partner with Media Companies, Just Buy Them - Granted, this is for the larger marketers among us, but a great strategy nonetheless. Paul Conley just posted an excellent read on the shape of the media industry, and his #1 prediction was that content marketers may start to buy b-to-b media companies. I've agreed with this strategy ever since I was at Penton (when I thought Penton should be purchased by eBay Business - and still think it's a great idea for both). Remember, a media company is all about connecting buyers and sellers. Corporations need to do that as well, they only want to limit the number of sellers (to one).
4. Time to Start Using Twitter - I will agree with you...I thought Twitter was stupid when I first tried it. Now, it is an indispensable tool, where I've increased my network, formed partnerships, and led to new business opportunities. To understand the true power you need to use a tool like TweetDeck, which is the ultimately reputation management tool if you can't afford a real reputation management tool. Check out this article by Ann Smarty on using Twitter for Business, as well as Shama Hyder's 101 Ways to Rock Twitter. And finally, if you are distributing relevant content, try sending your RSS feeds through Twitter by using TwitterFeed.
5. Get Serious about a Content Audit - In all honesty, this is a huge task and very challenging to look for all the pieces of content in an organization from the inside.  If you are serious about performing a content audit, look to an outside expert to execute it.  For example, they will look at all your forms of communication and the information you are sending out in order to make recommendations on how to create and fine tune a consistent and relevant message to your customers and prospects.  This includes all the content you have on the web and what's circulating around your company.  Just think about your website…is it consistent?  Does it communicate your vision? If you are serious, we have a number of providers in the Junta42 Match system.
   
   The results of the content audit will help define the purpose, context, types, topics, voice and style for your content marketing plan.  With this information, you’ll have a good handle on where you are currently, and where you need to be in relation to your customers. Hat's off to Kristina Halvorson at Brain Traffic for showing me the light on content strategy.
6. No Reputation Management System? - Work on Your Google Alerts: Of all the listening tools out there, Google Alerts is probably the one I use the most (even more than Twitter).  The way Google Alerts works is that I can monitor keywords and brand names, and whenever anyone mentions them on the Internet, I’ll get a notification.  As a rule, when anyone blogs about me, my company, or my book, I want to know about it and comment to them.  Google Alerts helps me find most of this.
   
   But where this is really of value is to find out what people are saying around they topics that are important to you and your customers.  For example, by monitoring the term “content marketing” over the past couple years, I’ve really gained insight into how the definition has broadened and how more people are using the term in general. It also introduced me to thought leaders like Chris Brogan, who regularly posts and advocates the use of content marketing.
   
   We can help shape the conversation through our own content because we know what’s being talked about on other sites.
   
   So, how do you do it?  Google Alerts is a free tool.  The first thing you need to do is create a Gmail (or Google mail account), which is also free.  Once you have a Gmail account, just type in your keywords into Alerts and set your notifications. To use exact phrases (recommended), try using parentheses like so - "content marketing".
7. Assign a Chief Conversation Officer - Whatever you call it, make sure someone is in charge of listening to customer conversations through blogs, Google Alerts, and Twitter.  Have that person be the personality for your brand.  Customers want to talk to other people, so it’s very important that you put a human face on this.
   
   Remember, a successful content marketing strategy is dependent on how well you know the customer's informational needs. Listening is required.
   
   Here’s an example why you need ownership.  Type in "Kodak" into Twitter Search and you'll find that there are hundreds of people just in the last day that are talking about Kodak in one way or another.  This takes someone’s full time attention to monitor what customers and prospects are saying (which is why Kodak has Jennifer Cisney @KodakCB as their Chief Blogger).  If done right, and with transparency and honesty, there may not be a better way to gain loyal customers than to interact with them in a personal way through social media.  So, I encourage you to take a very serious look at assigning an owner to your social conversation management.
8. Are you BtoB? If so, choose to "Be the Media": Heck, BtoC can do this as well (it's just more challenging). Most brands don’t look at themselves as publishers or media companies right now.  This is starting to change.  Over the next five to ten years, content marketing – or whatever the phrase is – will be the engine behind most of the marketing that happens around the globe.  That’s because buying behavior has changed, and will never go back to the days of mass marketing.  I believe the early movers in providing best of breed industry and educational content will have a clear advantage and be able to position themselves as trusted content providers – which in the long run – will position them for sales and profit growth.  It’s not easy, and right now it takes work to measure, but, as Seth Godin has said, Content Marketing is the only marketing left.
   
   Point is, don't wait for your industry's trade publication or online resource to cover an important topic - important to you and your customers. Go out and develop that information yourselves. Become the trusted content provider in your industry. Not only a good thing to do for your customers and industry, but believe me, it will be good for your bottom line.
9. Find Someone to Be Your Publisher/Media Company - Yes, even though I believe you should grab the journalistic talent when you can, partnering with an organization that focuses on content 24/7 is just a smart move.
   
   You need someone to own your content process.  Select someone to be your turnkey publisher. In my experience, marcom people are not necessarily the most qualified to create story-driven content.  So, if you are serious about growing your business through content marketing, find the expertise now. 
   
   Once you select your publisher or journalist as part of your content team, you should expect them to assist you with the following:
   
   • You can count on this group to help you develop the content plan.  This means that they need to have the best understanding of your customer’s informational needs, and make sure that you have a plan to communicate to each of your customer segments – valuable, relevant and compelling information.  This will involve surveys and discussions with your customers and prospects, and from that you can create a buyer persona for your customer, which is a detailed representation of who your buyer is.
   • Now, Once the content plan is created, you may be asking what types of programs you may need to execute. This will ultimately be dependent on your content plan and the kinds of information that you need them to receive. 
     
     So, you need case studies, interviews with customers about challenges solved. Industry white papers or ebooks that cover a key topic that your customers need to be educated on.  White papers are generally done quarterly by even smaller organizations. For webcasts, you can produce webcasts for resellers, educating them on what’s going on in the industry so they can sell better, or communicate with webcasts/webinars directly to customers.  Key for webcasts is to do it consistently.  Many brands partner with media companies to use webcasts as lead generators.  When done right, there may not be a better lead generator than webcasts.
     
     Believe it or not, custom magazines are still growing, and yes, in print.  Most consumers still enjoy reading print magazines, and even with all the Internet hype, readership in magazines hasn’t gone down.  For distributing in depth information and positioning yourself as a true solutions provider, custom magazines or even online digital magazines are a good choice.  With custom magazines, think retention for your very best customers.
     
     eNewsletters are the most popular content vehicle, and unfortunately most are pretty bad.  You have an opportunity to really position yourself as an expert if you deliver consistently valuable content instead of news release/press release type information. I've always loved what the folks at IMN do with their Pro&Content eNewsletter.
     
     And finally, social media community sites/blogs and content-focused microsites are all growing in popularity.  The key to any successful blog or social media site is this: If you can’t handle customer comments that may be negative in nature, don't go in this direction.  Some companies mask the openness of a blog but don’t allow comments.  My question to that is, what’s the point?  Also, the content needs to be good, and it needs to be personal.  Ghost writing a blog is possible but tough…to make this successful you really need a company personality…but your content provider/publisher can help you get the direction right.
     
   
   Those are just a few…remember, every communication challenge is different, and may require a different content initiative - which is why an expert publisher is so important.  Also, for the most part, none of these initiatives work independently.  For example, there is no such thing as just a custom magazine.  There is always an online component, which may be a microsite, additional web content, white papers and more - and in each of those media channels, the story needs to be told differently for maximum engagement.
10. All this is Meaningless Unless You Measure: Yes, content marketing is a good idea for any size company, but without measurement, how do you have any idea what is working? My former boss at Penton Media, Bill Donahue, used to preach to me all the time that "Hope is not a strategy". Even hope, without an idea of a preferred end result, may actually be defined as insanity.
    
    Before you launch any content initiative, create the content strategy around your marketing program, and be very specific with how you will measure success. Use numbers whenever you can to quantify your plan. Then, have your management buy off on those numbers to support your content plan. Although we finish with this strategy as our last, it probably should be the first. Successful content marketing plans need at least six months just to get any traction at all - so plan for a minimum of 12 to 18 months and continually modify your plan as you gain customer intelligence.

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Online Content Strategies Every Marketer Needs - A Forrester Report

I attended a presentation by Sarah Rottman Epps from Forrester last week during our Custom Publishing Council member meeting.  Sarah gave an excellent presentation about how custom publishers can make the jump from print to online content solutions, but her advice is just as important for content marketers.

Here are some of the stats that made her case:

• People want their online experiences to be visual (39% of US adults watch video online).
• People want their online experiences to be social (35% of US adults connect on social networks).
• They want to have fun (48% of US adults play online games).

Sarah also stated many reasons why customers won't come to your website, including the integration of RSS, widgets and the growth of mobile devices. This means that your content needs to be everywhere, not just your website.

The solutions to these behavioral patterns are three-fold, according to Forrester's Epps.  They include:

1. Aggregate Content and Functionality

For example, the Baltimore Sun integrated widgets next to their content about gas and oil-related content that helped readers find the cheapest gas prices in the region.

And the Washington Post works with Sphere.com to show readers who's blogging about their articles.

2. Syndicate Broadly to Engage Your Audience

The Wall Street Journal, the CBC and others use Loomia to syndicate their content on Facebook.

 

3. Use Social Media To Get Customers to Engage with Your Brand

Here, Epps recommended acquiring a clear understanding of how far your customers and prospects can be pushed up the online social ladder. For example, if the core part of your audience right now is spectators versus creators, your expectations for social media involvement should be at a much lower level.  Start there, and then push the envelope.

The key here is to get to know your audience.

Have you asked your customers what their level of social media involvement is? If you haven't, now is the time. Surveys are great, but don't forget one-on-one meetings. I would recommend having your direct salespeople ask this question as well. In order to prepare to ask the question confidently, they'll most likely need to prepare - which is a good thing.

Here's my takeaway:

The key to any online content strategy working is an understanding of your audience. What are their informational needs? How far can you take them without losing them? Experimentation is great, but remember that it's not about the technology, it's about people.

This is one thing that will never change.

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Seven Content Strategies to Build Trust with Today's Savvy Consumers - A Complimentary eBook

At the heart of all sales transactions is trust.

The greater the trust, the more likely the sale. Without trust, there is no sale. In today’s business world, where more and more relationships are being developed and maintained over the Internet—the need for establishing trust and building confidence with buyers may be stronger and more powerful than ever. One of the resulting challenges for marketers is to find ways to quickly establish rapport, and then build upon it. How can you best do that? By listening to your customers and prospects and giving them information they need—information that will build their trust in your company as a solutions provider, and lead to the ultimate goal—sales.

That's exactly the reason why have developed this complimentary eBook/white paper entitled "Seven Content Strategies to Build Trust with Today's Savvy Consumers." Big thanks to our sponsors McMurry and ContentWise for supporting this important project.

This comprehensive eBook will:

• Give you seven strategies to enact right now that can tip the trust scale in your favor.
• Provide clear examples of how leading brands are creating trust through content marketing.
• Identify factors that erode trust and how to avoid them.
• Show you simple and free online tools to help monitor what customers are saying about you.

Download your complimentary eBook now!

If you like this one, you may also be interested in our complimentary white paper, "How to Attract and Retain Customers with Content Now." If you are a custom publisher/content provider, check out The New Rules of Custom Publishing and How to Become a World-Class Content Provider.

If you are signed in as a Junta42 member, you'll go straight to the eBook.  If not, your name and email address will direct you to the white paper download.

Enjoy!

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The Tranformation from Custom Publishing to Content Marketing

Big thanks to David Spark at the Be the Voice blog/podcast for putting together this audio interview with me about custom publishing trends.  It's hard to believe we chatted for more than a half hour about this important topic.  David not only put together the podcast, but wrote a synopsis about our conversation. Truly worth the read.

Some of the key points we talked about included:

• Produce content about and for your customers, not for your own needs.
• Be the media rather than surround someone else's content. 
• Custom publishing is all about storytelling. 
• Learn the art of storytelling, or find someone who can. 
• Before you start a custom publishing effort, decide how you are going to measure it.  

Thanks again to David for putting this together. As we learned on the call, David and I share a lot of the same feelings toward marketing.

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2008 Custom Publishing Award Winners from MIN

Below are MIN's 2008 Integrated Marketing Award winners in the custom publishing categories.  Congratulations to the winners.  For the complete list of custom publishing nominees, check out this list.

Custom Publishing Project

Meredith Integrated Marketing for DIRECTV ACCESS, December 2007

United Business Media LLC and CA for Smart Enterprise Magazine

Customized Web Site/Microsite       

Advanstar Communications for Modern Medicine

PEOPLE for Toyota Celebrity Central Program

Special Advertorial Section

National Geographic Magazine for Intel

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Outsourced Custom Publishing Second-Fastest Industry Segment

According to the latest research from private equity firm Veronis Suhler Stevenson (VSS), outsourced custom publishing is the second-fastest growing area of marketing spend, behind only word-of-mouth marketing. The full research states that outsourced custom publishing grew an average of 16.5% from 2002-2007 to an estimated $5.46 billion.

The combination of outsourced custom publishing and branded entertainment is valued at $27.76 billion according to VSS, which is substantially less than recent studies from the Custom Publishing Council and ContentWise, which estimates the total spending of custom content in the range of $48 to $55 billion.

Frankly, determining an accurate number for the custom content/content marketing industry is almost impossible, since organizational budgets usually do not break out custom as a separate line item.  Nonetheless, VSS takes an apples-to-apples comparison each year, and the growth rate number should be trusted.

What does this mean?  This means one of two things - either companies are spending more on custom publishing as a whole (which they are) or they are outsourcing more and doing less internally.  My take is that both are happening simultaneously.

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