Originally published November 23, 2021 , updated on August 27, 2024

A few years ago, a content marketing agency did as they were told with little pushback. It’s not that agencies were a walkover. It’s more a case of content marketing being a relatively new marketing technique, so agencies simply didn’t know any better.

Today, however, social media has been around for over a decade, and the digital landscape has evolved in leaps and bounds. As a result, the digital content marketing agency is now a mature business. It is no longer the small player it used to be. 

As a result, digital marketing agencies are at the forefront of the content marketing industry. Here are seven ways that content marketing agencies are driving change this year and beyond.

They Use Data More Than Ever Before 

Content marketing agencies are using numbers to dictate what their content will be going forward. From the terms that people search for, to the demographics that make up audiences. Data is pivotal to content creation when it comes to marketing.

From data, agencies can draw conclusions about the kinds of stories and videos people want. And it’s all based on how they engage with existing content. Not only that, but they can also measure which of their social posts perform better and at what time of the day. 

These numbers influence the strategy for content going forward. This type of information was not available a few years ago, and now that it is, it’s being used to its full ability.  People can use data to help them generate new ideas and to develop campaign pitches. That way, the content that’s being released is aligned with what the audience actually wants.

Agencies Stay On Top of Trends and News 

Everything has a content angle these days. From World Environment Day to the launch of a new podcast or product, there is a strategy for almost all the content you see online. As a result of this, agencies keep up-to-date on what’s happening in the world and the news more than ever before. 

Even the daily news agenda can turn into a social media post. Was there a data breach at a bank? Use it as an opportunity to remind people why they need to use your VPN software. A massive snowstorm has kept people at home? This is a good chance to tell people why your subscription-based movie service is the perfect at-home treat. 

Not only are agencies keeping in the know of the news, but they also know about the emerging trends in the industries they specialise in. Content marketing agencies spearhead digital trends by keeping up with the topical changes.  With a rapidly-evolving online environment, relevance is key to engagement. The pros know how to stay relevant. 

There Is a Bigger Focus On Quality Rather Than Quantity in a Content Marketing Agency

In previous years, agencies favoured quantity over quality. But things have changed. Instead of churning out piece after piece, professional writing and content companies are now focusing on creating good quality content. 

Audiences engage with high-calibre content, and search engines favour what audiences engage with. That’s why the focus has shifted to creating pieces that genuinely add value to the lives of readers. This could be through entertaining articles, nuggets of wisdom, data, professional insights, and more. Whatever format the value comes in, agencies are looking to create more good content instead of just more content.

They Are Focusing Less on Keywords 

Before you gasp and clutch your pearls, know that keywords aren’t going anywhere. Keywords are, and will always be, important for SEO. But content relevance is becoming more important. 

Search engines want to see that your pieces accurately match what people are searching for. You can stuff your articles and descriptions with all the right keywords, but that means nothing if the content itself is not relevant. 

As soon as a website visitor realises that the page they landed on is not relevant to their search, they will close the tab. And this will signal to the search engine that your content isn’t good and doesn’t match their search. This counts against you in the long run. 

This is why agencies are focusing less on keywords and more on content relevance. 

Agencies Have Their Eye on Long-Term Gains

While short-term goals and gains are great, a modern B2B content marketing agency will be more focused on long-term gains. And the content that they create will reflect this. 

Agencies can’t promise that their clients will immediately rank in search results or be found by the right customers. But they can promise that with a consistent effort over time, their clients will start seeing results and attracting the right audience. 

Client-agency relationships are long-term commitments for this reason. There is no shortcut to getting noticed in this space and agencies are making that known. 

They Choose Their Clients Wisely 

This ties into the point above. Agency-client relationships are becoming long-term. And because of this, agencies are ensuring that they are choosing clients that best suit their culture and brand. 

They want to know going into it that the client is willing to see this through and have patience. If an agency feels that a potential client has unrealistic expectations, many will turn the client away, even if it means missing out on some income. 

A Content Marketing Agency Delivers More Than Just Writing

Agencies are diversifying their skill sets. Previously they would focus on writing blogs, articles, and social media posts. But now they are becoming experts in other areas too. 

As the definition of content evolves, so do companies that create content. Now, these companies are producing podcasts, videos, creating infographics, and more. They are learning new things as social media platforms evolve and as the demands of the audience change. 

And, yes, writing is still at the core of it. For every video, you need a description. For every podcast, you need show notes. But gone are the days when this is all a content company was required to do. 

A content marketing agency is not what it was a decade or even a few years ago. Even just this last year has made agencies relook at how they do business. They have changed things up and have started to drive change to survive and thrive in the modern world. 

Post Views: 236