Justifying the Cost of Research & Content Creation

As a marketer and researcher, the cost of research and content creation are the main aspects we first look into before setting off to gather data. We have already established that Market Research is essential to a company’s growth and continuous success. 

However, do you ever stop to think just how much money goes into research? Well, the gigantic brands and companies who are well-experienced within the field know that market research is vital. This is why they are willing to put thousands, even millions worth of dollars into research.

This article discussion will be covering two key components of market research. First, we will look into the cost of market research and justifying that said cost. In the latter part, we will discuss the basics of content creation for your marketing campaign. Let us dive into the first topic right now.

Justifying The Cost of Research

It is not a secret that even just regular research is a crucial part of a growth strategy for a business. However, it can be a little tough to justify the budget that is needed or necessary for research without first weighing or knowing the benefits.

Money or budget is not the only issue when it comes to market research. It also costs work hours for employees and company owners alike. 

Depending on an employee’s skills, experience and expertise, conducting market research can be an expensive exercise. There will be times when companies will see the need to hire several external experts depending on which field you are conducting the research in.

And so, deciding where your business needs are on the investment scale will depend highly on the depth of research required. It will also depend on what the expected growth will be for the overall business. 

This is why before gigantic companies delve into any research, they first determine the cost to benefit ratio. There will also be a series of tests, it should be an ongoing feature of any digital marketing activity.

Through a series of tests, you will be able to determine which research strategy works best for a specific topic. Additionally, it is important to keep track of the data and progress.

Tracking the activities and results allows for constant testing of the most basic hypothesis in research. And that hypothesis is: is this campaign successful in researching the goals of the business?

Content Creation

Now that we have discussed justifying the cost of research, we will move on to the second part of the article which is content creation. Content creation is another key component of a digital marketing campaign’s success. In the digital marketing world, the content your brand puts out can determine the success of your company.

In able to create a series of successful content, you need to learn from the publishers. Branding as a publisher also means repositioning the function of the marketer or brand manager. 

This way, the publisher can focus on the value and interest of the reader instead of focusing on the immediate sale or conversion. Think of it this way, you first need to build a relationship with your audience by giving them valuable content instead of badgering them with sales offers.

By building a relationship and providing valuable content that customers can appreciate, you will gain repeat and even lifelong customers instead of one-off sales. Loyal customers are important.

Resource Planning 

As we discussed in a previous article, Writing for Digital, there are many variations of content marketing. The broad term refers to a number of departments in an organization. There are also different types of content that you can use for marketing. This begs the question, which type of content should get the most resource? Should resources be divided equally? Or should you focus on specific content?

Content Marketing Strategy

First, let us establish that when you are running a company, every management team (marketing, sales, customer service, human resources, etc.) should be aware of any content marketing strategy you are running for the business. The coordination between all teams is vital, but it can get challenging. 

Through planning, you can look at where content production lives. It also allows marketers to map the workflow of content creation. It allows for a more productive, efficient and organized content strategy.

Some companies have a specific manager who oversees all content, while some opt for in-house departments. Whichever way you choose, the most crucial decision should always be made and planned so that the workflow can be mapped.

Engage the Audience

Content planning is a continuous process. One successful campaign doesn’t set a company for life. Especially with today’s advanced technology where most of the global population is constantly on the internet engaging with content. 

Customers can not only share their stories and experiences with a brand, but they can also affect other people’s points of view. This is why it is necessary to consider creating content not only for marketing campaigns but for continuous delivery and engagement with your audience.

On the internet, it is vital for a company to interact and engage with their audience. This makes it easier to build relationships with customers and readers. The more your readers are engaged, the higher the chances of getting them as a customer. 

Keep in mind that not because you have turned a reader into a customer that all communications stop there. Consider creating follow up content and ask if they are satisfied with their purchasing experience. Or thank them for becoming a part of your brand’s community. 

At the end of the day, creating content for marketing strategies leads to customer conversions. But constant communication and establishing great brand-customer relationships is the foundation of a successful marketing campaign.

In the next article, we will discuss different content models for your marketing campaign and how you can use them for success. In the meantime, we hope that you have learned vital information from this article and use it for your brand’s success. 

© Image credits to Steve Johnson