Content marketing has become an indispensable part of modern business strategies, especially for B2B SaaS companies aiming to build trust, nurture leads, and establish thought leadership.
The infographic titled “Use of Content Marketing” by Contensify presents three key insights into how businesses are approaching content marketing today, from adoption rates to the maturity of strategies in place.
How companies are using content marketing
Let’s look into the status quo of how content marketing is being used:
1. Content marketing is part of almost every business strategy
The first data point highlights an overwhelming consensus among businesses about the importance of content marketing. A staggering 97% of respondents confirm that content marketing is part of their overall marketing strategy, with only 3% saying they do not include it in their current plans.
This shows that content marketing is no longer optional or a nice-to-have channel. It has become a core marketing function, driving organic reach, brand awareness, and customer education. It also reflects how businesses have evolved in their understanding of marketing, moving away from intrusive direct selling towards value-driven and relationship-based marketing that nurtures buyers through content at each stage of their journey.
2. There is a gap in documented content marketing strategies
Despite such high adoption, the infographic reveals a significant gap when it comes to strategic planning. Only 57% of businesses have a documented content marketing strategy, while 40% do not, and 3% remain unsure.
This gap is critical. While almost every company invests in content marketing, the absence of a documented strategy means efforts may lack direction, consistency, and measurable goals. Without a strategy, businesses risk creating content reactively rather than proactively, leading to scattered topics, inconsistent messaging, and reduced ROI.
A documented content strategy typically outlines:
- Clear objectives aligned with business goals
- Defined target audience personas
- Content pillars or topic clusters
- Distribution and promotion plans
- Content formats and funnel mapping
- KPIs and measurement metrics
- Team workflows and responsibilities
When these strategic elements are missing, teams often find themselves creating content that does not tie back to business goals. This results in missed opportunities and underperforming content programs. It also makes it harder to communicate the value of content marketing to leadership and secure further investment.
3. Maturity and complexity of content marketing strategies remain low
The final insight focuses on how businesses rate the maturity and complexity of their content marketing strategies.
- 42% say they are in the first steps stage
- 36% describe their strategy as fairly developed
- 19% consider their strategy advanced
- 3% are not sure
This distribution is telling. Nearly half of the respondents are just beginning their content marketing journey. While content marketing is widely adopted, many companies are still figuring out how to implement it effectively. Their activities are likely limited to basic blog posts or social media updates without a cohesive framework to scale results.
On the other hand, 36% have fairly developed strategies. These businesses might have structured content calendars, defined processes, and performance tracking in place. However, the small 19% who rate their strategy as advanced are likely those with mature content operations that include:
- SEO-optimised topic clusters with strategic interlinking
- Multi-format content repurposing
- Robust distribution and promotion strategies
- Integration with sales enablement and product marketing
- Data-driven content optimisation workflows
- Thought leadership initiatives such as original research, whitepapers, or industry reports
This small percentage indicates there is still a huge opportunity for businesses to stand out with mature content marketing programs that drive measurable business outcomes.
Why these insights matter
For businesses, especially in the B2B SaaS space, these insights underline three actionable truths:
- Content marketing is non-negotiable. If 97% of companies are using it, staying out of the game is no longer an option.
- Documentation is a growth lever. Moving from ad-hoc content to a documented, data-driven strategy is the difference between content as an expense and content as a revenue driver.
- There is ample room to mature. Only 19% rate their strategies as advanced, showing a clear competitive advantage for those who invest in building mature, integrated content programs.
