Having reliable, current content marketing statistics is key for businesses in 2025. Here’s why:
- 82% of companies do content marketing, making it a top method to get more leads – bringing in 3x more leads than old ways while cutting costs by 62%.
- AI is all over: 67% of marketers use AI to make content, with 68% seeing better results.
- Video is on top: Video content brings 87% more traffic and is the most effective type across all areas.
- Quality over count: Businesses aim to make fewer, but more top-notch, pieces for better involvement.
- Better tracking: New analytics now check success more than just page views, looking at lead making, keeping customers, and ROI.
This year, companies mix their teams with outside pros, focus on SEO from the start, and use AI to make work smoother. The move to video and AI tools is changing the field, but problems like few resources and checking ROI are still there.
If you’re in marketing, push on AI tools for better work, strong content making, and clear result checks to stay on top in 2025.
AI’s Impact on Content Marketing in 2025: Search Changes, Content Generation, and New Survey Data
Content Marketing Adoption Rates
In 2025, content marketing is key for many businesses. They are changing their ways of making content, with trends in special industry needs and mixing in-house teams with outside help. These changes call for a deep look at the plans and ways to measure content marketing now.
B2B vs. B2C Use
B2B areas, having long sales times and focusing on teaching, often use content marketing more than B2C fields. Tech and service fields are ahead, but health care, financial services, and making things are also joining in, helped by online changes and rules. Making things, in its own way, grows fast in using content to show skills and to form strong ties with buyers.
The size of a company also plays a part in how they adopt. Big firms have led for a while, but mid-sized and small ones are picking up the pace. Small firms, especially, have made big steps from the past, seeing the power of content marketing.
Growth from 2024 to 2025
The jump from 2024 to 2025 brought a big rise in using content marketing, the biggest we’ve seen so far. Many reasons help this growth, like better ways to measure success, clear signs of good returns, and AI making content easier to create. Money now goes more towards content work.
More firms have bigger content teams, and those well set see better connection and top-notch leads. These good points show why it pays to have skilled content people.
In-House vs. Outsourced Teams
The mix of in-house teams and outside help keeps changing. Many firms now like a mix of both, using in-house plans with outside help for special tasks. In-house groups focus on keeping the brand sound and big-picture plans but may find it hard to grow or get special skills. Fully outside teams are rare, especially in smaller firms with small budgets.
The mixed way lets firms manage plans, branding, and checks on performance by themselves while they let others handle making content, designing, and videos. This way, firms work better and make the most out of their money.
How Firms Use Content Now
By 2025, how firms make and share info has changed a lot. These new ways are all about real results. Now, firms focus on three big things: making fun, top-notch stuff, mixing in SEO from the start, and using tools that check how well things work in big ways.
Good stuff vs. Lots of stuff
In talks about content, the old fight of good versus lots has moved strong to good. People who make ads know that fewer, but better, pieces get more people to tune in than making lots of low-value items. This is because today’s readers pick only good, well-studied stuff from the flood of info they get.
To meet this need, firms use more money on great writers, pro design, and deep study of their audience. This not only brings in more real leads but keeps people around longer too. Many top brands now follow a “less is more” idea, giving out fewer pieces but filling each with new study, expert views, and clear tips. This push for quality fits well with plans that bring SEO into every step.
SEO Together
SEO isn’t just an extra now – it’s part of content plans from the start. Firms that think “SEO-first” start with deep word study and watch things like page speed, mobile ease, and data setup. This way always gets more people visiting naturally.
The best plans use focused long-tail words with full topic info. Rather than making new pages for each word, firms build big main pages that show they know their stuff. Smart links in each page make the site work better and keep people looking, helping both visits and where they rank in searches.
Checking If It Works
Seeing if content does well now looks way past simple counts like page views or shares. Marketers now look at counts that link right to big results, like getting leads, money made, and how well they pull in customers. New models see the whole path a buyer takes, showing how all pieces work together to make sales – even if one piece doesn’t lead right to buying.
New, deep counts now look at what readers do, like how long they stay on a page or how far they scroll. Tools that check this in real time let ad teams see fast what works best and change plans as needed. Looks at long-time value of a customer have also moved money to making big resources that keep good ties over time. These clear counts are key in seeing if money spent is worth it and in making plans better.
Next, we look at deep checks of how content does in many forms.
How Content Types Do
This part looks at how well different content types do, showing a big gap between what is often made by companies and what types work best.
Most Made vs. Most Work Well
Blog posts are still the top pick for making content. Even though they’re popular, they don’t always do well in getting people to take action. Yet, interactive content, like quizzes and polls, does get more people to act. But not many marketers use them, missing out on a big chance. Unlike one-way content, interactive types get readers to join in, pushing them to act and not just watch.
Case studies and webinars are also great at pulling in people and getting good leads. These types, though, are not much used because they take a lot of work to make. Still, the data says that putting effort into these hard types pays off with strong returns. This choice for deep connection over just big numbers is also why video content is getting more popular.
Video Marketing Rise
Videos are now a key way to pull in visitors, and the type of video matters a lot.
Short videos, usually less than a minute, do really well on social sites. Even on work sites like LinkedIn, TikTok-style clips get more action than old ways. Live streams are good too, offering live chats that can up actions during events like showing new products.
Video podcasts are catching on fast. They mix the personal part of sound with fun looks, helping companies reach their audience more fully and stick in their minds. On the whole, videos get shared more than text or pictures, and lots of buyers say brand videos sway their buying choices. These facts show why it’s key to make video content fit well for each site.
How Each Site Does
Every online place likes different things, and making content to fit these likes is key for doing well.
On LinkedIn, rich, full posts do better than small news, winning over the site’s pro audience that likes deep thinking. YouTube sees a mix: short stuff like Shorts pulls a lot of views, but longer videos keep people watching to the end and bring in more ad money. Instagram splits its strong points – Reels are good for getting known, while carousel posts push more site visits.
Twitter (or X) loves fast stuff. Quick talks on hot topics often bring more looks. Across all sites, firms that make their content fit each audience and type do much better than those who go one way for all.
In today’s online fight, shaping content for each place isn’t just smart – it’s a must for finding the right people and making a mark.
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AI in Writing Stuff for the Web
The way we make stuff to put on the web is moving fast, and AI is key in this change. By 2025, 67% of those who make ads plan to use AI tools to make and make better their stuff, putting it as a main part of the game plan to stay on top. This change is big like when social media came up, and the data says it’s more than just a phase – it’s key to keep up.
How AI is Used
AI is the tool most go to for groups who make content. Around 58% of these groups use AI for coming up with ideas, writing first drafts, and planning. Tools like ChatGPT, Jasper, and Copy.ai have let small teams do what once needed much bigger teams.
One of the big wins for AI is making things just for you. Almost 45% of those who make ads use AI to change stuff so it talks right to certain people, making it hit home better. It could be changing email topics or giving ideas for blog posts, making sure the stuff feels right for the reader.
AI also handles a lot of the busy work. For instance, 52% of marketers let it do the SEO work, letting systems give ideas on key words, small write ups, and how to set up stuff to please search engines. On social media, 39% of teams let it do scheduling and posting, saving time and effort.
When it’s about making stuff better, AI does a great job. It checks how well headlines do, gives tips to make them better, and even runs tests on its own. This way of using data cuts out much of the guesswork, helping teams pick plans that really do well.
The Money and Quality Gains
The money perks of using AI in this field can’t be denied. Places using AI tools report a 68% higher return on what they spend than those who don’t. This jump comes from making stuff faster, better aiming, and not wasting time on content that doesn’t do well.
AI also means a big cut in what it costs to make stuff. Teams with AI spend about 62% less than old ways. This lets people focus more on coming up with plans and being creative, where they can add the most.
It’s odd, but true – AI doesn’t just save cash and time – it also makes the content better. Studies show that AI boosts the level of work by smoothing out things like research and checking facts. By handling the basic steps, AI lets people add more style, smart ideas, and big-picture thoughts to their work. It’s not taking over the creative side – it’s making it better.
AI’s ability to save time is yet another big win. Teams with AI make content 3.5 times faster than old ways. This speed lets them try new things, jump on trends fast, and keep a steady stream of content without making their people too busy.
The data also shows a big jump in how well content does. AI helped stuff get 40% more people coming to visit from search results. This is mostly because AI can spot SEO chances that people might miss.
With these gains inside, we now look at a key point: how people see AI-made stuff.
People Trust in AI Stuff
While AI helps a lot with work speed and gaining more, how much people trust it is key for lasting success. How folks feel about AI stuff has many shades. For example, 34% of people say they are fine with AI stuff, but their trust needs clear info and top quality more than just the tech.
Trust changes with the kind of stuff. People are most okay with AI for easy jobs like writing product info (51% like) or social media notes (43% like). But, doubt goes up for stuff needing personal know-how or deep skills, like reviews or health tips.
Good stuff matters more than where it came from. When people can’t see if stuff is by AI or a person, they stay just as involved. Issues come when AI stuff feels too common or the same again and again, showing it’s not just the tech but how it’s used that counts.
Clear info builds trust. Brands that say when stuff is by AI tend to get more trust. About 67% of people like to know when AI is used, and they value clear info from brands.
Young folks are more open. Gen Z and millennials are 2.3 times more likely to use AI stuff than older groups. This shows more people may like AI as younger, tech-smart groups grow in the market.
Usual Issues and Roadblocks
Even with more people using content making and AI tools today, marketers in 2025 still hit many hard walls that mess up both their day-to-day tasks and big plans.
Not Enough People or Money
One of the main problems for content groups is not having enough workers, time, or power to keep up with the need for more content [1]. This trouble comes from three big spots: people, ways of doing things, and tools. Adding to the trouble are gaps in key skills like making videos, looking at data, and using AI tools. Often, companies are caught needing special skills but have small budgets that stop them from hiring more people [1].
“In the world of content marketing, organizations face a convergence of creative tension, audience disconnect, and resource limits, with quality concerns and resource limitations battling for supremacy as the most crippling challenges facing modern content teams.” – Claude AI model, summarizing Toast Studio’s findings [1]
When firms try to make content on their own, they use up a lot of their already small amount of help. Also, not knowing how to rightly check if content is helping reach business aims can lead to less money and plans that don’t match up, wasting time and effort. To fix these problems, smart marketers check their work steps to drop unneeded tasks. They choose carefully if they should grow their own teams or if they should use outside help. These hard limits not only make learning new skills tough but also make it tricky to know how well content is doing.
Tracking and Giving Credit Problems
It’s hard to see how each piece of content helps get sales, mainly due to tough customer paths these days. Many firms don’t have strong ways to show how all the different content helps through the whole customer path.
This issue gets worse when teams don’t line up. Marketing and sales often use different checks, making a broken view of how well content works. To fix this, marketers need to set clear and smart goals that match buyer steps and use better data tools. Letting marketing, sales, and customer teams work together, where every piece of content has a clear money goal, can help give credit rightly and keep how they check effort steady. Without these steps, the push to make top-notch content, like videos, gets even harder.
Video Making Issues
In 2025, videos are still very popular, but making them comes with its own hard parts. About 87% of marketers see more people watching their videos, but making them needs a lot of help. High costs and a lot of time needed make teams pick between making more videos or making fewer but better ones to keep viewers.
Not having enough skills in things like video cutting or moving images adds to the trouble. Training people or bringing in pros costs time and money, and tech issues like handling big files and needing more storage, or fixing format for each place, add to the problem.
To get past these troubles, many groups are using easier video making tools and making their making steps smoother. Some work with video pros for big tasks while growing skills for easier ones in-house. The key is to balance quality, speed, and cost to make sure video work helps meet wider marketing aims without hurting returns or plan power.
What to Expect in 2025 and How to Act
Content marketing will change a lot by 2025. Marketers must keep up with new tech, money plans, and what people want.
Money and Tech Changes
Following past trends, marketing money should grow 15-20% in 2025. A big part of this is due to a 40% up in money spent on AI, a 25% rise in video costs, and 30% more on analytics.
Firms happy with AI tools last year are now putting in twice as much. They are buying better AI writers, top video tools, and high-end analytics. AI is shifting from just writing to handling whole efforts, looking at data in real time, and knowing more about the viewer. This means marketing groups need new skills or must bring in pros.
With video use set to go up 87%, firms are aiming for better video tools. Small places may use cheap, basic tools, but big ones are spending on high-end gear to improve their videos.
More focus is also going to analytics tools. As marketers deal with hard tracking and giving credit, they put money into tools that show better who sees what and what works best.
Steps for Marketers to Take
These trends show marketers need to change their plans now. Here’s what to do:
- Check your content for AI help: Look where AI could help, like writing, looking up facts, or fixing text. AI is good for quick jobs but can’t quite do the final creative touches.
- Start easy with videos: Don’t try too much at once. Start with easy videos like screen shares or simple talks. Get good at those, then try harder stuff.
- Fix tracking before going big: Make sure you can track your current content. Use tracking codes, set clear goals, and talk with sales to know what succeeds. You can’t grow without knowing what works.
- Choose quality over lots: Make less but better content, especially in videos. One good video a week can do better than lots of okay ones.
- Learn both AI and creativity: While AI does routine stuff, human ideas and plans are key. Teach your team to use AI with their main skills to beat others in the field.
Limits and Future Study Areas
While these ideas help, they also have limits to consider.
Small firm data is hard to find: Most info comes from bigger firms with full marketing teams. We don’t know as much about small firms with less than 50 people or small budgets.
Survey timing affects truth: AI stats come from late 2024 surveys, when AI tools were changing fast. As new tools show up and old ones get better, these numbers might not show what’s happening now. Tracking every month would give us truer insights.
Bias in where research comes from: A lot of data is just from North American and European firms, with few insights from Asia, South America, and beyond. This lack makes it tough to use the info for plans that cover the whole world.
Unclear long-run gains: We see strong numbers for short-term effects of AI and video, but it’s hard to know how they do after 12-18 months. We need longer studies to see if early good results last.
We need to know if people trust AI content: Current research gives us mixed signals, but most studies are small or just look at one industry. Wide research across many fields would help marketers learn how to use AI content right and keep their viewers.
Working on these issues with better research ways and wider studies will be key to knowing how to do content marketing in the future.
FAQs
How can small firms use content marketing smartly with few resources?
Small firms can do well in content marketing by using cheap ways like social media and emails. These ways let them connect with many people without spending a lot. Making good, specific content is important to stay on top and have more effect. Also, using the same content on different sites can save both time and cash.
To stay on track, firms need to set clear goals and easy-to-see KPIs. Low-cost tools to make and share content can also help a lot. By fitting their plans to what their people want and smartly using what they have, small firms can do well without using too much cash.
