Key Takeaways: Semrush State of Content Marketing 2023

Key takeaways

Here is a collection of our key takeaways from the Semrush State of Content Marketing 2023 Global Report that we feel are relevant to content writers and the work they will carry out this year.

Google is placing an increased emphasis on the quality of content

The report highlights how due to the recommendations for content provided in Google’s August 2022 helpful content update, together with the emergence of AI-driven chat-GPT, there’s more content out there than ever today, so the quality of content is now more important than ever for Google. In other words, original, unique marketing content that isn’t a copycat of what is already out there online will be more valuable to businesses than ever.

Looking at conversation topics on social media will continue to help writers produce valuable content

The Semrush report also conveys the belief that content writers and SEOs closely looking through social media platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, TikTok, Instagram, and Reddit and looking at the sorts of things people are discussing on there will continue to be a key component in producing valuable content that hits the spot. Joining specific Facebook groups and online forums in the digital marketing community are also good places for content writers to make connections and stumble across any tips they can use to help them produce valuable content more consistently.

Real-life experiences and firsthand expertise and knowledge improve content

The Semrush State of Content Marketing Global 2023 Report also talks about the significance of how Google in its helpful content update 2022 clearly expresses that providing real-life experiences and firsthand expertise will make your content more likely to perform better and rank higher in Google. There’s nothing quite like many years of expertise or a first-hand account to give a bit more zest and authenticity to your marketing content.

So, looking to enhance the quality of your marketing content in 2023 as a content writer? Make sure that you try to drop in quotations and expert comments from people in senior positions or those with firsthand experience relevant to the piece of content you are writing. For example, when writing a content piece about the energy crisis and price increases, include a comment from an individual running a sustainable energy business or an insight from someone who runs a foodbank that can provide their firsthand experience of how this issue is affecting the poorest in society.

Companies paying for marketing content will be focussed on ROI more than ever this year

With costs rising due to the cost of living crisis and financial times being particularly tough in 2023 for businesses in the UK and across the globe, companies using digital marketing agencies for content marketing will focus even more on the return on investment they receive.

Semrush emphasises that marketers need to be aware that in 2023 businesses will be looking to cut out any losses by being smarter about how they manage their digital marketing budgets. So, thinking hard about how you create SEO-driven content that provides plenty of organic traffic and tangible ROI rewards for customers should be something all marketers must hone in on in 2023.

AI-driven content may well increase productivity but to the detriment of quality

When Semrush asked digital content marketers in a survey in the State of Content Marketing 2023 Global Report ‘What are the top challenges you face in content marketing?’, 38% responded ‘Creating more content faster (and finding resources for it)’.

Yes, using AI-driven tools such as Chat-GPT may increase the productivity levels of marketing teams and quicken things up, however, it will inevitably lead to there being lots of low-quality content that is samey and generic all over the internet. Want to be a respected content writer in 2023 that services customers properly? Avoid over-reliance on things like Chat-GPT.

Content will be placed more on business-owned websites than on social media sites

In the report, Semrush states its belief that in 2023 marketers will favour placing content on business-owned websites over social media sites. But why so? Well, the report explains that this is down to marketers realising social media sites are unpredictable with their ever-changing algorithms, it is instead a smarter idea to distribute content across business-owned websites and produce meaningful content there that leads to first-rate marketing results, such as higher traffic and conversions.

High-click-through rates will be prioritised over content rankings

One of Semrush’s most significant takeaways from the report is that SEOs and content writers will track click-through rates ahead of ranking reports and generally start prioritising high-click-through rates over content rankings.

In tricky economic times, businesses focus on maximising their profits as much as possible to keep things ticking over nicely. High click-through rates and converting more online traffic into paying customers will therefore become of paramount importance for brands, according to the Semrush 2023 report on content marketing.

Documenting your content marketing strategy is a must

The Semrush State of Content Marketing 2023 Global Report highlights the significant role that having a documented marketing strategy plays in providing valuable content for brands. 80% of content marketers that defined themselves as ‘very successful’ responded ‘Yes’ to ‘Do you have a documented marketing strategy’. Semrush’s report reinforces the idea that planning and strategy are key to mastering the content marketing game.