Learning to plan and execute a successful digital marketing campaign isn’t something you do just once.
The digital world is constantly changing and evolving, so digital marketing is ever-changing, too.
Staying on top of emerging trends and industry changes isn’t just a good idea. It’s essential for your continued marketing success.
But knowing you’re serious about keeping up is one thing. Being sure you’re genuinely staying ahead of the game is another.
That’s where digital marketing statistics can be helpful. They let you know where things truly stand, so you know where to go next.
Here are a few essential digital marketing statistics all marketers should be aware of this year.
1. Blog posts with at least 2,000 words are better for SEO
By now, every marketer knows that quality is everything when it comes to achieving a high Google ranking these days.
Part of what tells search engines that a piece of content is high in quality is length, as longer articles are generally more likely to explore a topic in depth.
Naturally, this isn’t a hard and fast rule, and you should never add fluff to written content solely for the purpose of making it longer.
But research strongly suggests that pieces 2,000 words or longer hold more top ten spots on Google SERPs. Longer articles are also more likely to attract quality backlinks and shares.
2. Blogging is a vital part of content marketing for 48% of companies
While it’s true that adopting a multimedia approach to content marketing is a good call, that doesn’t mean blogging isn’t still important.
In fact, 48 percent of today’s companies include it as a critical component in their ongoing content marketing campaigns and plan to for the foreseeable future.
Blogging is among the most powerful ways to establish your company as an industry authority and build your brand.
An active blog full of great informative content also gives you plenty to share across social media, as well.
3. 60% of people who finalize purchases read a blog post about the product first
Need more proof that blogging is still well worth your time?
A well-rounded blogging strategy can help you boost your bottom line, win a consumer’s trust, and successfully convert them into a paying customer.
Many of the people who wind up reading a blog post landed there in the first place while researching solutions to a specific problem they had.
And an impressive 60 percent of the people who read a blog post about a particular product go on to actually buy it.
4. Adding video content to your emails can boost CTR by up to 300%
Digital age consumers absolutely love video content, and with good reason. It’s engaging, it’s dynamic, and it’s incredibly easy to consume.
Using video strategically in opportune places can also help you raise your click-through rates.
For instance, adding a video to your email correspondence can potentially triple your CTR.
For best results, make sure the video is short, to the point, and relevant to the message you’re looking to deliver.
5. The first five organic results on a Google SERP attract 67% of the clicks
A high-ranking paid Google ad may get you to the very top of relevant search engine results pages (SERPs), but it’s important not to become over-reliant on them.
The chances are pretty good that you strongly prefer organic results when you Google something. Your potential customers are no different.
Furthermore, the first five organic results get most of the clicks — around 67 percent on average.
Past that point, click percentages drop dramatically to a mere 3 percent. And less than 1 percent even bother to click through to the second page of results.
For that reason, high organic SERP rankings should continue to be a big focus for you this year.
6. Businesses with 30+ landing pages attract seven times the leads of those with fewer than 10
When it comes to landing pages, more is more.
Research shows that a business with 30 or more landing pages scored seven times as many leads as businesses with fewer than ten.
Better-targeted landing pages (and more of them) mean more chances to rank for top keywords in relevant searches.
Build each landing page around a specific topic, product, solution, or location for best results. Make sure the page is thoroughly search engine optimized.
See to it that it loads quickly and is easily viewable on a full range of mobile devices, as well.
7. You can improve landing page conversion rates by 86% when you add video
Naturally, using proven SEO and content marketing tactics to get leads to your landing pages is only part of the equation.
If you can’t capture their attention and keep them engaged once they get there, you can’t expect to convert them.
Research shows that adding video to a landing page can boost conversion rates by a whopping 86 percent.
This is because videos convey crucial information about your products in a fun, engaging way that’s easy to digest.
They also help keep people on your pages longer, which looks great to search engines.
8. Content that contains images helps your audience retain more of the information
Images do more than just help a post look better.
Research shows that posts containing images attract more than 650 times the engagement of posts that only contain text.
Images help your posts stand out in the first place, as well as keep viewers engaged as they read.
Adding images to your posts also helps your audience retain the information you’re giving them — an astonishing 65 percent, as compared to only 10 percent with text only.
The human brain processes visuals faster than text, so including them makes it easier for your leads to remember you and your products.
9. Original graphics perform best for 40% of marketers
Speaking of the power of visuals, there’s one very effective way to get even better results with yours — create your own original graphics, as with infographics.
In fact, 40 percent of today’s marketers say infographics and similar options are by far their best performing content, and with good reason.
Infographics give marketers and consumers alike the best of both worlds.
They’re visually engaging, easy to consume, and even easier to share. They’re also simple ways to convey plenty of relevant information at a glance.
10. Over half the world are active social media users
At this point, it’s safe to say social media has permanently changed not only the marketing world but society in general.
According to recent research, nearly 58 percent of the current world population is active on social media, and their average daily usage is about 2 ½ hours.
These digital marketing statistics show social media must be a massive part of any well-rounded campaign not only now, but for the foreseeable future.
Your customers want and expect to see you in their social media feeds.
Social media is also a crucial part of their decision-making process regarding what they buy and where they spend their money.
11. Facebook has over 1.91 billion active users
And those are daily active users — consumers who consider Facebook an everyday essential.
The average Facebook user also spends an average of 38 minutes there every day. So although today’s internet user has plenty of other options to choose from when it comes to social media, Facebook is still an absolute must.
Furthermore, video is among the most effective ways to reach and engage an audience on Facebook.
However, 85 percent of Facebook videos are watched without sound, as many users like to consume their content on the go.
For best results, ensure your video content — on Facebook and elsewhere — is easy to understand and digest, with or without sound.
12. Receiving a response to a tweet makes 77% of Twitter users like a brand more
Most marketers already understand active social media presences are the key to capturing the hearts and attention of today’s consumers.
Social media engagement helps your customers feel like they have a personal relationship with your brand and inspire ongoing loyalty.
Twitter is an excellent example of a social media platform where even brief interactions can have a considerable impact.
For example, all it takes to make 77 percent of Twitter users feel more positively about a brand than they did before is a reply to one of their tweets.
13. After Google, YouTube is the world’s most popular website destination
Thanks to the rise of on-demand streaming services and similar alternatives, it’s getting increasingly difficult to reach consumers with video advertising.
That makes YouTube a particularly good addition to your digital marketing campaign.
According to Alexa, YouTube is the most popular social media site globally and the second most popular site overall, second only to Google itself.
That makes it an excellent place to plant a flag for your brand.
Just make sure your content snags the viewer’s attention quickly. The average YouTube user decides to continue with a video or not within two seconds.
Wrap Up: Make the Most of this Digital Marketing Statistics This Year
Staying on top of the latest digital marketing statistics can help you keep your ongoing efforts focused and effective.
Part of that is about establishing and managing a marketing budget that makes the best possible use of your resources.
Check out our marketing budget control kit for valuable tools to help you get where you need to be!
You’ll enjoy instant access to streamlined budget planners to assist with content marketing, social media, and more!
