5 Value Metrics of Content Marketing That Will Speak Volumes in 2020

Whether your content marketing in 2020 will succeed or fail greatly depends on the value metrics analyzed within the strategy. As the old saying goes, the numbers do not lie. You may assume that your content in 2020 will have optimal performance based on surface-level factors such as subscriber lists and page visits. However, as outlined below, there are several key value metrics that you must keep a close eye on to maximize your success in the new year:

Observe and Study the Flow of Traffic

One of the most important value metrics of your content marketing in 2020 will undoubtedly be the traffic. This may seem like a common point that everyone knows – especially since your primary objective is to drive as much as traffic as possible to your website. However, your content marketing in 2020 needs to focus on the flow of that traffic. Sure, you may have people visiting your page, signing up for your mailing list and even buying your products or services.

What about the overall consistency? How many repeat visitors do you have? What is the bounce rate? How about your shopping cart abandonment statistics? A lot of people may come through the “revolving door” of your online presence, but how many people stick around to see what your brand has to offer?

Analyze Your Social Shares to Breathe Live into Your Marketing

Another aspect of your content marketing in 2020 that will need your urgent attention is your social shares and your overall social media presence. An abundance of published reports and case studies prove that just having a social media page for your brand is simply not enough. That may have been the case a decade ago or even a few years ago. Nonetheless, with the prevalence and undeniable power of social media in content marketing and brand exposure today, this cornerstone of your content in 2020 must not be taken lightly.

How much is your social media content shared? What is the average response rate? Do most of your posts slip into the cracks of oblivion after being overlooked or neglected by your target audience? In most cases, you should be able to use the analytics side of each social media platform to answer these questions and get an honest assessment. There are several third-party tools and resources, though, that you can consider for a more detailed perspective in this regard.

Fortify Your Backlink Strategy

In recent years, the spotlight on backlinks has started to fade within the content marketing community – especially among those who feels as if it is an outdated and irrelevant metric to follow. Contrary to popular opinion, backlinks play an even bigger role today than they ever have in the past. They are still key players in the SEO game. You need to pay close attention to the types of websites and social media pages are linking to your content. More importantly, you must make sure that your content in 2020 is even worth a backlink.

You can easily view the backlinks that your online presence currently has through the Google Search Console. Take the time to check this report regularly – especially if you are revamping your content marketing strategy for the new year. Look for the trends and spikes in numbers, because those are the links that get the most attention from your target audience.

Examine Your Click-Through-Rate

Your click-through rate (CTR) is basically the number of times an advertisement is clicked divided by the number of times it is shown (also referred to as “impressions.”) For instance, if your ad receives 10 clicks and 100 impressions, then the CTR would be 10%. There is not a “magic number” that identifies the perfect click-through rate, but it is important to pay attention to reported averages. For instance, several studies conclude that 2% is a satisfactory CTR within most platforms. Therefore, your CTR would be considered “above average” if it is higher than 2%.

There are several ways that you can effectively boost your CTR – especially if you notice a trend of low performance in this specific area. For example, you could apply ad extensions to boost visibility and exposure. Make sure that your core keyword is featured in the URL of your advertisement. You could also consider turning your ad into a call-to-action that compels your target audience members to click it instead of letting it slip away.

How Long Do Your Audience Members Stick Around?

Another valuable metric of content marketing in 2020 will be the time spent on your page. How long do your target audience members engage with your content before deciding to abandon it? When examining this value metric, make sure that you focus on specific web pages and not your overall website. Obviously, it is imperative to pay attention to how your domain performs in general. However, when calculating the time spent, you need to analyze specific pages to identify the most engaging parts of your presence. Look for the posts that get the most attention, because you can use that intel when creating new posts in the future.