The evolution of content marketing has transformed the way businesses connect with audiences. Over the last six years, content’s relationship with the marketing world has been a wild ride.
Content was all the rage during the honeymoon stage. There were late nights and long conversations, and no matter what, everything turned out rosy. The content itself didn’t matter – as long as you had more of it than your competitors, you were winning the content marketing battle.
As content became mainstream and more companies joined the scramble to publish as often as possible, distribution—and even more frequent content—became the next big tenet of content marketing. But hey, things were still fun, so why not enjoy them?
A few years into the relationship, things got stale, and there was trouble in paradise. Mark Schaefer published an article about what he called “content shock”—the existence of more content than a target audience could consume—and people started to panic. Was this the end? After all these years, was the relationship over?
No, not by a long shot. As any good marketer knows, content is (and always was) an essential part of a great digital strategy. Yet, as a result of jumping into the relationship too quickly and perhaps not remaining grounded in reality, content’s bond with the marketing world has devolved into a frayed thread that businesses are hesitant to pull at.
Believe it or not, some businesses – and maybe even marketers – are confused about content marketing and how to leverage it in their strategies. With that in mind, I will take a closer look at content marketing then and now by examining its current state and suggesting how we can all move forward by learning from past mistakes or misconceptions.
The History of Content Marketing
Before the digital age, before Google, and before social media platforms, content marketing was already shaping consumer behavior. The idea of providing value through content isn’t new—it’s been around for centuries.
Early Examples of Content Marketing
One of the first recorded examples of content marketing dates back to 1732, when Benjamin Franklin published Poor Richard’s Almanack. This book wasn’t just a collection of useful tips and witty sayings—it was a marketing tool designed to promote Franklin’s printing business.
Fast-forward to 1895, and another major player stepped onto the scene. John Deere, the agricultural giant, launched The Furrow, a magazine filled with farming advice and industry insights. The goal was to educate farmers and establish trust, not to directly promote products. And guess what? The Furrow is still circulating today, proving the great content's lasting power.
Then there was the Michelin Guide (1900)—yes, the same Michelin behind the world-famous restaurant rating system. The tire company created a guidebook filled with travel recommendations, fueling people’s desire to drive more (and, in turn, buy more tires).
When Content Went Viral
For decades, content marketing remained a slow and steady game—brochures, radio shows, and newsletters built brand awareness and loyalty over time. Then the internet flipped everything upside down.
In the early 2000s, businesses realized that they could use blogs, ebooks, and whitepapers to drive online engagement. SEO (Search Engine Optimization) became a game-changer, helping brands rank higher in search engine results. Suddenly, content wasn’t just about creating high-quality content—it was also about visibility.
And that’s where things started to go off the rails.
The Current State of Content Marketing in the Digital Age
For a while, it seemed like more content = better results. Companies churned out blog posts at lightning speed, hoping that sheer volume would win the content marketing war. Spoiler alert: It didn’t. The problem? Content shock. Mark Schaefer’s famous concept explained that there’s more content than people can realistically consume. Businesses weren’t just competing with each other anymore—they were competing with a constant flood of news, social media, and viral trends.
Around 2012, the content marketing buzz became so deafening that it was all businesses could think about. Even businesses and marketers with solid content strategies were consumed by producing more content as fast as possible. With the emergence of platforms like Elance, oDesk (now Upwork), and Fiverr, the mad dash for content had the marketing world hypnotized.
One of the main interpretations of Schaefer’s content shock article was that because there is too much content for our audiences to consume, only the most expensive content – or the stuff with the biggest promotional budget – can rise to the top.
This is a misrepresentation because the problem isn’t that good content can’t find an audience, but rather that low-quality content has no chance of accomplishing content marketing goals.
Here’s the thing: you get what you pay for. If you buy a cheap TV, you can’t be upset when it doesn’t work after three years. If you skimp on low-quality furniture, there’s no room to cry foul when it wears out too quickly.
So why is everybody surprised that publishing $5 blog posts four times a week doesn’t work?
Not only does it not work now, but it never worked. Nobody wanted to read a $5 blog post in 2012, and nobody wants to read one now because they’re poorly written and offer no value.
Content marketing seeks to engage and capture a reader's attention while offering them value in the form of an answer to their question or solution to their problem. Content like that needs time and energy behind it, not $5 and a one-sentence brief. To do this successfully, you must understand your audience deeper and create content that speaks directly to their needs and interests.
There Will Never Be Enough Exceptional Content
“Content” does not just refer to business blog posts or other marketing materials. Books, movies, plays, sporting events, video games, TV shows, and magazines are other forms of content our society consumes in massive amounts.
Guess what? Most content types are seeing an increase in production, not a decrease.
Here’s a chart depicting the increase in the number of films made (by country) in recent years:
Additionally, here’s a look at Super Bowl viewership in the United States, also by year:
As a society, we love to consume content. Whether it’s to get away from our everyday lives (movies, sporting events) or to be entertained (news articles, weather forecasts), we are often either looking for information or wanting to be entertained.
Sure, you could say that just because consumption of the Super Bowl and production of movies has increased, it doesn’t mean some content isn't getting ignored. I won’t argue.
In the same way there are too many low-quality blog posts being published, there are likely too many crappy movies and bad books being published. It’s the nature of content; some good, some bad, and a sliver of exceptional.
The key is to be exceptional. If you’re making a movie, shoot for an Oscar; if you’re writing a book, aim for a Pulitzer; and if you’re crafting marketing content, win over your audience with content so exceptional there’s no chance it ends up anywhere other than the top of the heap.
Content Marketing Trends for the Future
If history has taught us anything, it’s that content marketing will continue to evolve. The strategies that work today might not work tomorrow, and businesses that fail to adapt will get left behind. Here are some predictions for the future of content marketing:
- AI-Powered Personalized Content: Imagine content that adapts in real time based on a user’s preferences, behavior, and past interactions. Artificial intelligence will make this a reality.
- Voice Search & Conversational Content: With the rise of smart speakers and voice assistants, optimizing content for voice search will become essential.
- Augmented Reality (AR) & Immersive Experiences: Brands will use AR to create interactive content, blending the digital and physical worlds.
- Long-Form Storytelling: While short-form content is hot right now, deep, meaningful storytelling will continue to drive brand loyalty. Think documentaries, podcasts, and rich multimedia experiences.
- Content That Sells Without Selling: The best content marketing doesn’t feel like marketing. Future success will come from brands that create value without aggressively pushing their products.
The Key to Content Marketing Success
Content marketing’s evolution has been nothing short of transformative. What started with printed almanacs and farming guides has become a fast-paced, AI-driven, multi-platform medium for content marketing.
So, what’s the takeaway?
- Quality beats quantity. Stop creating content just to fill space—make it valuable.
- Engagement matters more than reach. A smaller, highly engaged audience is more valuable than a massive, passive one.
- Stay ahead of the trends. The digital world moves fast, and yesterday’s strategy may not work tomorrow.
If you'd like to know more about the evolution of content marketing or need content marketing services, then you're in luck. WSI is the largest marketing network in the world, and we want to help. Contact us for our expert services today!
