Content marketing research is a vital step in any digital marketing strategy. It involves discovering what kind of content will resonate most with your audience, before you start creating it. Without this research, it’s difficult to know whether your content will engage users, generate traffic, or lead to conversions.
Effective content marketing is all about crafting valuable, consistent content that aligns with your audience’s interests. Done right, it enhances brand visibility, boosts web traffic, and drives qualified leads.
Understanding Your Audience Is the First Step
The key to successful content marketing lies in one crucial truth: know your audience.
Investing time in researching your audience enables you to:
- Understand what type of content they engage with
- Determine the tone, style, and topics that resonate
- Build a clear and consistent brand voice
- Create content that aligns with real user needs
Start by analysing what your target audience interacts with online—social media posts, LinkedIn discussions, Reddit threads, and community forums can all be rich sources of insight.
Pro Tip: Use tools like BuzzSumo or AnswerThePublic to explore what people are talking about in your niche.
Sources for Content Marketing Research
To build a content strategy that delivers, tap into a variety of sources. These can be:
- Industry reports & whitepapers
- Surveys & case studies
- Blogs & guest posts
- Videos, podcasts & infographics
- Trending topics on X (formerly Twitter), TikTok, and LinkedIn
Businesses that blog get 67% more leads than those that don’t. Starting your own company blog is an excellent way to attract your audience, share updates, and establish trust.
If you’re looking to expand your visibility, contribute to external blogs through guest posting opportunities on platforms like:
These platforms allow you to share your content, include backlinks to your site, and increase domain authority, all while delivering valuable insights to new audiences.
Monitor Your Competitors
Competitive analysis is a cornerstone of content marketing research. Take time to:
- Study what your competitors are publishing
- Identify which of their posts are performing well
- Notice which formats (blogs, reels, carousels) are gaining traction
- Look for content gaps you can fill
Don’t be discouraged by a crowded market, it often signals a high demand for content in your niche. Look for fresh angles, emerging trends, or underserved segments you can tap into.
Try tools like Ubersuggest or Similarweb to review competitor traffic and keyword strategies.
Planning & Executing Your Strategy
Once you’ve completed your research, it’s time to turn insights into action. A strong content plan should include:
- A content calendar or publishing schedule
- A mix of content types (blogs, videos, carousels, guest posts)
- Targeted keywords and themes
- Clear CTAs for each piece of content
- A system for tracking performance metrics
Tools like Asana, Trello, or Notion are great for managing content workflows, tracking results, and ensuring accountability.
You can also explore tools like Google Trends to stay on top of shifting search behaviour and seasonality.
Make Content Research a Habit
The digital landscape is constantly evolving, so it’s important to make content marketing research an ongoing activity. Schedule regular time each week to:
- Monitor new industry reports
- Check in on what your competitors are publishing
- Review analytics from your own content
- Update outdated blog posts with fresh data & links
At BubbleSEO, we help businesses create meaningful, data-driven content strategies that align with both SEO and audience engagement goals.