About The CMA

The Content Marketing Association (CMA) is the industry association for marketing, publishing, advertising and social agencies.

Our overarching aim is to promote the use of content marketing as an effective marketing tool and ensure the growth of our industry, from content creation right through to measurement.​

As a not-for-profit membership organisation we are proud to support members across the globe. We now have members that cover the entire content marketing industry, from contract publishing and branded content, to content production, SEO, and PR. Our members include a multitude of content and marketing agencies, brands from various sectors, as well as freelancers and students.

We use our experience and expertise to advise and promote brands and media agencies in the world of content marketing, an industry reported to be worth over £5bn in the UK alone, and growing rapidly.

Through our events, training, membership, awards, research and support, we extend the potential content marketing has whilst encouraging creativity and effectiveness.

Why use Content Marketing?

Content marketing is one of the biggest success stories in the global marketing industry. Seen by over 70% of UK adults every month, it now accounts for more than 20% of marketing budgets, with that figure set to rise over the next 12 months.

Every day, thousands of pieces of content are published, all professionally planned, commissioned, edited and measured to give their client brands a powerful and effective way to reach their customers, gaining fantastic levels of loyalty and sales along the way.

There are many reasons why the world’s leading brands use content marketing, but the Big Five are:
1. Increase sales

In its purest form, content marketing provides a controlled and portable shop window for companies to sell products to their customers in their own time. Recent CMA research has found that over 50% of content marketing consumers say it has a positive impact upon purchase decisions, with 61% agreeing that it increases brand positivity.

2. Retain customers

In an increasingly fragmented culture, with every retail and service business facing stiffer competition every year, companies are placing more and more importance on retaining their existing customers. By offering both entertainment and information, content marketing rewards the customer with engaging editorial while keeping them updated on new products or services. By regularly communicating with your customer in this way, you are much more likely to keep their business.

3. Build or reposition your brand

For any company wishing to build or transform their brand, they need a method of communication that gets their message across quickly in a carefully controlled way. Since good content on websites, emails, mobiles and print products requires a certain degree of concentration on the part of the consumer, you have the ideal opportunity to alter their perception of your brand. And since content marketing agencies will know your audience just as well, if not better, than you, they can ensure your message gets through to exactly the right demographic, giving you the biggest return on your investment.

4. Ability to integrate

The core skill of the modern content marketing agency is to create and distribute content across all key marketing mediums – print, online, digital, mobile, video and social media. Not only can the agencies produce content appropriate for the individual channel, all channels will be integrated with one another, doubling or tripling the effectiveness of the campaign.

5. Engage customers long term

While clients may look towards content marketing for short-term gain, their real talent lies in long-term engagement. Using regular communication with your customer base, you can gradually build up a bond with the reader, increasing their trust in your brand and making your product or service their first choice. And by creating a regular dialogue with your reader, you can open a line of communication that gives a constant stream of feedback you can use to improve your service and keep your customers happy.