Content is King: Which Services Matter and How to Keep Up

Oct 28, 2025 | Marketing Tips, SEO Marketing, Uncategorized

Why content is still king in digital marketing

Marketing in today’s world is driven by one thing: content. Relevant, timely, optimized digital content can make the difference between gaining audience engagement and being lost in the online noise. According to Forbes, “an overwhelming majority of marketers, 92%, recognize content as a critical business asset for securing long-term return on investment.”

Content creation matters, but many business owners struggle to know where to put their resources and efforts for an effective content strategy in 2025. Do they invest in content distribution and promotion? How do I manage content marketing analytics and reporting?

The services that power a strong content framework

After 20 years of experience, Joseph Skibbie (founder of JRS Marketing Communications) understands the need for content marketing.

“‘Be Seen and Be Heard’ has been our motto for years,” Skibbie comments, “but I know firsthand just how challenging that can be as a small business owner. We are terribly busy and are often the last to promote ourselves, but without that promotion, we get lost in the shuffle.”

That’s why Skibbie and the JRS team have come up with a marketing framework that provides:

  • Content
  • Distribution
  • Earned media
  • Paid reach
  • Analytics and reporting

Content creation services: building the foundation

Content in digital marketing is any form of information or creative material—such as blogs, videos, social media posts, emails, graphics, or podcasts—across different channels through omnichannel marketing, social media marketing, and email campaigns to ensure it reaches the correct audience.

Content:

  • Gains attention by answering questions or solving problems.
  • Builds trust and authority by showing expertise.
  • Engages people so they interact with your brand.
  • Guides customers along the buyer’s journey toward a purchase.
  • Strengthens loyalty by keeping your brand top of mind.

The goal of content is to communicate the value of your brand, build relationships with your customers, and create measurable results.

“You have to be where your customers are consuming content,” Skibbie says. “Understanding your customers and what stage of the purchase journey they are in will inform who your content is geared towards, and what format you will share that content in: video, written, short-form social, etc.”

Content distribution strategies to maximize reach

Content distribution is the process of sharing and promoting your content—blogs, videos, social posts, emails, or ads—across different channels so it reaches the correct audience.

Distribution:

  • Expands your content’s visibility (beyond your own website).
  • Puts your message/product in front of your ideal customers where they already spend time.
  • Drives traffic, leads, and customer engagement.
  • Ensures you actually get a return on your marketing investment.

The goal of content distribution is to get the right content to the right people at the right time.

“You’ve paid good money to create content, but now you need to know who is going to see it, and you need to know they are the right people, otherwise you’re just throwing money away,” Skibbie shares.

Earned media: amplifying authority and trust

Earned media is publicity or exposure your brand gets organically—through press coverage, customer reviews, social media mentions, backlinks, or word-of-mouth—without you having to pay for it directly.

Earned media:

  • Builds trust and credibility because it comes from third parties, not the brand itself.
  • Expands reach by tapping into other people’s audiences.
  • Strengthens authority by positioning your brand as influential and relevant.
  • Improves SEO through backlinks and citations.

The goal of earned media is to build awareness and trust when others talk about your brand.

Skibbie is a big advocate for earned media. “Any unpaid mention of your content in media, whether that’s local, regional, or national, is a big deal, especially if it’s from a trusted authority in your same industry. Business owners need to remember that if they’re creating content and not sharing it with local/regional/national media, they’re missing an opportunity to get unpaid exposure.”

Paid media reach: scaling your impact efficiently

Paid media reach is the audience exposure your brand gains through targeted digital ads, pay-per-click (PPC) campaigns, search engine marketing, display banners, or sponsored content, helping optimize your marketing campaigns efficiently.

Paid media:

  • Puts your message in front of a targeted audience quickly.
  • Increases visibility and brand awareness beyond organic reach.
  • Drives traffic, leads, or conversions based on specific campaign goals.
  • Complements content and earned media to amplify overall marketing impact.

The goal of paid media is to spend on advertising to extend your content’s visibility to the right audience at the right time.

Skibbie cautions against spending on just anything. “People write huge checks for marketing with no idea of what they are getting, and the fact is, they are getting nowhere. You need to invest in what’s actually working. You can use organic social as a free focus group to discover what your highest-performing content is, and test it against other high-performing content (A/B testing). Learn, refine, and test some more; you’re looking to hone in on a brand message that will most resonate with followers.”

Analytics and reporting: measuring what matters

Analytics and reporting are the processes of collecting, measuring, and interpreting marketing metrics and key performance indicators (KPIs) from your campaigns—such as website traffic, social engagement, conversions, and ad performance—and presenting them in actionable marketing dashboards and reports.

Analytics and reporting:

  • Shows what’s working and what isn’t in your marketing efforts.
  • Helps make data-driven decisions to improve results.
  • Measures return on investment and overall effectiveness of content, paid media, and earned media.
  • Identifies opportunities to optimize strategy, budget, and messaging.

The goal of analytics and reporting is to turn marketing data into actionable insights that guide smarter decisions and maximize results.

“Analytics give you a secret advantage against your competitors,” Skibbie comments. “It’s amazing to know what’s working, and it doesn’t even have to take that long. My team and I compile detailed reports based on analysis that can be shared monthly or quarterly. Imagine that, just a few hours of your time every month to know that your marketing dollars are hard at work for you.”

Building a content-first marketing system that works

Skibbie has seen the amazing results firsthand. “This data-driven, content marketing system isn’t just a nice theory. We’ve helped numerous professional services companies. From expanding national advertising from 0 to over 4 leads per month to a manufacturer’s rep with over 10 leads from their site to lowering the cost per lead from $50 to $7 for a regional HVAC company.”

Final takeaway: a framework for sustainable growth

Content is king for an effective digital marketing strategy, but paying for just any content is a waste of money.

“Get to know your audience, refine your message, expand your reach with earned and paid media, and then review and revise. When you know what works, you can spend more effectively and know that every dollar is growing your brand reach.” Skibbie says.

Ready to make your content king and your marketing dollars count? Reach out to us today!

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JRS Mar/Com is a leading marketing and communications agency dedicated to delivering innovative solutions that drive business growth. With a commitment to excellence and a focus on emerging technologies, JRS Mar/Com empowers businesses to achieve their marketing goals in a rapidly evolving digital landscape.