The Custom Content Council recently released a survey showing the growing role custom content is playing in marketing.

The Council defines custom content and publishing as:

"Custom publishing marries the marketing ambitions of a company with the information needs of its target audience. This occurs through the delivery of editorial content – via print, Internet, and other media – so intrinsically valuable that it moves the recipient’s behavior in a desired direction."

According to their survey, 87%of CMOs surveyed said custom content was valuable or very valuable.   This was an increase of 15% since the last survey, which was done in 2006.  More interesting is that 40% said it was “very” valuable, compared to just 11% in 2006.

The survey also shows that marketers are increasingly incorporating custom content into their marketing plans.  81% are engaged in custom content, up from 67% five years ago.  Not surprisingly, custom web and digital content are the most popular forms of custom content.

Companies are learning that the media landscape has changed.  We used to have "mass media" where a small number of media companies in TV, radio, newspapers, trade press dominated. 

Those days are gone and companies today need to understand the role custom content - content created by or for the company - fits in their marketing mix.