“Don’t tell me what you value; show me your budget, and I’ll tell you what you value.” — Joe Biden
If you want the lowdown on costs when it comes to content marketing for AR/VR and immersive tech, you’ve come to the right place.
Let’s say, for the purposes of this article, that you’re an AR/VR or immersive tech company (because let’s be honest, why else would you be reading this?).
You’ve heard content marketing can help you connect with the right clients – the ones who want serious sales conversations – and you like the idea that for a relatively small investment, you can double or quadruple your revenue.
You start doing a bit of research into content marketing, but you keep running into the same question: How much are you going to pay for content marketing?
Frustratingly, this question doesn’t have a simple answer. It depends on a number of factors (which we’ll explore below).
As a HubSpot Academy-certified content marketer, I’m going to demystify content marketing for AR/VR, and take you through the average content marketing costs, and the factors that can affect them.
It might seem like a lot, but don’t worry… we’ll get through it together!
Before we begin…
It’s worth pointing out what content marketing is not; someone writing you a few blogs here and there is not content marketing.
Blogging is only a small part of a comprehensive strategy. There are lots of different pieces to what is actually quite a complex puzzle.
On top of regularly scheduled content, a holistic, inbound marketing strategy should include SEO, email nurturing, landing pages, premium downloadable content, social media marketing, ongoing support, calls-to-action, and more!
The AR/VR and immersive tech sector is still relatively new. Working with the right content marketing agency, there’s lots of opportunities for your company to put out quality, eye-catching content that will really engage with your customers.
However the rules are still largely the same when coming up with a content marketing strategy for your company, so here’s what to expect.
How much should content marketing for AR/VR cost?
Typically, content marketing can cost you anything between £2,500 and £6,000 a month. Some agencies may charge even more than that.
There’s no getting around it; that’s a lot of money.
If you’ve done your research into content marketing, you’ll be prepared for the fact that though the initial investment can seem quite large, it’s a strategy that really does pay for itself over time with high quality leads and increased revenue.
You could try to save money on content marketing costs by, for example, trying to bring your content marketing in-house and take care of it yourself.
However, you’ll quickly find that this can be extremely difficult. There’s a reason why agencies exist to do content marketing.
It takes a lot of time, it requires specialised training, and you need to know you’re doing things correctly. Companies can spend months and thousands of pounds on content marketing and see no results.
It isn’t something you can decide to do on a whim, and if you’re an AR/VR and immersive tech company, chances are you’ve already got a specialisation. You probably don’t have the time or resources to learn an entire industry.
Let’s break those costs down…
Okay. So let’s say you’ve hired a content marketing agency and you’re handing them £2,500 a month. What does that money actually buy you?
As I mentioned earlier, while different agencies may do things differently and may charge more or less accordingly, here’s the bare minimum you should expect for your money:
- A comprehensive content marketing strategy – What you’re going to be doing, how you’re going to do it, and when
- Marketing automation, including project management software
- Identifying/developing your buyer personas so you can tailor content to more accurately address your ideal customers
- A set up period, which will include the creation of premium content
- Landing pages, call-to-actions, email automation and nurturing
- Detailed monthly marketing reports with full transparency so you can easily track your ROI
- Regular/scheduled monthly content creation (this number can also vary wildly, but we think it should be no less than 8 blog posts a month, and all the way up to 16 )
- Lastly, you should expect ongoing support and guidance when and where you need it
Whilst the rules of a content marketing package should be largely the same as another, it’s not one size fits all. Some parts should vary because your business isn’t the same as others.
So be wary of any agency that tries to foist a generalised strategy on you.
They should be taking the time to really listen to you, to figure out what your unique circumstances are before coming up with your own unique Content Marketing Formula.
Your AR/VR or immersive tech company is part of a ‘bleeding edge,’ field of technology where things are changing all the time. Your content marketing agency should recognise that, and reflect it in the strategy they build for you.
What makes one content strategy cost more than another?
Different agencies will have different price points for their content strategies. Some may be more comprehensive than others, and some may be really stripped down, getting you to do a bit more of the work yourself.
The marketing automation software that an agency uses for their clients can also be a big factor in the cost of any content marketing strategy.
For example, some agencies may be HubSpot partners and this can see your costs as their client bump up by £6,000 a year. Other agencies might use more cost-effective options.
Your best option is to research, research, research! Get familiar with a few different content marketing agencies, see what they can offer you, and after making that shortlist, talk to two or three of them.
This way, you’re not only seeing what different agencies can offer in terms of what they can deliver and the support they can give you, you’re also seeing who can give you the best value for money.
Cost shouldn’t be the only factor you’re considering though. There’s a lot to be said for trusting your gut feeling. If an agency doesn’t feel like the right fit for you, don’t sign with them.
The AR/VR tech field is still emerging, and any content marketing agency has to not only understand that, but understand you and how you fit into that field.
Getting the most out of your budget
Whichever agency you choose to sign up and work with, you should make sure that they can give you a way to track your results, and use any data to optimise your campaign to improve upon them.
Psst: A/B testing will be crucial in letting you know if what you’re doing is working, and it will let you know what you need to tweak or change for the best results.
As I’ve previously discussed, some agencies will be partnered with HubSpot (or LeadSquared), and this will mean they’ll use their all in one automation platforms, giving you access to very detailed analytics.
But even if you don’t have these platforms, Google Analytics will be able to show you KPI’s, and whether or not your content marketing campaign is successful.
Skip to the end…
So… How much should content marketing for AR/VR and immersive tech cost? Well, the answer is a resounding: it depends!
However, if you have to put a number on it, expect to shell out between £2,000 and £6,000 a month.
Now, for any company, that’s going to be quite a lot of money to spend, but for a fledgling AR/VR or immersive tech company whose margins might be quite small, that’s going to be an even heftier investment.
It’s not a decision to be made lightly, but considering how much value a content marketing strategy can add to your AR/VR or immersive tech company, it’s one you should definitely consider.
Do your research, speak to a few different content marketing agencies, see what they can offer you, but also trust your gut. If an agency feels like they’re speaking your language and understand you, all the better.
After all, incorporating something that could double or quadruple your revenue is worth the investment, and could pay for itself very quickly.
If you would like to know more about the prices of content marketing or have any other questions please get in touch!
Written by Julian Thorpe-Smith, HubSpot-certified content writer
Get in touch on +44131 337 2254 or email [email protected].
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