Background

Every business needs a commanding voice – a cornerstone content pillar that sets the agenda and becomes an indispensable resource. When I joined Global Payments, I immediately sought this pivotal opportunity. I produced a blog article on the top payment trends of 2020. My strategic analysis throughout the year revealed a critical insight: it outperformed other articles by nearly 20% and dominated as the most-trafficked article nine out of 12 months. This wasn't just a successful post; it was the seed of something far grander. I saw the clear potential. This could become the definitive content pillar for Global Payments.

Approach

I pitched a bold vision to transform this proven theme into a powerhouse, well-researched annual report, fueled by insights from elite internal and industry subject matter experts. I had the audacious goal to create the industry’s leading annual commerce and payment trends report. It was designed as a powerful engine to move our target audience (merchants of all sizes) along the customer journey. It illuminated critical gaps in their strategies, and positioned Global Payments as the trusted expert to guide them toward growth.

My team then developed a supporting multi-channel campaign to elevate its impact. We launched a dedicated report landing page optimized for SEO, offering visitors the option to download the report, which we gated to collect high-quality business leads. We deployed a number of organic channels – web, email, and social media – to drive high-volume traffic.

Results

The campaign shattered expectations, delivering nearly 1 million impressions, capturing nearly 3,000 new leads, and achieving a dominant #1 SEO ranking for our designated keywords – making it, without question, the most impactful content marketing campaign all year.

In 2022, we leveled up again, and dramatically expanded the scope of the report, elevating its authority by integrating exclusive primary research through a survey of our target audiences, as well as additional supporting assets, including:

• An executive summary

• A presentation for sales enablement

• A content syndication strategy to engage more potential customers

  
  

2022 results were a testament to this bolder vision, showcasing exponential growth:

• 4x increase in subscribers to receive the report over the prior year

• 100+% increase in leads over the prior year

• A remarkable quarter-million revenue attribution tied to the campaign

This journey, from a single high-performing blog post to an undisputed industry benchmark, is a powerful testament to my visionary content strategy in action. It proves that when deep audience understanding meets bold execution and a commitment to relentless optimization, content doesn't just support the business – it propels it. This program became more than a campaign; it's definitive proof that strategic content leadership drives revenue growth and builds lasting market authority, solidifying a brand's place as a leader in its field.