This document summarizes research into why people use and engage with digital content globally. It found that segmenting content engagement by "moments" rather than demographics provides more useful insights. Research identified 8 main types of content moments (Inspire, Be in the Know, Find Comfort, etc.). Content formats, topics and motivations vary significantly between these moments. The research also examined differences between countries and found content moments are driven more by human habits than culture. It showed how understanding these moments allows creating aligned content marketing programs that drive stronger brand affinity.

1. Why People Use and Engage
with Digital Content Globally
Niels Schillewaert, PhD
Co-Founder &
Managing Partner,
InSites Consulting
@niels_insites
#ARFannual17
Vicki Draper
Director Research
AOL, Inc.
@DraperVicki
Erica Carranza, PhD
VP, Consumer
Psychology,
Chadwick Martin Bailey

2. Why do people use & engage with
content?
NORMATIVE
EFFECTIVENESS
DATA
(ALCHEMY)
DIGITAL
ANALYTICS
FROM CMS
CUSTOM
CATEGORY
RESEARCH
PRE-TESTING
TECHNIQUES
(MAXDIFF
& TURF)
CUSTOM
EFFECTIVENESS
METHODOLOGY
STRATEGY DEVELOPMENT LAUNCH
EXISTING
PRIMARY
RESEARCH
ANALYTICS
DASHBOARDS
HUMAN TRUTHS WERE MISSING

3. Surprisingly, it’s an unknown in the
industry
Very little actual data about the effectiveness of and best practices
within content marketing (but tons of opinions…)
No models grounded in anything defensible
• Example: ‘Content falls into three categories: Inspire, involve &
inform’
Tons of advertiser sentiment data and media research, but not
much focusing on motivations, needs, emotions, or anything that
helps define the canvas for programs
3

4. So we completed research
to answer the question:
Why Do People Use & Engage
With Content?
4

5. Exploring content moments
Tell us about the last time you…
• Read an article or blog
• Read a listicle (e.g., top 10 ways to…)
• Watched a video
• Viewed a photo gallery or slideshow
• Browsed or researched products
• Sought information (e.g., directions)
• Viewed social media posts

6. 1: Segmentation

7. 2: Segmentation of moments
CONVENTIONAL:
Segment people
MOMENTS-BASED:
Segment occasions
Vs.

8. 3: Anchored in the psychology of habits
To optimize sponsored content, target a specific habit
(i.e., type of “content moment”)
Go to NYT
online.
What’s
happening in
the world?
Feel focused
and in the
know.
Motivations Behaviors Outcomes

9. Methodology
US Research, 2015
• Respondent n = 4283
• Moment n = 7300
Global Research, 2016
• Respondent n = 31999
• Moment n = 55845
Respondent n=4005 n=4000 n=4008 n=4002
Moment n=6929 n=6955 n=7195 n=6841
Respondent n=4005 n=4004 n=4028 n=3972
Moment n=7177 n=7032 n=4003 n=6849

10. Fresh ideas
Relaxed &
Inspired
Primed for
further
action
INSPIRE
FEEL
GOOD ENTERTAIN
UPDATE
SOCIALLY FIND
BE IN
THE KNOW CONNECT COMFORT
Heartwarming
Experience
Happiness &
relaxation
Cheered &
inspired
Amusing
escape
Relaxed &
happy
Replenished
Stay on top of
pop culture
and friends
Relaxed &
happy
Reset after a
mental break
Answers to
questions
Focused &
motivated
Ready to act
Be updated
about the
world
Focused
but frustrated
Armed with
information
Visual/
buzzy content
to share
Happiness &
excitement
Entertained &
ready to
share
Gain support &
understanding
Frustrated &
anxious
Understanding
/
personal
insight

11. INSPIRE
BE IN THE
KNOW
FIND COMFORT CONNECT FEEL GOOD ENTERTAIN
UPDATE
SOCIALLY
Read an online article or blog
post
8% 27% 13% 16% 13% 11% 4% 15%
Watched a long online video 8% 4% 7% 11% 18% 12% 26% 9%
Watched a short online video 8% 3% 6% 11 % 18% 14% 27% 11%
Read an online article in the
form of a list
15% 9% 14% 15% 17% 10% 10% 10%
Viewed an online photo gallery
or slideshow
15% 4% 7% 12% 19% 17% 13% 11%
Browsed a product or service
category or gathered product
information online
26% 4% 28% 16% 8% 10% 4% 4%
Got information online 12% 41% 21% 11% 8% 8% 5% 7%
Looked at what was being
posted on your social networks
8% 9% 4% 8% 1% 18% 11% 34%
Content formats vary substantially by
segment

12. Topics vary substantially too
12
Topics INSPIRE
BE IN THE
KNOW
FIND COMFORT CONNECT FEEL GOOD ENTERTAIN
UPDATE
SOCIALLY
Autos or other vehicles 13% 1% 39% 14% 9% 10% 6% 9%
Politics 0.0% 47.8% 4.9% 15.6% 9.8% 4.4% 3.4% 14.1%
Beauty 36% 0% 20% 10% 9% 15% 7% 3%
Food 42.1% 0.0% 20.9% 10.3% 15.6% 5.8% 4.5% 0.8%
Travel 38.2% 0.0% 18.0% 11.0% 13.2% 10.5% 6.1% 3.1%
Home 40.9% 0.0% 31.2% 10.0% 8.6% 5.2% 2.6% 1.5%

13. The challenge: How to connect with
consumers given different types of moments
INSPIRE
FEEL
GOOD ENTERTAIN
UPDATE
SOCIALLY FIND
BE IN
THE KNOW CONNECT COMFORT

14. A portfolio approach
14
INSPIRE
BE IN THE
KNOW FIND COMFORT CONNECT
FEEL
GOOD ENTERTAIN
UPDATE
SOCIALLY
Beauty 36% 0% 20% 10% 9% 15% 7% 3%

15. A portfolio approach
15
INSPIRE
BE IN THE
KNOW FIND COMFORT CONNECT
FEEL
GOOD ENTERTAIN
UPDATE
SOCIALLY
Beauty 36% 0% 20% 10% 9% 15% 7% 3%

16. Inspiration to try a new approach
16
Topics INSPIRE
BE IN THE
KNOW FIND COMFORT CONNECT
FEEL
GOOD ENTERTAIN
UPDATE
SOCIALLY
A public figure or celebrity 9% 11% 6% 7% 5% 9% 16% 37%
Beauty 36% 0% 20% 10% 9% 15% 7% 3%

17. Inspiration to try a new approach
17
Topics INSPIRE
BE IN THE
KNOW FIND COMFORT CONNECT
FEEL
GOOD ENTERTAIN
UPDATE
SOCIALLY
A public figure or celebrity 9% 11% 6% 7% 5% 9% 16% 37%
Beauty 36% 0% 20% 10% 9% 15% 7% 3%
Fashion or style 44% 0% 6% 12% 9% 17% 6% 7%
Health & wellness 17% 0% 45% 17% 4% 12% 2% 3%
Dating & relationships 13% 2% 5% 30% 7% 18% 12% 14%
Career 22% 4% 24% 26% 4% 13% 4% 4%
Social issues 1% 27% 13% 19% 12% 11% 4% 14%

18. Global Content Moments
Can Content Moments and Management Be
Approached Uniformly?

19. GERMANY : distributed and varied
JAPAN : concentrated and binary
Content moments per country
HUMAN, NOT CULTURE DRIVEN

20. Q: Without looking it up, did you notice any brand sponsorships or ads when you were [Content Moment]?
Brazil and US which have the highest word of mouth
and word of mouse
GERMANY and JAPAN are similar in the sense that
content is shared the least Shared online
 Shared in person
Content sharing per country

21. % That
noticed ads
or brands
during
moments
Q: Without looking it up, did you notice any brand sponsorships or ads when you were [Content Moment]?
In GERMANY ads/brands gets noticed less during
content moments
While BRAZIL, JAPAN easier with high rates of ad
observation during content moments
Brand and ad observing per country

22. % That use
adblock
software or
plug-ins
Q: Do you use adblock software/an adblock browser plug-in?
Rising phenomenon
but GERMANS use more ad-blocking software
= content management more important
Ad blocking per country

23. Performance

24. Content marketing programs aligned to the
moments on Aol are proven to drive affinity
82%
59%
53% 51% 53%
49%
45%
85%
68% 67%
63% 62%
56%
53%
INSPIREFEEL GOOD BE IN THE
KNOW
FINDCOMFORT CONNECTENTERTAIN
+3.4% +8.7% +14.3% +9.4% +8.3% +7.3% +7.2%
Source: AOL Custom Content Research 2012-2015
Sample Size: Total N-20,442 across 115 Tested Stimuli
Update Socially is not included due to low sample size
All lifts have statistical significance at 90% confidence level
Brand Affinity Pre vs. Post (T3B)

25. 25

26. 26
Live
Experience

27. CLICK HERE TO EDIT HEADLINE
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28. 28
Test
Experience
Live
Experience

29. LEVEL OF
INCLUSION
OF FORD BRAND
PRE-ROLL, FULL
VIDEO [A]
PRE-ROLL, FULL
VIDEO,
POST-ROLL [B]
WAY/BIT TOO MUCH 12% 13%
JUST RIGHT 68% 78% A
WAY/BIT TOO
LITTLE 20% B 9%
Increased Brand Presence Was A
Benefit To Viewers
(n=300); A/B denotes significance at 95% confidence

30. The Emotional Good-will Carried Forward
To The Brand
30
14%
13%
17%
24%
21%
23%
21%
26%
29%
30%
Pre-roll then
Content
Pre-roll then
Content then
Post-roll
*
*
*
*
I feel Ford cares more about American
industry than other auto
I feel more positively about Ford
I have a better impression of Ford
I learned something new about Ford
I am more interested in the F150
(n=300) I *significant at 95% confidence

31. CLICK HERE TO EDIT HEADLINE
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32. Aligning to why people engage
with certain topics can lead
better performing creative

33. Thank you