Revisiting product classification to examine content marketing practices

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to investigate how the degree of investment and involvement attributed to specific product categories, affect content marketing plans and practices on the Web and social media. Design/methodology/approach: This is a conceptual paper based on the classification proposed by Morton and Devine (1985) on the axes of investment and involvement. The author uses secondary research evidence from both academic and industry sources to document content marketing trends in the US and the EU markets and allocates such trends using the semiotic square. Findings: The findings indicate that products in each quadrant follow similar practices regarding content publishing, campaign planning and community management. Research limitations/implications: Further research may test this model empirically and assess its merits in different markets. Practical implications: Managers can use this model for content planning, considering category-related opportunities and limitations. The model may also serve as a teaching tool to familiarize students with older research and its potential contribution in current settings. Originality/value: By applying an old model in the current US/EU context, this paper helps document and understand content marketing practices, paving the way toward their optimization.