By the numbers
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Published marketing research shows that a content strategy is now standard practice, and that most visitors to an online store leave without buying.
Authority Book Guide, published by Big Impact Books, gathers the published statistics below because they explain why authors should build an audience and share valuable content instead of relying on a book page alone. Each number is stated as published, with its source and conditions. None of them are Big Impact Books figures.
They say content is expected and that a single visit rarely leads to a sale. Neither statistic is specific to books, so treat them as context for how buyers behave online, not as book sales predictions.
97%
of the surveyed B2B marketers have a content strategy, according to CMI and MarketingProfs’ Insights for 2026.
Source: Content Marketing Statistics 2026: Evidence and Planning (Digital Applied)
46%
of respondents who knew their organisation’s content budgeting expected an increase for 2025 versus 2024, in CMI and MarketingProfs’ Outlook for 2025.
Source: Content Marketing Statistics 2026: Evidence and Planning (Digital Applied)
50%
of marketers use Conversion Rate Optimization, making it the second-most-used optimization technique among marketers.
Nearly 56%
of marketers say it’s much easier to improve conversion rates now than it was ten years ago (HubSpot State of Marketing Report, 2026).
Under 2%
is the average conversion rate across all e-commerce sites (Statista, 2025).
If 97% of the surveyed B2B marketers have a content strategy, your prospective readers already see a steady stream of expert content. An author who shares thought leader content drawn from their book is meeting the standard, not going above it.
The under 2% average e-commerce conversion rate, reported by Statista for 2025, is a reminder that most people who land on a sales page do not buy on that visit. For authors, that is a strong argument for building trust through an email list, podcasts, and media before asking for the sale.
The Digital Applied article offers a fictional budgeting example. It is not real data, but it shows how distribution can take a meaningful share of a content budget alongside creation.
| Budget line | Amount in the fictional example |
|---|---|
| Staff time | $60,000 |
| Design | $12,000 |
| Research | $8,000 |
| Distribution | $20,000 |
| Total | $100,000 |
Numbers
Put the numbers to work with our book marketing tips for authors, or read how we choose and present sources.
These numbers support the case made in the main guide. Read the full guide on how to use a book to build authority.
Big Impact Books helps CEOs, attorneys, professionals, and business owners plan, create, publish, and promote their book, with guided interviews designed around about one hour a week of your time.
