Two Decades of Content Marketing: A Systematic Review and Future Research Directions

Even though it is easy to remember a time before content marketing, yet it has become difficult to imagine a digital world without it. However, the academic understanding of digital content marketing is extremely fragmented and diversified; exposing concerns to domain progression and managerial practice. The academic literature begins with the conceptualization of content marketing to content creation and distribution and blooms by establishing its nomological network. The domain has advanced exponentially but has not been systematically reviewed in recent times. Therefore, this study performs a systematic review of the domain covering 92 articles over past two decades by employing PRISMA and SPAR-4-SLR protocols. Content marketing is an emerging marketing tool with multi-dimensional literature; hence, the review brings a well-reasoned TCCM framework for identifying research gaps and advancing further research. Further to its academic contribution, the review provides practical implications for content marketing practitioners.