Digital Content Marketing: A Systematic Literature Review and Research Agenda

Abstract

ABSTRACT Firms increasingly use digital content as a valuable tool to persuade consumers. Consequently, research on digital content has begun to explore which content elements help firms achieve positive outcomes. As the study of digital content continues to evolve, this systematic literature review aims to identify research gaps, thoroughly examine the state of the art, and provide researchers and managers with a comprehensive future agenda. To achieve this, we use the theory–characteristics–context–methods protocol, incorporating an analysis of 85 research articles. The findings classify digital content elements employed by firms into six broad categories—visual, auditory, linguistic, symbolic, social, and message—and identify their influence on various outcomes, including engagement, purchase intention and sales, brand‐related outcomes, and consumers' content perceptions and attitudes. Additionally, the findings identify significant research gaps and propose several areas for further investigation. The article serves as a comprehensive review of digital content, addressing the fragmented nature of the field and proposing a comprehensive conceptual framework.