Find top content marketing agencies to craft engaging brand stories that drive tangible business outcomes. Select experts from our vetted list of content marketing companies that specialize in copywriting, social media, and SEO.
After carefully considering each agency’s client reviews, pricing, range of content marketing services, portfolios, and industry reputation, we handpicked the finest content marketing companies. Below, you’ll discover what sets each of these agencies apart, as well as our ranking criteria.
The Number 1 Content Marketing Agency as Selected by DesignRush Is:
Notable Clients: Warner Brothers, eBay, Caliber Collision, and more
HigherVisibility produces content marketing that drives profitable business growth through its proprietary Targeted Growth System (TGS). Its steps involve custom strategy development, precise audience targeting, data-driven execution, and continuous optimization. With it, the content marketing company has helped clients increase organic leads by 191% and achieved a 124% return on ad spend. Moreover, it has won multiple awards and recognitions, including the Search Engine Land Awards and the US Agency Awards.
Despite its established reputation, Allied Van Lines fell behind competitors. It struggled with low-quality content, leading to lower site authority, poor search visibility, reduced organic traffic and lead generation, and disavowed quality links.
To resolve these issues, it partnered with HigherVisibility. The content marketing agency used historic data to identify valuable keywords, develop relevant and engaging content, optimize on-page elements, and implement link building and conversion rate optimization (CRO) tactics. As a result, Allied Van Lines increased year-on-year (YoY) organic traffic by 2.6%, month-on-month (MoM) leads by 800%, and YoY organic conversions by 9.4%.
Notable Clients: Nextiva, Casper, TripAdvisor, Norton, Airbnb, and more
Siege Media offers a unique approach to enhancing your website's authority through passive link building. As a collective of creatives, marketers, and SEO experts, Siege Media has generated content valued at approximately $12,387,175 per month in client traffic, which equates to $148,646,100 per year.
Zendesk approached Siege Media with the realization that its outdated content failed to generate desired traffic levels. It needed experts who could implement SEO best practices, conduct comprehensive keyword research, and create high-quality and strategic content to enhance its search engine ranking, drive traffic growth, and increase conversions.
The agency then revamped Zendesk’s existing content, focusing on technical SEO and design optimization. It also implemented a bottom-funnel strategy on their blog and service pages, featuring content that showcased the client’s expertise in software, customer service, and technology. These content pieces effectively combined informational and transactional elements and utilized high-quality imagery and user-friendly charts. The result was a surge in traffic: 37% growth to Zendesk’s blog, $731,924 in overall traffic value growth, 94% growth in organic traffic, and 10,675+ passive links.
Notable Clients: Miner, Stanford University, Rubbermaid Commercial, Canva, Cisco Systems, and more
Brafton's mission is to help businesses succeed through content marketing services and technology solutions worldwide. Its creative and consulting teams write for any industry, from technically complex niches to B2B and B2C brands, utilizing data-led digital content to resonate with the audience and generate results.
The strategy for their client, Quench USA, was to increase brand awareness by enhancing the company’s presence on search. With this in mind, Brafton crafted an SEO strategy that targeted not just consumers but also executives, small-business owners, and office administrators. Using a mix of general terms, such as “hydration facts,” and commercial-intent terms, like “water cooler service for office,” the agency ensured that the website ranked on Page 1 for the right keywords. Consequently, Quench achieved 37 new Page 1 keywords, with 21 being in positions 1 to 5, a $55,377 boost in monthly traffic value, and an increase of 443% in monthly traffic.
Notable Clients: Adobe, Amazon, Asana, Dropbox, eBay, Facebook, Fiverr, and more
Since its establishment in 2009, Column Five has been a leading creative agency specializing in B2B ventures. The agency harnesses the incredible power of storytelling as the ultimate differentiator, transforming ideas into successful campaigns for Fortune 500 companies, startups, and SMEs. It empowers brands to connect with their lifelong customers, foster meaningful relationships, and make conscious decisions that benefit individuals, profitability, and our shared planet.
Dropbox wanted to enhance its Talent Brand by introducing its brand to potential employees, attracting new talent, and engaging with the community. To provide an honest and genuine glimpse into #LifeInsideDropbox, Column Five created a series of videos featuring employees from around the world sharing their career journeys at Dropbox. This series aimed to humanize the brand, generate enthusiasm, and inspire viewers by recounting an authentic view of life within the organization.
Notable Clients: Twenty 20, Nextiva, Harris Teeter, Intuit, and more
Single Grain is a team of passionate professionals who use cutting-edge tools and technology, and personalized marketing strategies to generate leads, drive sales, and foster genuine connections. The agency’s remote-first approach allows them to work with talented creatives regardless of location.
One of their clients, Intuit, a well-known name in tax and personal finance services, recognized an opportunity to provide easy-to-use tools for other business aspects, such as website creation. While Intuit developed and launched the Intuit Website Builder, it needed help to gain traction and visibility in a new and different marketplace dominated by more established competitors. To tackle this challenge, it enlisted the services of Single Grain to create high-quality content and solidify its reputation as a powerful website-building solution.
The firm conducted an in-depth competitive analysis and increased efforts in blogging and social media to engage the existing user community and connect with new users. Within only seven months, the collaboration significantly increased Intuit's visibility in a highly competitive keyword environment across a wide range of common search terms.
Notable Clients: Sodexo, Adobe, Cisco, Salesforce, Autodesk, and more
Tendo is a comprehensive B2B content agency with expertise in crafting, implementing, and optimizing integrated content experiences that drive toward ambitious business objectives. It is a collective of seasoned strategists and creative minds with the knack for transforming a distinctive value proposition into a captivating narrative that resonates with the client’s key audiences.
When the existing Cisco.com needed to revamp its outdated content, Tendo conducted in-depth research to develop a content framework that could be expanded and maintained easily throughout the site. After evaluating the site’s current state, reviewing competitors, and interviewing key stakeholders, they created a content architecture and scalable content models, including organization, prioritization, and copy specifications for key page types.
Following this redesign, unique visitors to Cisco.com increased by 15%, task completion rose by 13%, and the click-through rate skyrocketed to 68%. Additionally, "contact us" clicks saw a remarkable 32% increase. The success was further validated through metrics, prompting Cisco to develop a design system based on Tendo’s content framework and apply it across all business units.
Notable Clients: Semrush, BigCommerce, SpyFu, Sprout Social, Influencer Marketing Hubb, and more
Attrock is a results-driven digital marketing company with an impressive track record of helping clients achieve remarkable milestones, including ranking for over 5,000 keywords on Google's first page and driving a 128% increase in leads and conversions.
It also played a vital role in scaling agencies from five to seven-figure incomes within two years by providing digital marketing services like content marketing, SEO, influencer Marketing, PR, lead Generation, and more.
Its content marketing campaign for ShaneBarker.com was aimed at increasing backlinks, building a strong social media presence, improving SERPs rankings, and boosting site traffic. By optimizing the web content and implementing SEO measures, its blog posts started to rank on the first page of Google search results without the need for link building. High-quality social media content also helped nurture its robust social media presence, with the number of sessions from LinkedIn growing from 686 to 16,000 in two years.
Notable Clients: Las Vegas Tourism, Miami Beach Pride, Midmark, BurgerFi, and more
S&G is a renowned content marketing agency consisting of experienced experts with diverse backgrounds, from prestigious newspapers, renowned magazines, Fortune 500 companies, and innovative technology firms. Its expertise has earned them recognition, making it among the top 50 global content marketing agencies by The Content Marketing Institute.
S&G collaborated with JW Aluminum to position the brand as a disruptor in the traditional metals manufacturing industry; it launched a new app to reduce lead times for procurement professionals and streamline supply chains for customers.
The firm created a comprehensive white paper exploring supply chain logistics in the metals industry and how technology could improve efficiency and boost revenue. The white paper generated over 200 new leads in only six months and served as a landing page for JWA's PR campaign, resulting in feature stories in Forbes, Supply Chain Brain, and other relevant industry publications.
Notable Clients: PayPal, NetApp, Sofinnova, and more
The Content Bureau is a fully remote, majority-female team dedicated to ensuring client success by balancing corporate marketing and branding protocols with trusted partnerships to provide maximum value over time. Its specialty is crafting B2B marketing assets, including copywriting, editing, and layout solutions for articles, banner ads, blog posts, and webinars.
The firm produced authentic and unscripted thought leadership videos for their client, SAP, to help partners and marketing staff understand the company's software business model. The challenge was to create engaging and authentic content while adhering to SAP brand guidelines.
According to the client, the collaboration between them and the agency resulted in fun, painless, and on-brand videos. It successfully delivered work quickly and professionally, reaching thousands of viewers and earning positive feedback from field sales representatives. Overall, the authenticity behind the videos proved to be a successful sales tool that effectively communicated the message to their target audience.
Notable Clients: monday.com, Freshworks, ActiveCampaign, AdEspresso, Zapier, and more
Codeless produces hundreds of long-form articles each month for some of the internet's biggest SaaS, service, and affiliate brands. Its process begins with SEO experts identifying content categories that resonate with the target market. The dedicated account managers then facilitate the production process, from keyword identification to uploading the finished product to your CMS.
The agency helped monday.com increase monthly blog traffic from 12,586 to more than 304,000 within 18 months. Despite the hyper-competitive nature of B2B and SaaS niches, Codeless helped them expand its business and secure significant clients such as Coca-Cola, Hulu, and Universal.
Its strategy involved creating content at scale to produce 950+ articles (2,000 words each). This enabled the client to rank for 140,000+ organic keywords with 25,626 first-page rankings on SERPs and amass backlinks from 6,500+ domains, adding to their traffic numbers.
How We Picked the Best Content Marketing Companies
To curate the list of the top content marketing companies, we examined the agencies’ client roster, testimonials, case studies, industry reputation, team expertise, and executive management. Our team of agency experts created a scoring system to gauge their overall performance based on metrics such as:
Relevant content marketing service catalog
Coverage of content marketing topics on their website and other channels
The number of content marketing projects delivered
The quality and diversity of portfolio, and success stories
Notable clients and well-known brands
Their online reputation on DesignRush, Google, and other platforms
This qualitative process helped us narrow down the cream of the crop content marketing providers you can work with on your upcoming project.
10 Most Popular Content Marketing Agencies Compared
Agency Name
Location
Hourly Rate
Size
Best For
HigherVisibility
Memphis, TN
Inquire
50-99
Overall
Siege Media
San Diego, CA
$100
100-249
Conversion-Focused Content
Brafton
Boston, MA
$150
100-249
SEO
Column Five Media
Orange County, CA
$145
Under 49
SaaS Companies
Single Grain
Los Angeles, CA
Inquire
Under 49
B2C Enterprises
Tendo Communications
San Francisco, CA
Inquire
Under 49
B2B Brands
Attrock
Miami, FL
$49
Under 49
Content Analysis
S&G
Miami, FL
$175
Under 49
Branded Content
The Content Bureau
Orinda, FL
Inquire
Under 49
Internal Marketing
Codeless
Lone Tree, CO
Inquire
50-99
Long-Form Content
Best Content Marketing Companies
181 Companies-Rankings updated: August 19, 2026
DesignRush assesses content marketing companies for their expertise and verified client experiences to help you make better decisions. Certain agencies have paid placements.
For over 20 years, Force4 has combined high-level industry knowledge with in-depth technology experience to provide our clients with the services necessary to establish and maintain awareness in the global marketplace. We design, deploy and execute communications programs that directly support the goals of...
We're a dedicated team of web developers, link builders and content creators that live and breathe SEO. Founded by David and Bethany Farmer former Heads-of-SEO at two of the largest agencies in the UK - Seodium focuses on providing a tailored strategy that you only get by working with a small and dedicated...
Services To Power Return On Your Marketing Investment
At MetacortX we create human-centered, insight-driven digital strategies that drive growth through UX, SEO, loyalty, and analytics. We can help your business optimise operations today and strategically plan and innovate for the future...
MARKETING FOR TECH is a B2B technology marketing firm founded by a former Silicon Valley technology marketer. We understand the unique marketing challenges that tech companies face because we've been there. Our DNA is crafted by a deep understanding of marketing technology products internationally, making us...
Apex House helps B2B companies improve visibility, strengthen credibility, and support growth through strategic marketing and creative execution. We work with brands in technology, SaaS, insurance, and professional services that need high-quality support without the overhead of a traditional agency. Services...
Small business marketing services. We're in your corner.
Your in-house marketer, without the headcount. We believe that every business - no matter the size - deserves a local digital marketing partner in their corner. Services include: marketing strategy | SEO | Copywriting | Social Media Management (organic and paid) | Google Ads | Email marketing | more...
Has your B2B SaaS reached product-market-fit and you're looking to scale, raise or exit? Syroscape has a proven track record of scaling software companies. Using paid media, we execute high converting GTM campaigns that reduce CAC and make your business more profitable. All of this, while integrating...
Firecracker PR is a new generation public relations agency that helps companies get known. For over 20 years, their proven 5-step process called Ignites has helped organizations large and small get the press they deserve. Firecracker's "Ignites" 5-step process has been helping brands get media coverage for...
GTMVerse is a growth-focused Go-To-Market agency that helps businesses turn fragmented marketing efforts into scalable and predictable growth systems. Acting as an extended marketing team, the company combines strategy, demand generation, product marketing, SEO, performance marketing, and revenue operations...
Founded in 2015, Workspace Solutions, situated in Charlotte, NC, was established to aid clients in expanding their customer base across the USA. We provide a comprehensive range of marketing services, emphasizing process enhancement and management controls. Our approach revolves around data-driven strategies...
At Danoi, we offer tailor-made SEO solutions that help you reach top positions on Google. We adapt our solutions individually to each client to ensure the best possible success every time...
Well help your brands story move faster, reach further, and stand out in a crowded marketplace. DoubleShot Creative (DSC) is a nimble and dynamic creative force, delivering high-impact marketing, compelling media, engaging events, and memorable brand experiences. Its the ideal fusion of digital strategy and...
Your business can't afford to wait for results. You need a marketing partner with the chops and moxie to chase them down. We're ready when you are. We illuminate the solution your competition never saw coming. As your partner, we have robust and adaptable paths to success with well-grounded, ready-to-grow...
WONDERLINGS is a creative collective on the Surf Coast in Victoria, Australia. We offer organic search engine optimization (SEO), responsive web design, and WordPress development. WordPress maintenance & support and photography are the other cool things we do...
Ndovesha AI is an AI-powered marketing and content creation platform built to help businesses create high-quality digital assets faster using specialized AI agents. The platform allows users to generate social media posts, ad creatives, videos, flyers, logos, landing pages, full websites, presentations, blog...
We work with VCs, startup founders, and established brands to refine and amplify their digital footprint through brand, communication, and marketing services. Whether you're looking to update your website, secure funding, or build out and execute a thought leadership or marketing strategy- we're here to help...
WRD is a UK-based full-service digital marketing agency headquartered in Godalming, Surrey. The firm specialises in search engine optimisation (SEO), digital advertising (PPC), and web design & development, with a focus on measurable results and long-term client relationships...
Turning your vision into an unstoppable online presence.
Maperz is a leading digital marketing agency that boosts online success for businesses of all sizes. Our global team of experts specializes in SEO, WordPress web development, and ad campaign management on Google Ads and Meta. We deliver personalized SEO strategies to enhance visibility and organic traffic...
10spring builds fast, credible websites for pre-seed and recently funded startups. Fixed scope. Transparent pricing. Live in 10 business days. Guaranteed. Copywriting is included on every build. We conduct a 60-minute kickoff interview, write the site copy from the transcript, and deliver a draft for your...
Unify Node is a cutting-edge Marketing AI automation agency dedicated to transforming how businesses operate through intelligent, streamlined systems. We specialize in building unified, end-to-end automation solutions that connect data, processes, and teams eliminating silos and boosting productivity across...
Pivo Web LLC brings deep strategic marketing leadership to Utah's local contractors and service-based businesses. We take a results-driven, highly structured approach to your growth, integrating SEO, custom WordPress design, targeted PPC, and Google Business Profile optimization...
We Are Experts at Marketing Local-Serving Businesses.
Are you searching for someone to design your ideal website or create ads for your business? Look no further. VentraLocal is a family-owned and operated business and we help your business rise above the "clutter". We take your ideas and visions with a dash of our creativity and bring them together to give you...
Welcome to GamePlan Marketing, your premier IT marketing agency serving the Canadian and US markets. Our team of experienced professionals specializes in providing digital marketing solutions tailored to the unique needs of IT companies...
GHC GMBH, a distinguished online marketing optimization agency, stands as a premier provider offering unparalleled SEO marketing and e-commerce solutions tailored for companies situated in the prominent business hubs of Sursee, Geneva, and Zurich. Leveraging our extensive expertise, we are committed to...
RnD Marketing: Boosting Your Revenue, Simplifying Success
RnD Marketing is led by professionals who gained vast experience working in the B2C & B2B marketing fields before starting the agency. RnD's expertise is connecting the r&d world with marketing with a big focus on technical optimization, while focusing on providing great results and support...
Klok Labs is a veteran-owned digital marketing agency in Minneapolis built for businesses that demand real results not just impressions. We combine sharp strategy with full-service execution across PPC, SEO, web design, and content to drive measurable growth...
WSI has a global knowledge and reach yet a local presence. Helping Tech B2B companies get result.
We provide a complete digital marketing service for executives and marketing professionals Helping B2B companies. Services include Web Design, SEO, PPC, Marketing Automation, Marketing strategy and more. Companies frustrated with Lead generation and uncertain revenue growth work with us...
Your true partner for your brand to Chinese audiences!
VI-Media is specializes in marketing to Chinese consumers in Canada. We efficiently strategize our advertising with the right tone of voice and marketing strategy for the Chinese consumer here in Canada...
Empowering brands with purpose-driven digital solutions. With strategy at heart and creativity in hand, we help businesses evolve, scale, and thrive in a digital-first world...
InSync Media is a marketing agency that helps growing businesses develop smarter and more sustainable marketing systems. The company specializes in branding, SEO, and strategic marketing solutions designed to strengthen online visibility and support long-term business growth. With a focus on transparency and...
Let 6Minded take your brand to the next level. Our innovative marketing strategies can help you hit business targets, whether it's for launching a new product campaign or for ongoing support.
We give you access to an in-house team of professionals who are passionate about uncovering your unique inbound...
Elevate Your Brand With Strategic Digital Marketing Services
CRM Digital is a full-service SEO company and web design agency dedicated to helping businesses grow their online presence and achieve long-term success. Our team of experts specializes in creating tailored SEO strategies that improve search engine rankings, drive organic traffic, and boost conversions...
Bleeding-edge digital marketing strategies that break barriers and redefine what is possible.
Warp Drive Digital Marketing delivers personalized, data-driven strategies that help businesses grow by finding more customers, generating leads, and increasing sales. We leverage cutting-edge technology and innovation to provide tailored solutions that push the boundaries of traditional marketing. Our...
UpWeb originally formed in 2010 as we saw a need for small businesses to get big business exposure online without the big budget.
From there, we have grown to one of the most desirable digital marketing solutions out there, and a big thank you goes out to our clients who inspire us to reach new heights...
DeveloPress is a certified WordPress VIP Partner delivering high-performance, scalable, and secure WordPress solutions. We specialize in websites, e-commerce, migrations, tech support, and expert outsourcing. We tailor our services to help fintech, IT, and marketing companies grow with flexible...
With a network of 150K+ content placement sites, Adsy enables data-driven link building, digital PR, and content distribution at scale. We focus on measurable ROI, transparency, and long-term partnerships helping our clients grow visibility and authority across competitive markets...
Growth Naavik is an AI-powered digital marketing agency committed to helping businesses achieve sustainable and measurable growth in the digital world. By combining advanced AI technologies with data-driven marketing strategies, the company delivers end-to-end solutions including SEO, lead generation, paid...
Elevate your brand with Strategy Inn, Canada's top marketing agency. Our proven strategies and creative solutions deliver exception. Elevate your brand's prominence with the expertise of Strategy Inn, recognized as Canada's premier marketing agency. Our distinguished track record, anchored in proven...
Making Creativity a Science: Helping Innovators Build Trusted Brands.
The Borenstein Group is the Go-To strategic digital marketing agency based in Washington, DC, specializing in branding, web design, digital strategy, public relations, and content marketing. With over 30 years of experience, the agency serves clients in technology, professional services, government...
A Digital Solutions Agency that aggregates value for your business.
We are experts in developing solutions that provide genuine value for your company. We work with your demands and always within the constraints of your company, and for this reason we provide a variety of services that might enhance your results. The faith our consumers have in our team generally mirrors the...
Minto is an agency specializing in Character Marketing Services catering to both B2C and B2B markets. In the realm of B2B, we offer IP licensing opportunities (including Minto IP and Anime IP) enabling brands to expedite revenue generation and enhance brand recognition. Additionally, our services encompass...
Veles is a web design and digital marketing agency based in Toronto specializing in SMB marketing
VELES is a web design and digital marketing agency based in Toronto, Ontario specializing in SMB marketing. Our digital services complement one another to deliver sustainable & predictable growth for small and medium-sized businesses...
eBusiness UK helps clients in build long-term relationships and impressive results. What sets them apart from other digital agencies is they operate their own multi-million-pound online brand and this experience gives them unique insight and expertise in growing businesses...
Marketing, digital publishing, events and training in the Logistics and Supply Chain sector.
MLC Consulting comprises seasoned specialists with over two decades of expertise in supply chain marketing. We provide B2B companies within the Supply Chain & Automation sectorsuch as logistics providers, consultancy firms, equipment suppliers, system integrators, and software housesan avenue to enhance their...
Welcome to our world of Integrated Digital Marketing where our Solutions are objective based & strategically aligned to your brand purpose. We maximise performance & deliver results supported by intelligent reporting with ROI and ROAS data insights...
7 Frequently Asked Questions About Content Marketing Agencies
What do content marketing companies do?
Content marketing companies create and distribute digital content intended to inform, attract, engage, retain, and inspire action across target audiences. The main goal of their produced work is to drive greater brand awareness, boost organic traffic and SEO rankings, and guide prospects through the buyer's journey to ultimately increase leads and sales.
What services do they provide?
Key services provided by content marketing agencies include:
Content strategy development: Curating bespoke plans to align content with business objectives, ideal customer profile (ICP) intent, and industry trends.
SEO copywriting and keyword research: Optimizing content to rank higher in search engine result pages (SERPs) and improve visibility to potential customers.
Editorial management and publishing: Sourcing writers, editing content, managing content calendars, and handling the publishing process.
Distribution and promotion: Making sure the content reaches the target audience through social media, email campaigns, and paid advertising.
Performance analysis: Monitoring how content performs and tracking traffic, engagement, and conversion rate metrics to refine strategies.
How much does a content marketing company cost to hire?
Across the US, a content marketing company usually charges between $100 to $500 per 1000-word post.For social media content, the price usually goes between $50 and $150 per post.
The final price can vary based on a combination of factors:
Length and topic complexity: Shorter, simpler posts cost less compared to in-depth, longer articles.
Expertise: Posts requiring niche knowledge or specific writing style entail higher fees.
SEO adjustments: Extending the service with SEO services like keyword research and integration can also raise the price.
Additional services: Content promotion, social media sharing, and visual add-ons count as an addition to the base fee.
How long do different content pieces take to write?
Short, standard articles can take an experienced writer 1 to 3 hours to write, while research-heavy pieces may require over 10 hours. Same as with pricing, the topic complexity and research requirements affect the writing time as well.
In general, seasoned writers can produce 500 words in 30 to 60 minutes, while for the same work, a beginner might need 2 to 3 hours or more.
Here are some average time estimates by content type:
Social media posts/short content (75 to 300 words): 30 minutes to an hour
Standard blog post/article (500 to 1000 words): 1 to 3 hours (assuming moderate research)
1,500-word piece: 3 to 6 hours, depending on depth
Long-form, 2,000-word content piece: 6 to 10+ hours
Technical content piece: Up to 10 hours per 500 words, given the need for extensive research and citations
Full website content coverage (20 pages): 11 to 40 days, depending on the complexity of the brand voice and required research
What types of businesses benefit most from working with a content marketing agency?
Small businesses, startups, expanding brands, and companies looking to set or correct a brand image benefit the most from a content marketing collaboration.
Businesses starting from the ground up benefit a lot from a content marketing agency as it maps out a clear strategy and builds an audience from day one. Companies dealing with a bad reputation or a complex rebranding phase also see considerable returns, as a good agency can use honest storytelling to fix misconceptions and win back trust.
At the same time, if a brand is entering a new market or launching a unique product line, specialized content helps them spread the message more easily by producing pieces in the local language.
How long does it take to see results from content marketing services?
Content marketing follows a more extended trajectory as it takes time for search engines to recognize and rank the content. As the content library expands and gains credibility, brands start to see incremental growth in 3 to 6 months.
The same goes for social media: as content compounds and reaches more people, the organic traffic gets steadier and lead generation efforts start gaining more traction.
How is content marketing different than SEO?
Content marketing is the substance, i.e., the strategy of creating value to build a relationship with the intended audience. SEO is the visibility or the technical process of making that value discoverable by search engines.
Essentially, they are two sides of the same coin: SEO makes demands (keywords, structure), and content marketing fulfills them.
Across both practices, quality comes first. Namely, if the piece is optimized for a search engine but fails against the intent of the reader, the content will eventually lose its rank because it lacks topical authority.