The content you generate can make or defeat your business. But what kind of content should it be? Should we still focus on blogs? Do we need to create more visual elements, such as videos and photos? Is it time to integrate eBooks, webinars, and podcasts into our content strategy?
7 Most important types of marketing content
Let’s break down seven of the most important types of content and how you can make them work for you.
You must mix your content to increase engagement.
Before addressing the different types of content, let’s clarify one thing:
You need various content elements to maintain the commitment of your customers and subscribers.
Even with a successful blog or a million subscribers on Instagram, mixing different types of content is the best way to build people’s loyalty.
The creation of different types of content encourages customer loyalty, but it is also a question of generating new traffic and attracting a whole new generation of subscribers with whom to interact and learn more about your brand.
If you are used to creating only one type of content, it is time to start mixing things up a bit.
1. Blogues
In 2022, there were approximately 1.7 billion websites worldwide, and more than 500 million of them publish blogs. (Believe it or not, more than 440 million of them are hosted by Tumblr).
And the fact that there are so many blogs is a clear indication that this type of content works.
Blogs are one of the most powerful content marketing assets of any brand, but there are different types of blogs that can work for you in different ways.
Mix your content by writing different types of blogs
To make the most of your blogging efforts, it is best to create different types of blogging articles in different formats that achieve different results. These range from viral content ready to be shared to in-depth content that can position you as an authority in your niche.
Viral blogs
Viral blogs are designed for (you guessed it !) become viral. Viral blogs answer a frequently asked question or give an overview of an idea that interests many people and wishes to share it over and over again.
Informed leadership content
Informed leadership blogs position you as an authority in your particular sector. This type of blog allows you to deepen complex ideas or share your ideas on current trends in the industry or on the direction your industry is taking.
Sales blogs
Sales content blogs will not necessarily stimulate sales, but they serve as sources of information that customers can turn to when ready to buy your product or service. These are blogs designed to answer questions or concerns in order to convert a prospect into a client.
Pages pillars
The pillar page items sort of serve as an umbrella for other more specific blogs on your website. For example, if you sell different types of insurance, you can create a pillar page that briefly talks about all the different types of insurance you sell. It should also include links to more in-depth articles on each particular type of insurance.
How to write a good blog
You cannot publish old content and expect it to generate results.
All the contents of the blog must be written taking into account the SEO .
If you follow the best methods of optimizing search engines, write with your target audience in mind and bring value to your client, your blog can be a success, regardless of your brand or your business.
Do blogs generate profits ?
The answer is yes.
86% of all content marketing specialists rely on blogs as the main form of content marketing, and that is because they work. They generate traffic. They keep customers engaged.
According to HubSpot, marketing specialists who prioritize blogs are 13 times more likely to see a positive return on investment than those who do not.
2. Videos
Do not underestimate the power of an excellent video.
Just look at these results from a Wyzowl data report :
- 86% of companies generate video content.
- 86% of video content creators say it has increased traffic on their site.
- 78% of video marketing specialists say it helped them increase their sales.
People visual content.
When entertaining, visual content is one of the best ways to hire your audience and attract new customers.
How to successfully complete your video marketing ?: Video trends in 2022
Where to publish video content ?
YouTube remains the most important space to publish video content, with more than 2 billion active monthly users.
87% of all video marketing specialists publish content on YouTube, while only about 10% use TikTok for video marketing.
Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn are all viable platforms for publishing videos and sharing content, but YouTube remains the king.
What kind of videos should you create ?
Effective options include:
- Videos that explain how to do something
- Webinarians who teach and educate
- Social media videos based on entertainment
Just try to keep them short. Most people prefer shorter videos.
There are exceptions, such as webinarians who explain in depth a complicated process.
Try to limit your videos to about ten minutes or less.
Nearly 5 billion videos are viewed daily on YouTube. Get into the habit of downloading video content regularly.
Start thinking about the type of videos you can create to entertain and interest your target audience.
3. Photos
If you want to create a powerful customer experience, you will need many images to enhance your products, help you sell your services or pass on your brand identity to your client.
Photo content and visual imagery are among the most effective types of content marketing.
Where to publish photos ?
The images you create and own must be everywhere – on your website, on your Facebook page and, of course, on Instagram.
Instagram has 140 million users in the United States, and that number continues to grow, making it one of the best places to publish incredible photo images. 50% of all users report visiting a company’s website to buy a product after seeing it on Instagram.
With a new purchasing platform integrated directly into the application, Instagram is the key for e-commerce retailers, as the application now allows users to buy products directly from the application without having to click and visit the brand’s website.
What types of images should you publish ?
When you post images on a blog, choose which ones reflect the subject you are writing on. Images must always be relevant to your audience, but they must also be relevant to the content around them.
For companies that sell specific products, such as clothing or shoes, publish clear, sharp, high-quality images on your social media pages and website. If you sell a service or solution rather than a physical product, publish lifestyle images of people benefiting from the use of this service.
Informative photos, as well as simple graphics and infographics, can also help attract B2B prospects. When positioned next to strong written content, these types of images attract attention more easily than written content alone.
Remember to give a title to your photos
By using keywords in the title tags in your photos, you can improve your search ranking and generate better results.
When you add a title to an image, be as specific as possible. Well-titled images can generate traffic, as can blog articles and referenced videos.
4. Podcasts
According to a digital media survey conducted by The Infinite Dial, around 104 million people listened to at least one monthly podcast in 2020.
And most people didn’t just listen to one; the typical podcast fan listens on average to six podcasts per week.
Podcasts continue to grow in popularity year by year, and all you need to start one is recording software, a microphone and a concept that can bring value to your audience.
Podcasts enhance brand awareness, encourage lead generation and generate traffic to your website and social media pages.
Do you know why?
Because it is easier to listen to content than to read it.
A podcast can be a great addition to your overall content marketing strategy, and that is because it can also be transformed into video content and written content.
You can add transcripts of the podcast to your blog for people who prefer to read rather than listen. For people who prefer to watch rather than listen, you can film your podcast and publish it as valuable and entertaining video content.
You can also rely on your existing written content as a source of inspiration for different podcast episodes or collect comments from podcast episodes to inspire new videos or blogs.
Create a podcast while thinking of your target audience, provide them with valuable audio content and you can build your brand in an easy to digest way.
5. Long content
If you are looking to generate prospects, it may be time to create long content. Two examples of long content that work for some companies are electronic books and white papers.
eBooks (Electronic Books)
Ebooks are not for everyone, nor for all audiences. But since it is long content, it can help you strengthen your authority and establish yourself as a leader in your sector.
Ebooks are a useful tool for obtaining new subscribers or customers.
Here’s how:
Let’s say a client lands on your web page because he is interested in reading your ebook. You can offer them a free download of your book in exchange for a subscription to your site with their name and email address. Instant prospects !
To make the most of an ebook, give it a nice cover, create a catchy title, include a page on the author and add visual interest including infographics, paintings or graphics.
Before publishing it on your website or marketing it on social media, be sure to include links to your website to generate traffic to relevant blogging items.
White papers
Depending on your niche and your target audience, white papers can be valuable digital assets.
White papers are not suitable for everyone or all types of businesses, but if you work in a technical niche with a complex subject, they are a great way to improve the customer journey.
White papers are often produced by companies working in technology, health and science. If you publish one on your site, be sure to link it to social media and include it in your email marketing plan to reach all subscribers you already have.
White papers should be specific, well documented and provide an answer to a specific question or a solution to a specific problem.
Like an ebook, an excellent white paper can help generate traffic to your site and strengthen authority in your niche.
7. Infographies
Visual graphics are easy to scan and easy to digest. Rather than packing a ton of information in a long blog article, create a colorful computer graphics.
This digital marketing tool can be used to present any type of information, including otherwise boring case study statistics. (According to your target audience, written case studies can also be excellent content).
Because they are visual, an excellent infography has the potential to go viral.
The advantage is that the more people who share it and use it as a reference on their own site, the more backlinks you will get to your site.
Infographies are a great addition to any content marketing strategy, but they should not replace other content elements.
Only 40% of all content creators report that visual images, including infographics, generate most of their engagement.
60% of content marketing specialists always perform better with videos and blogs.
Now invest in a content marketing strategy
It is important that you produce several content items per week, but it is not just a matter of quantity.
is the only type of content that will generate success and generate results.
Whether you are writing a blog article, creating new images, producing a podcast or filming a video, make sure your content is of high quality in terms of background and format.
If you cannot create excellent content yourself, allocate part of your marketing budget to pay for independent talent or hire a digital marketing agency to generate your content for you.