Content has become the currency of the internet,
giving you limitless options to promote your brand, engage with your audience,
hit new target markets and provide value to your customers.
That said, content is about more than blog
posts. There are many types of content out there to keep your message fresh and
your audience interested.
Take a look at these eight effective content
types and learn how you can use them to drive growth for your business.
Infographics
Info + graphic, or infographic, uses graphics
and visuals to present information in an easily digestible way for your
audience. At a quick glance, a reader can often get all the same pertinent
information as they would from a longer blog post, making infographics a
popular content type.
Infographics get more views, shares and likes
than other content types, mostly because of how easy it is to absorb the
information. They also have viral potential and are shared far more often than
other content types, and they work particularly well for data, statistics and
research.
If you have a graphic designer on your team,
that’s the person to recruit to create infographics for you. These creative
professionals are experts at creating compelling visuals and organizing
information in a way that communicates effectively to an audience.
If you don’t have a graphic designer, you can
outsource your infographics or create them yourself with plenty of services
.
This route can be pricey, but worth it for the engagement you’ll receive.
It’s important to keep in mind, however, that
simply having an infographic isn’t enough for viral content. To make an
infographic that stands out, you still need to apply the same principles of
effective content and craft a specific, compelling message.
Memes
If you’ve spent even a minute on any social
media platform, you’re familiar with memes. By their very nature, memes
encourage sharing and have the potential to go viral. They’re also quite funny,
in most cases, which automatically gets more attention.
Unlike infographics, memes don’t require any
special skills or graphic design talent. Many sites
allow you to include
your own text in a standard meme format. If you have a funny idea or the mood
strikes, put it in a meme to share.
Memes may not be appropriate for your blog,
however. Memes are a social media phenomenon, so it’s best to keep them on your
social media pages. You also want to be sure that they still provide some value
and aren’t overused.
Videos
Videos communicate valuable information in a
concise, memorable way that is more likely to be viewed by a follower. From
music videos to office tours to how-to videos, there are virtually limitless
options for how you can use video to promote your brand and attract followers.
Videos are a more expensive content option, but
you can start small to begin with and see how they perform. As you learn more
about the role of video in your content marketing strategy, you can put more
effort and expense into creating professional videos.
Guides
Guides are super-sized posts that go into detail
about a topic, often far beyond the length of a normal blog post. They
typically include advanced information for your readers that’s backed by
research as well.
If you want to create guides, you’ll need a good
writer, a graphic designer and the right topic. This content should be top tier
and deliver the message in an effective, readable way, especially given the
length of the post. The graphic designer will need to fine tune the layout and
presentation to ensure the post is attractive and readable.
You can also present your guide as a free
download for your followers in exchange for email addresses, which boosts your
subscriber list.
Book Reviews
If your following reads books, a book review is
a great way to connect with them and present yourself as a thought leader. A
book review can be simple or in-depth, depending on how you choose to do it.
Keep in mind that book reviews aren’t suitable
for all industries, so be sure you have the appropriate audience and that
reviewing books makes sense for your brand.
Rants
A “rant” or opinion piece is a popular content
option, mostly because of its light tone and humor. If most of your content is
heavily researched and detailed, a rant or opinion piece gives you a chance to
express yourself more.
For a business, a rant or opinion piece should
be relevant to the industry, such as opinions on recent news or industry trends
and changes. With this option, you’re not only addressing popular topics that
are of interest to your audience, but you’ll also boost your SEO and
shareability.
Keep in mind that a rant or opinion piece should
be occasional, since constantly ranting about a various topics can come across
as obnoxious. You should also avoid personal attacks or people-bashing, since a
rant isn’t meant to be angry or rude. Also, welcome opposing viewpoints to
prompt a discussion, rather than being guided by your ego.
Product Reviews
Product reviews can help you establish authority
and thought leadership in your industry. When you engage manufacturers,
developers, service providers and other industry professionals, you gain
respect and recognition within your niche.
Product reviews should include brief information
about a product, the creator, aspects you like, aspects you don’t like and your
recommendation. Complete your review with a call to action.
How-To and Tutorials
A how-to guide is one of the most popular
content types, especially in niches that are specialized or technical. With
their long introductions, they also offer long-tail search potential.
To plan a how-to guide, you need to identify a
problem that’s common in the industry, then draft a post that provides a
solution. There’s no limit to the possibilities for a how-to guide, especially
for certain industries.
Keep in mind that detailed explanations,
diagrams, pictures and videos are all helpful in getting your message across
and helping your audience better understand your guide.
A Few Things to Keep in Mind
Now that you have all these ideas for new and
interesting content types, remember that you don’t need to try all of them. Not
every type of content is suited to every brand, so if you don’t think that a
certain type of content works well for your business, don’t worry about
including it.
Still, don’t be afraid to experiment a little.
Sometimes business owners will avoid different content types because they don’t
know where to begin, they think it will take too long to create or they’re
afraid to fail. Many tools are out there to help beginners create all types of
content, so take a chance on something new and see how it performs.
Also, once you start learning how to create
different types of content, don’t go crazy including something new every day.
You’ll likely burn out and exhaust your ideas. Try a few new things each month
to see how they perform, then commit to including the successful ones into your
content calendar on a regular basis.
There are plenty of effective content types for
you to choose from, and the more content you use, the more compelling your
marketing strategy becomes. Content must always speak to the audience, however,
so no matter what content type you choose, craft a message that the audience
will share, listen to and learn from.