When you hear the phrase “content marketing,” what comes to mind?

Most of our clients automatically think about a blog post. But we are here to tell you that there is so much more to consider!

Different types of content may help you connect with different customers throughout your sales funnel. In this article, we are going to explore several different types of content that can be used in your content marketing strategy to benefit your business. 

Blog

For many of our clients, a blog is the cornerstone of their content marketing strategy. Why?

  • It’s the perfect medium for you to inform and educate your customers about your products and services.
  • Blog posts typically do not take too long to write. 
  • Blog posts are easy to optimize for search engine optimization purposes.

Here are some considerations to keep in mind when managing your brand’s blog:

  • Consistency is key. Blog daily. Blog weekly on the same day. Whatever your cadence is, set it up and keep it moving. 
  • Include a call to action: contact us, shop now, learn more, etc. 
  • Use internal links. If the blog post draws someone to your site, give them the opportunity to see other parts of your site by clicking relevant links. 
  • Add images and avoid large blocks of text. 

White Paper

A white paper is a long-form piece of content with a significant amount of information that offers data and solutions on a specific subject. White papers are thorough, detail oriented, and a great way to show off your expertise and thought leadership. 

While creating a white paper can feel daunting, they are a highly effective content marketing tool! Here are our top tips:

  • Pick one topic and take a deep dive into the details and issues. 
  • Start with a table of contents and a summary for each section. 
  • Add some design elements to make it appealing. 

P.S. To help demonstrate the value of white papers, we are currently working on one of our own! Stay tuned for a white paper detailing everything you need to know about Facebook Ads.

Infographic

Infographics are a type of visual content. The beauty of an infographic is that it enables you to pack a significant amount of information into one image, while making it visually appealing and easy to digest. 

For example, if you are reading a case study with 10 important facts, would you rather see that visually (with relevant graphics and charts) or as a bulleted list? Infographics perform particularly well when uploaded to social media. 

Our recommendations for infographics are:

  • Keep it simple!
  • Keep it organized!
  • Keep the designs consistent!

If you want to design an eye-catching infographic, we have a team that can help! Canva.com also offers free design tools that you can use to create your own infographics. 

Case Study

A case study is a highly useful form of content marketing that gives you an opportunity to share your knowledge and the value you bring to your customers. With case studies, potential clients get to see real, specific solutions you created for one of your past customers.

We house all of our case studies within our capabilities deck, but have also turned some into blog posts. This is an effective strategy for getting more eyes on your case studies! Here is a link to one of our more recent case studies. 

Video

Video is dynamic. It is engaging. And it’s everywhere. 

Think about your own internet habits, like when you’re aimlessly scrolling through social media or a website. What is more likely to catch your attention and stop you in your tracks: a video clip, or written content?

Studies show that users are 4x more apt to watch a video about a product than read about it! 

So, what kind of videos can you make to support your brand? 

  • Tutorial – Demonstrate how to use your product or service. 
  • Interview – Talk to a customer or the founder of your company. 
  • Opening – Show how to open and assemble your product. 
  • Benefit – Highlight benefits of your product or service. 

Distribution for videos is very simple. You can upload them to YouTube, link to them from a blog post, or share them on social media. Heck, you can do all of the above! 

As we mentioned before, blog posts tend to make up the bulk of many content marketing strategies. That is completely ok! That said, we do urge you to branch out and try new things. Remember, you can always post the other content types on your blog as well.

Which types of content marketing do you currently use for your business? What types of content are you most responsive to as a potential customer? 

Not sure which content types are best for your brand? Contact us to set up a free 30 minute discussion to work through the pros and cons of each option!