For most people, the term content marketing might evoke the idea of blogs or other text-based online publications. While this is not inaccurate, it is only a small part of what web content is all about.
In fact, when it comes to web content, there are quite a few different types.
The evolution of the internet has led to various content forms such as video which has become increasingly popular in the last few years.
What this means is that more and more digital marketers are moving from the blog model to the vlog model. But this doesn’t mean there is any form of content that you should focus on exclusively. Instead, to maximize your marketing potential, you need to know that there are different types of content and each one has its place. So here are the top six different types of web content you need to know about:
1. Blog articles
Let’s start with the content form you are probably most familiar with. Blog articles are a must-have for almost every website today and there are several reasons for this. Firstly, blog posts allow you to connect the interest of the audience with the product or service you have to offer.
If you are selling sportswear, for example, and you know what your audience is interested in a particular sport, you can write blog posts and articles that revolve around this subject in order to catch the attention of your audience and then direct it towards your products or services.
Don’t be too salesy. Be subtle. But, ask for the purchase, otherwise, they won’t
Similarly, blog posts are a great way to demonstrate your authority or expertise in a particular field. Also, blog posts are great for SEO (search engine optimization), particularly if you know what keywords to target.
2. Case Studies
Case studies are generally text-based but differ from blog posts as they tend to be longer and more technical. Consequently, the depth of research that is required to produce a case study, the methodology, and the mode of presentation is considerably different.
Case studies will usually involve the use of graphical tools such as charts and graphs, although they are also heavily texts reliant. The point of producing a case study is to provide your audience with objective data on which they can base their decisions to take action.
3. White Papers
What is a particularly great way to produce some content that will impress your readers, build your reputation as an expert, and place you top-of-mind in your audience’s mind?
Writing a white paper!
A white paper is a piece of content that is designed to provide a complete explanation or description of how to get certain things done.
For example, a complete guide on how to build a WordPress website from scratch with no steps left out.
Writing a white paper can be tedious though, and will take some time, but the benefits could be immense for your business.
For instance, white papers also allow you to create native ads that lead your audience back to you. While a lot’s of people don’t like to give out white papers for free because they’re afraid that their clients won’t need them anymore. The truth is, most people won’t have the time or the interest to follow up on the advice you provide in your white paper. Instead, they’re likely to just turn back to you for practical assistance.
So, be generous!
4. Images
You have probably heard the saying that a picture speaks a thousand words. Actually, when it comes to digital marketing, especially when it comes to creating content for social media, according to WordStream, videos get 12 times more share than images
Further, people remember 95% of what they see in a video as opposed to 10% of what they read in the text.
In certain industries or niches, images are even more important. If you’re selling cosmetics, for example, or you’re a provider of fitness services, images are naturally going to be a huge part of your advertising.
In some cases, a well-designed image with a nice pithy quote can serve the same purposes as a 500-word blog post. In addition to this, you will need to create a lot of high-quality images if you want to reach the huge numbers of people on image-based social media sites like Instagram and Pinterest.
5. Infographics
Infographics could be considered a type of image, but they’re so unique that they deserve a separate entry of their own on this list. An infographic is basically a collection of information about a particular subject expressed in a visual manner.
This information can usually be presented in plain text and it’s probably much easier to do it that way, but infographics are more inviting, memorable and shareable.
6. Video
If pictures can speak a thousand words, you can imagine just how powerful video can be as a marketing asset. As internet technology has evolved, so has user behavior. Video-based sites such as YouTube are helping content creators amass millions of views on single videos, and studies predict that in the coming years, videos will be the dominant form of content.
If you want to get your message out to the largest number of people, video is the way. You don’t have to worry about not having the technical skills or equipment to create professional standard videos either. With a decent smartphone, you can get started with making videos right away.
You can find more content marketing ideas here
