If you’re looking into implementing a content marketing strategy, then you may be wondering just what kind of content you should be putting out there, read on.
For businesses that mainly operate on the web, marketing is an essential tool to sustain growth and keep bringing in new customers, but there are so many different options. Content marketing has proven to be one of the most reliable and efficient ways to turbocharge the effectiveness of online businesses like Hot5, but it needs to be implemented effectively.
In simple terms, content marketing consists of creating content to build up a rapport with your readers and make them trust you more than the competition.
However, there is a lot of different content that you can publish, and choosing the best one can often be a bit of a challenge. In this short article, we’re going to examine four of the most effective forms of content marketing.
Blog Posts
Blog posts are by far the most common type of content marketing, and that’s because they’re easy to write and simple to publish. Setting up a blog section on your site is straightforward, and a simple post can bring in plenty of traffic that you wouldn’t have been seeing otherwise.
Even if the majority of the people who read a blog post don’t end up purchasing something, it will still help build their trust towards the business. Of course, blog posts have to be well-written if they are to be effective at drumming up sales since most readers will be unwilling to read through a low-quality article.
A business owner can write the blog posts themselves, delegate the work, or even outsource it. If you’re looking for a cost-effective content marketing option, then blog posts are the best choice. Blog posts are used by everyone, ranging from small online companies all the way to huge retailers like Home Depot.
Ebooks
Ebooks have given us a great way to digitize knowledge that was previously only found on paper, but they can also prove to be an excellent form of content for content marketing. Ebooks can be published for free on a business’ website, and they’ll seem more official than a blog post.
Content marketing ebooks will usually include a short section about the related product, but you don’t want to get too heavy-handed in these areas. There is a fine line between a helpful ebook and a piece of glorified advertising, so it’s crucial to keep the message a little more veiled.
On the other hand, an ebook will take a lot more effort to put together than a blog post, as the author will have to organize pages and chapters, including a table of contents, and more.
Infographics
Infographics are another excellent form of content marketing, and they’re a great choice for businesses who are looking to go viral. Infographics can be about anything, ranging from the process behind how a lamp is created to the various periodic elements you’ll find in a cup of coffee.
Since infographics are so easy to share, they can cover a much wider audience, but they have to be intriguing enough for people to do so. Another benefit to infographics is that they are far easier to digest than other kinds of content marketing, as you can typically get through one of them in 30 seconds to a minute.
This kind of content is relatively easy to create, but don’t take too many risks when putting together an infographic. Retain a minimalist aesthetic and don’t overwhelm the reader with information, feel free to leave a little bit of space between the data on the infographic.
Long-Form Guides and Articles
Long-form content is the last kind that we’re going to discuss, and it implements a little bit of everything from the previous strategies. This form of content is similar to blogging, though it involves articles that are far longer, ranging anywhere between 1000 and 20 000 words.
However, long-form content will involve more than just writing, as you can also implement infographics, charts, images, and even video. These guides will usually have their own URLs, and they will give readers a comprehensive resource that they can always reference when needed.
Of course, since this kind of content is so substantial, it will take a lot more work, and you may have to hire some help to tackle it. Long-form content comes in many shapes, ranging from website review guides to complete articles about the history and use of a particular item.
Conclusion
As you can see, there are many different kinds of content marketing, and the best choice will depend on the business and the type of customers that they’re trying to bring in. We hope that we’ve managed to clear up what makes these forms of content unique.