16 Types of Content Marketing You Can Use.
1. Blogs
2. Case Studies
Your target customers have a specific problem. Your goal as a marketer is to show them why your business is the best answer to said problem.
To do this, you have to demonstrate not just that you’re an expert in the field but also that your solution actually works.
3. Checklists
Santa Claus is not the only one making a list and checking it twice. Many people love a step-by-step guide to performing a task or solving a problem.
By dividing tasks into smaller, more manageable ones, checklists can make even the most complex jobs less daunting. And from a marketing perspective, they’re a great way to generate leads.
Audiences use them as a simple, easy, and free way to make sure all the right steps are being followed. They create ownership, establish expectations, and set deadlines, all of which contribute to productivity.
In addition to creating a useful tool for customers, checklists also let your targets know you understand what they’re facing. Good checklists will include:
- A title establishing the purpose of the list and why it’s useful.
- Step-by-step tasks that outline the overall process – including subtasks.
- Timeframes for each step – this could be a hard date or a range.
- Status indicating whether a step is completed, in progress, or not started.
4. Customer Reviews and Testimonials
You know your business is great, but let’s face it: saying it yourself doesn’t count for much. What does matter, however, is what your customers are saying.
Word of mouth for the digital age, customer reviews, and testimonials give you a level of credibility no amount of paid marketing can ever achieve. Click here to watch the video.
5. Ebooks
One of the best ways to present yourself as an authority is to demonstrate thought leadership. And one of the best ways to do that is by creating an ebook.
These long-form texts are not advertisements, at least not in the traditional sense, but instead, they offer value to potential customers.
By deep diving into a subject particular to your field, you demonstrate your expertise while simultaneously providing value to your targets.
If your ebook covers a particularly under-covered topic or presents information in a new light, it can lead to significant interest in your company. And even better, because these long-form texts are generally hidden behind an email or contact form, they offer a great way to generate new leads
6. Email Marketing
You should be using email to contact people regularly at each stage of your sales funnel.
Limited time offers can help persuade that hesitant lead to finally give you a chance. Birthday messages to existing customers help keep your brand at the forefront, and abandoned cart emails can entice people back to complete purchases.
No matter what your business goals are, there’s an email strategy to help you achieve them.
Make sure you keep your strategy centered on those goals, segment your audience to speak to specific audiences, and measure your results. Then, take what you have learned from this campaign and apply it to the next one.
7. Guides and How-Tos
In-depth guides and how-tos are necessary for any company offering a complex product or service.
Another way to demonstrate how knowledgeable you are, they are a great way to expand your online presence.
For example, if you are a software company, providing how-to content in the form of printable guides or online training courses will help your clients get the most from your product.
They can also help eliminate frustration and minimize learning curves – both things' customers love.
8. Interactive Content
In the old days (i.e., before the internet), marketing usually talked “at” an audience. But now, the power of technology has given marketers the ability to speak “with” people.
Interactive content is a great way to harness this functionality to gather information, boost engagement, or find new customers. Plus, they’re a great way to provide value and/or showcase your creativity.
Create quizzes to help people decide on which product is perfect for their needs, build games to distract them while increasing your brand’s exposure, or create an app that adds value to their lives.
9. Interviews/Q&As
Want to massively expand your audience with just one piece of content? All you need to do is secure an interview on Joe Rogan’s podcast. Simple, right? Well, maybe not, but don’t let that discourage you from putting the power of interviews and question-and-answer segments to work for you.
A great way to build relationships (and links) with other websites, these are a great way for your internal thought leaders to showcase their knowledge to external audiences.
By going “on the record,” you’re showing the world that you stand behind your offering. This implies quality customer support, helps with reputation management, and can improve overall engagement.
10. Listicles
Unfamiliar with the word “listicle?” You’re not alone. But they refer to something you’ve definitely seen before. In fact, you’re reading one right now – it’s an article structured as a list, hence the name.
11. Podcasts
No longer solely the domain of true crime junkies, podcasts are a great way to build your brand with effective content marketing that people can consume on their commute, on a walk, or at any other time they find convenient.
Podcasts allow you to share your stories and experiences directly with your audience, building relationships by speaking to your targets on a personal level.
To maximize the impact of your podcasts, ensure you’re providing useful information in an entertaining format. You can also use guest hosts or interviewees as a way to expand your audience.
12. Social Media Posts
Everyone from your grandmother to the teenager next door is using social media these days. Click here to watch the video.
13. User-Generated Content
Much like testimonials, content created by your users gives you an authenticity no amount of self-promotion can match. Even better, because it’s generated by a third party, it doesn’t take much investment on your part.
User-generated content, or UGC, could be anything from someone tagging your brand in a selfie to a recording of them using your product. It provides social proof while simultaneously providing word of mouth and encouraging engagement.
Encourage your fans and customers to make content by:
- Regularly posting UGC on your social media channels.
- Inviting user-submitted content, with or without rewards.
- Creating and using your own branded hashtag.
- Click here to watch the video.
14. Videos
If you’re looking for a way to engage your audience, there’s nothing quite like video. Click here to watch the video.
15. Webinars
When you think of content marketing, webinars are probably not the first thing that springs to mind. However, they can be a very valuable part of your strategy.
Whether you’re using on-demand webinars to provide round-the-clock value or live sessions to create personal connections, these online education sessions are a great way to educate existing and potential customers, attract new leads, and establish your authority in your field.
To create successful webinars, first, identify an area of need. Maybe there’s a new law that impacts your industry, and there are many questions surrounding its implementation.
Maybe there’s a certain aspect of your offering that customers don’t seem to understand clearly. Or perhaps you just want to offer expert insights on a relevant topic.
16. Whitepapers
Not to be confused with ebooks, whitepapers are lengthy papers filled with data, statistics, and information – sort of like business research papers.
The information they include can be the results of your own studies or a compilation of information compiled from other sources. Either way, they should offer key takeaways and provide credible insights.
Keep your design clean and visually appealing for easy scanning and allow others to link to it to help generate backlinks.
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