We consume content on a daily basis in multiple formats: online articles at home, e-guides and webinars at work, how-to-videos over the weekend, scrolling on social media for distraction in between, and much more. When we aren’t consuming content, we are creating it: posting photos and videos of family and friends, or even just the one-liner status updates. Content has become a huge part of our lives. In business, content marketing is all the hype that has now become the bread and butter of marketing online.
Content marketing is a strategic marketing approach that involves creating and distributing valuable, relevant and consistent information to attract, acquire and retain business leads and customers. An effective content strategy has clear and well-defined goals or objectives of driving valuable customer action.
A good content marketing strategy matters because it helps your business stand out in the very crowded digital world. The following types of content marketing can help your business grow by creating value.
6 Types of Content Marketing To Attract Leads
1. Blogging
A blog is an online source of information where a writer or a group of writers share their thoughts & ideas, expertise or know-how on a particular subject. Blogging allows you to increase your brand’s online visibility by providing useful or educational content that people are looking for. While for some blogging may be just a hobby or pass-time activity, a blog that converts needs to be strategically planned and executed. From choosing the topic to the choice of words. Your blog should answer a searcher’s question. The more relevant and helpful your content is, the more likely it is to be returned on search engine results pages (SERPs). Visitors who stay on your blog tell search engines that your page has relevant information, which improves your search engine optimisation (SEO) ranking.
People will also leave your website with a positive feeling about your brand, which can result in returning visitors. You can make your blog stand out by following these 8 simple steps.
There are millions of new blog articles posted every month which means that yours needs to stand out. A good blog starts with an effective strategy and by knowing what to write about. Gathering data and insights about what consumers talk about online is the first step in figuring out your blog topics.
2. Email Marketing
Emails remain an effective type of marketing. To date, email marketing has the highest return on investment (ROI) of all content marketing formats and it is the most effective for new customer acquisition. With email marketing, you can sell your products or services, inform clients about upcoming offers or new products and services, cultivate relationships with new and existing customers, and nurture leads through your sales and marketing funnels.
Despite the growth of social media networks, there are still 3 times as many email accounts as there are Facebook and Twitter accounts combined. Emails also have a higher click-through rate (CTR) compared to social posts.
There are 4 different types of marketing emails you can use:
Informational emails
Digital newsletters
Product updates
Transactional emails
Email marketing is a sure way of reaching your target audience and having your brand seen. Personalisation and segmentation allow you to send emails with relevant content to a single reader, for more effective marketing.
Join other leading brands and optimise your email marketing process by paying attention to these 7 elements.
3. Video
One of the most popular types of content at the moment is video.
Majority of video marketers report that video content helps achieve various goals. It increases website traffic, sales, return on investment and significantly reduces support calls.
The popularity of video content has been increasing rapidly.
Videos are highly effective as people are more drawn to visual content than any other form. A good video content strategy requires work and effort. If executed well, it will surely pay off.
4. Podcasts
A podcast is a media channel that consists of audio file episodes about specific topics, sometimes combined with video.
Podcasts are quickly gaining popularity due to their availability on demand. This distinguishes them from radio and its fleeting character with content that’s scheduled at a certain time. Listeners usually also show high engagement because they can select what content they consume, based on their interests and preferences.
To put the growth of podcasts into perspective: there are currently over 2 million active podcasts, compared to 550,000 in 2018. The loyalty and engagement of podcast listeners are demonstrated by the fact that 80% of them listen to more than half the episode. This is the time to implement podcasts in your content strategy if you haven’t already done so.
5. Case Studies
Case studies are effective content formats for lead generation. They showcase your brand's success stories or illustrate certain principles that ultimately convince potential customers to choose you.
Case studies are specifically helpful for consumers who are on the brink of making a buying decision. They make it easier for them to realise how much value your product or service adds. You can gain even more trust with new leads and potential customers by adding in real-life examples.
It is important to carefully consider which projects or customers you’ll feature in a case study. Opt for case studies where your products or services provide solutions or value to challenges faced by your target audience.
6. Infographics
An infographic is a visual representation of information or data. It's a catchy way of grabbing the attention of your audience as most people are drawn to images over written scripts - just like with videos.
If you’re looking for a smart and fun way of getting your data and statistics across, infographics will do. They can educate your audience in a simple way via statistics, facts or how-to images. The impact of visual communication should not be underestimated.
If you know what your audience appreciates, infographics can be invaluable lead magnets that can direct viewers to longer forms of content or even to your website.
Infographics are a good addition to your content plans because a lot of data can be consumed and digested faster and easier.
If you are looking for catchy and effective ways to market your products, services or even organisation, these types of content are a good starting point. They are ideal for sharing on different online platforms, and will undoubtedly be engaged with or shared by your followers and clients as well, expanding your reach even more.
