In an age of digital media, all that matters is how engagingly and efficiently you communicate. Earlier, people didn’t have many options at their disposal for communication purposes. But now, we have a myriad of online branding options lying in front of us.
But as we know the adage, “Problem of Plenty”, this has been so true for the present era. We are now flooded with so many options that it has become difficult to produce quality content for each communication channel. To sustain in the race, you must write effective blog posts and create videos that captivate your audience. Once you find an optimum media that works well with your online brand or eCommerce business, you unleash numerous possibilities.
Choosing the Right Content Form
Nowadays, the first and foremost sensible thing an online marketer can do is to come up with new ideas for imparting information about his/her business. The second most vital thing is to experiment with different content forms and observe which one boosts engagement.
Once a company is established, making a name within the niche happens to be the stepping stone for a marketer. Creating a full-proof brand is more work than it seems; just a few billboards or brochures, or social media posts don’t work. Owing to the ‘tech times’ we are in, consumers have evolved from smarter to smartest; they no longer get impressed by the push marketing tactics once prevalent. Now is the time for ‘Pull Marketing’. Marketers failing to adapt to this technique are certainly the ones lagging.
And here lies the significance of goal-driven content that help in brand promotion, augment online reputation and instill confidence amongst the buyers. But nobody can deny the pressure of creating the optimum content that works for your online business. Therefore, find out that one content type that drive visible results.
In this Blog post, we will discuss certain content marketing types to grow your business in 2021 and skyrocket your branding. If you are ready, then let’s dig in!
Live Streaming Videos
Live videos are gaining rapid popularity and growing unbelievably fast as a popular type of content for online marketing.
There are a lot of options now, to stream live video, Facebook Live, Instagram TV, Twitch, and many more. Live videos are the hot favorite amongst the millennials and the Gen X. They can join the real-time streaming or catch the highlights later.
And creating live videos doesn’t cost you a dime, as you can do it seamlessly from your Smartphone. Just ensure to cover interesting events and increase your social reach.
Long-Form Content
Contrary to popular belief that users don’t find interest in detailed content, long-form articles and Blogs work pretty well with users who truly have a knack for reading.
Creating longer articles is actually a great idea because you can include several details and engaging information, stats, images. Longer content also generate more online visibility, owing to the vast information they give.
These kinds of high-performing content types work great with the audience as they establish you as an industry expert and act as proof of your authority.
Memes
The reason why memes work great for your audience is that, they are wildly viral and are a fun way to engage people. But there is more value to memes than what meets the eye. Integrating viral memes into your content can save ample time for SMEs and start-ups that would otherwise be needed to create original content.
Memes are a cultural phenomenon now- from Grumpy Cat, to Batman and Robin, Coffin Dance, to Woman Yelling at a Cat, all are now part of the Internet sensation and pop culture. Integrating these contextually different content into your marketing is called ‘meme-jacking‘, where marketers hijack popular memes to create their content.
Just ensure they voice your brand and the new content is related to your nature of business. In short, memes are an effective vehicle for online branding.
Case Studies
Case studies are perfect for marketing and corporate branding; most of them are success stories. The more you showcase your success to your audience, the more trust and confidence get facilitated in your audience. Case studies are exclusively designed for storytelling which attract the audience since the human brain is wired for anything shown in a storytelling manner.
Through engaging case study designs or videos on your website/landing pages, you can show and tell how your brand has satisfied its clients. They are invaluable proof of your marketing claims.
And according to the CMI (Content Marketing Institute), 73% of B2B marketers utilize case studies in their marketing and branding strategies. And 97% of B2B customers opine that they consider case studies to be the most authentic brand content.
Guest Posts/Blogs
Articles contributed by guest bloggers not just increase the number of social media shares of your content, but can quickly gain new followers. Collaborating with other thought leaders in the industry proves to be immensely beneficial for online marketers for their marketing purpose.
One might find relevant bloggers in their niche, who can include links to their own blog. And the more backlinks you have, the better your website ranking. On top of that, your audience can taste a different writing style, tonality and linguistic approach; and this works pretty well to stimulate social shares.
Stats say that more than 62.96%of readers find Blog sites that have multiple authors, to be more credible. So in a bid to amplify your branding and brand awareness, seek partnership opportunities with influencers and guest bloggers.
How-To Videos/Guides
Indeed, certain things are easier to explain through a video than through graphics or plain text. Well, how-to guides fall in that category. Often, people cannot figure out the accurate way or procedure of doing something. Maybe, installing a new gadget, or doing their own make-up, or bake a cake for Christmas!
These are the times when they take resort to how-to guides for an easy way out. So you see, there’s a lot of value in producing short how-to videos for those audiences in particular, who want to learn something new.
How-to videos are also a great source for cross-promotional contentthat ultimately helps in branding a product online. After all, 72% of users prefer video content in a bid to learn something. On top of that, DIY (Do-it-yourself) and how-to-related YouTube searches have grown up to 70%! This is one of the ideal content types to offer to your audience.
Infographics
True to their name, Infographics convey a great deal of valuable information, via engaging graphics and data visualization. They get up to 3X more shares, more views and more likes than plain texts, as humans are mostly visual learners.
However, once the ‘holy grail’ of online markers and content marketing, Infographics have comparatively declined in popularity with time. But, one can still leverage Infographics for benefit. And that is only by integrating valuable data into it. Data are significant while making decisions, but since most of them are complex, it is hard to consume. And this is where data visualization helps by making complex data easier to grasp.
Leverage the viral potential of Infographics and promote them on your social channels and Blogs. This makes them great content for your audience, as well as for your branding. You may take the help of your in-house team or a team of professionals to get yourself some custom designs and share them across social platforms.
Product Reviews
Consumers are the smartest now. They do not blindly purchase a product or opt for a service without being sure about it. And to be sure about something sold online, the only way is to read product reviews.
As per the stats, in 2016, more than 90% of buyers preferred to check online reviews of a product before purchasing. Product reviews are now an integral part of online branding that helps in trust-buildingand sets your product apart from the others.
They also offer better insight into the product, its flaws, how itcan solve your problem, etc. In a way, online reviews are a major contributor in shaping a brand and the longevity of its branding.
Webinars
If you are up for a quality conversation with your audience, then webinars are the best media to accomplish it. A portmanteau of ‘Website’ and ‘Seminar’, they are one of the most effective and engaging types of content used for digital marketing,that enable direct engagement with prospects and customers.
Also, webinars support a buyer throughout their buyer journey and also generate qualified leads. And since the lockdown and the post-COVID scenario, as public gatherings and traditional conferences, seminars are embargoed, webinars are everywhere.
From a branding perspective, one can successfully convey his/her brand message through effective networking and audience engagement. Start making your own interactive webinar content, and boost your brand.
Personal Stories
Storytelling goes a long way when it comes to engaging with your audience on an emotional level; sharing personal stories and behind-the-scenes glimpses is a great idea. Your prospects are given a perfect chance to know your brand and form a personal connection with it. Ensure your stories are inspirational, creative and original.
One must observe the usage of branded content by famous brands like Coca-Cola, Apple, Levis, Disney. These big brands leverage powerful brand stories to capture their audience’s attention subtly.
To build a strong brand on social media, give your audience a look into your daily life. Share little snippets of your employees, a fun event at the office, an office party. Or how does your desk look like while you work from home. These small personal snippets show how well you all work together and how incredible your brand is.
Timeline Design Content
Timeline designs are the best way to communicate your success stories and achievements to your audience, in the most organized fashion.
Create an informative and visually appealing timeline design that you may utilize to boost your brand and woo prospects. Give a summary of all the major events in your brand life, starting from the inception. Spice it up with relevant icons and custom graphics to support the content and make the design more visually enticing.
Think of a simple outline/wireframe and jot down the most significant events. Timeline designs are the best types of content that are enjoyed and shared by most online audience and social media users. And this has a direct impact on your online branding strategies.
Checklists
It’s easy for us to forget things and make silly mistakes. The only way to prevent such fiascos is to resort to checklists. Well, checklists are a great form of content amongst people these days, owing to their simplicity and relevance.
Creating such brilliant cognitive aids for your audience also makes checklist designs a great lead magnet. They are easy to create, easy to promote, and can be used in any industry. You may try the online checklist-creating tools and give yourself a potent branding tool.
Digital Magazines/Newsletters
Following the pandemic, our dependency on everything digital has skyrocketed. As we have stepped into the 21st century, fostering a plethora of tech innovations, digital magazines and newsletters are booming.
Most businesses now use emailers or newsletters for content marketing purposes. These newsletters usually contain valuable information, instead of a plain marketing pitch. And when such quality content are sent in the prospects’ and customers’ way on a weekly basis, the branding gets augmented. It is likely for your prospects to remember your brand when it is hammered to them regularly.
The same goes for digital magazines that you can share on social media channels, on your website homepage, create landing pages around them, or publish on your Blog site too. So, grasp the ensuing marketing and branding excellence of digital magazines, aka, e-Magazines, and emailers/newsletters, for your brand or start-up.
Podcasts
Podcasts were once popular. Well, they are still in the craze. A study by Nielsen says 44% of US people have listened to a podcast as of now. 26% of US citizens listen to at least 1 podcast per month. And there have been more than 43 million podcast episodes as of now.
And it goes without saying that online marketers can make use of podcasts for their branding efforts, with proven results. With so many people being fond of podcast content, you may start creating a corporate podcast for your brand too.
This content format has a very lucrative ROI for brands interested in increasing the reach and participating with their target audience.
eBooks
Sometimes, amplifying your brand isn’t about paying for ad campaigns or tweaking your website SEO. An online marketer must also strive to establish him/her as an authority of the industry they are in. The more knowledge and authority you seem to have, the more your audience tends to trust and put confidence in your brand.
One of the most potent authority-building content forms is eBook– a long-form content usually as a pdf, created for social shares and web-purpose. An eBook can give you a great deal of opportunity to reach a vast audience and make a mark on them with your expertise. You may share valuable insights into your brand and business objectives.
Also, they are great tools for link-building without being pushy or aggressive. These are some of the ideal types of content you can use for content marketing, as well as for branding.
Over to you now!
Obviously,more such content types can advance your brand to the next level, than the ones mentioned here. But it is not about trying all of them and putting your online brandingin jeopardy. Choose the right content for each stage of the marketing meticulously, with some analysis and make your branding efforts more powerful.
Take the key points mentioned in the Blog post into account and ensure there’s the right digital mix that helps your brand thrive. You may reach out to a professional who can incorporate the best types of content for online marketing efforts.
Let us know which of the content types you have used and what kind of benefit you have reaped out of it for your brand!
