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When we think of content, we automatically equate it with writing. However, it is more than just that.
In fact, it is way more than just writing and posting them on your website. Content marketing is a vast field that, like any other areas of digital marketing, needs dedication and passion to learn. In fact, over 90% marketers make use of content to reach new customers. If you want to be an expert in content marketing, you must be ready to spend a large portion of your time just trying to know everything up to the nitty-gritty details of it.
Now, if you are just getting started, you should know the first thing that you need to do before you proceed with marketing is to actually create a blog site and just write anything that is related to your niche. The goal at this stage is to establish your blog as a resource for informative and interesting content. You will never get the chance to properly market your content if it is not of high quality.
So, how do you go about creating good content for your blog? Read on and we will give you the 10 types of content that will go hand in hand with SEO so you can hit two birds with one stone. But before anything else, here are a few reminders and tips.
- Not Required to Engage All Content Types Mentioned Here: Remember that you are establishing a brand and there are content types that are very good with the kind of brand you are going for and there are types that just do not fit.
- You are Free to be More Creative and Try Something New: After reading the types of content you will see here, you have the creative freedom to mix one type to another. Who knows? Your formula might just become the next standard in content marketing and SEO!
- This List is Not all Inclusive: You may think that there are only 10 types of content. But no, you should stop thinking about content in terms of “types”. Rather, you should think of them in terms of “ideas”. Literally, there is no limit to your ideas. Be creative and make sure to spend time in developing and shaping your idea.
So, without much ado, here are the ten types of content that could potentially bring you to the ladder of success!
#1 – Infographics
In a nutshell, infographics are a combination of the words “information” and “graphics”. Essentially, it is information that is presented in a graphical and visual way.
Because of the visual aspect of infographics, many people share them more. This means that you can spread out your information without too much manual marketing effort from you. This makes infographics one of the most powerful methods if your goal is to go viral. For more information about how to create infographics you can visit here.
Helpful Reminders
- Infographics work best if you want to present technical information such as research and statistics in a way that they do not bore your audience.
- Because of the complexities of the process of creating infographics, they can become really expensive. If you are on a tight budget, you may want to spend time on learning how to create one on your own or use tools to make it easier. Hiring a professional graphic designer could cost you $1,000 or more.
#2 – Memes & GIFs
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Memes and GIFs have been around the internet for quite some time. One good thing about them is that they are extremely easy to make but they get a huge chance of becoming viral. This is primarily because of the hilarity that comes with them.
Remember, your audience is totally made up of humans and they like to have something that they can laugh about from time to time. Use this to your advantage and create humorous memes. If you are not sure where to find them, check here.
Helpful Reminders
- Unlike infographics, memes and GIFS can be made even by a kid as long as they know how to put a text on an image. Creating memes have been made even easier with tools like meme generators.
- Memes are very adaptable. This means that they can be used it literally any niche and industry. So, if you feel like your brand wants to share something funny and human at random times, meme it.
- Unfortunately, memes & GIFs can lower the value of a brand. So, if you are maintaining a high-standard brand, it is important that you observe minimal usage. Overusing them can actually create more damage than do good to your brand.
#3 – Videos
If you scroll through your Facebook (or even Twitter) feed, you will notice how most of the things that you see are videos. Videos house a very extensive range of variety to the point that it deserves its own article. Videos, when created with the right elements, could become really memorable and they could become the difference between a successful and a failing business or brand.
Helpful Reminders
- You may think that you can just use any drag-and-drop video editor to make your videos. Well, you may be slightly wrong. Good videos require technical skills and if you want to create amazing videos, you will need to invest a lot.
- Remember this one thing about videos: they should not be too long. Ideally, you want to keep them between two to three minutes.
#4 – Guides and Ebooks
Compared to the previous types we have already mentioned and the ones that are still to be discussed, guides would be the most intricate types of content. A well-crafted guide and Ebook is a product of a collaborative work between a talented writer and a creative designer working together on an impactful idea.
Helpful Reminders
- Guides and Ebooks can be effective lead generation tools. You can tease people with a preview of the guide and give them the full guide in exchange for their e-mail addresses.
- You cannot just write a guide just because you have to. They need to look good and they need to look like it is worth exchanging an e-mail address for.
#5 – Book Reviews
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If you love to write, chances are, you like to read too. Book reviews are very easy to make. You only need to discuss what the book is all about and your own opinion about it. This means that there is no right or wrong way to make them. In fact, a well-thought book review could make you a top thought leader right away!
Helpful Reminders
- Book reviews work best if your audience is in the demographics of bookworms.
- They can establish you as an authority leader especially when you get hold of an interview and pre-release reading of a book.
#6 – Opinion/Rant
What sets this content type from the others is the tone of writing. We are all familiar with the word “rant”, a piece of writing that expresses a strong opinion, either a positive or negative one, about a certain topic. When you publish an opinion post, you are establishing an image of someone who can be really passionate about something and that could be either a good or bad thing.
Helpful Reminders
- You do not want your blog to be bombarded with a lot of negativity. Keep your rants and opinions at a minimal. In fact, you do not have to write rants if your industry does not call for it.
- IMPORTANT: Keep it civilized. Avoid bashing others.
#7 – Product Reviews
This type of content is similar to book reviews. The only difference is that you are reviewing not just books but a wide variety of products. This is a client-friendly type of content if you want to establish yourself as a thought leader in your particular industry. For example, if your industry is in technology, reviewing the latest gadgets and tools can provide you credibility in the world of technological advancements. If you are looking to write one, then read here about how to come up with the right product review.
Helpful Reminders
- In some cases, a review in the form of a video may be a lot better than just writing a long post about it.
#8 – How-To Articles
How-to articles are very popular in selected industries. They are like a watered down and simplified version of a guide. The goal of these articles is to provide a comprehensive guide on how to do something or how to use them. Learn how to nail it down in simple steps here.
Helpful Reminders
- How-to articles usually come with long titles. You want to be more specific with your title as people who are searching for instructions about using or doing something can be very specific too.
- Create a balance of thorough explanation and simple instructions when making them. You do not want your audience to be confused with too vague instructions or too many technical terms.
#9 – Lists/Listicles
It is unknown how lists, especially long ones, have good appeal to readers. It is like people are wired to read either very short articles or long ones.
This article is an example of one. If you are still reading this, you are confirming the fact that people love to read long lists.
- Creating a list can be as easy as picking a topic and then picking a number. Then, do your research.
- Writing a list does not have to be so complicated. Just introduce your topic, write down your list and then share a little bit of a conclusion.
#10 – Podcasts
We have somehow covered content in almost all media and the list would not be incomplete without something that is related to audio. There was a time when podcasts have become really popular. But, that does not mean to say they are not effective now. They still remain one of the preferred content types in some industries.
Basically, podcasts can be audio versions of other content types listed above. You can talk about reviews, discuss lists, rant about something, or even do a tutorial!
Helpful Reminders
- The only thing you need to remember with a podcast is to accompany it with written content. You would not expect your audience to just download the podcast for listening without checking what it is about, right?
In Conclusion
As we have said, this list is not extensive. There are a lot more content types out there waiting for you to make. This is just a little introduction to get you started. But, whatever content type you are planning to do, your goal should be to capture your audience. Actually, you want your content to speak to your audience. When you do this, your audience will then do their part and actually become agents of your content marketing campaign.
