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A question that pops up in almost every conversation between marketing consultants and business owners: Is there a pocket-friendly approach to marketing apart from all the online ads and traditional marketing efforts?
That's when consultants suggest content marketing: a cost-effective marketing strategy that involves creating content for a brand to improve its overall online presence and drive traffic.
As per Technavio's forecast and analysis- the global content marketing market will grow by 584.02 billion dollars at a CAGR of 16.37% between 2022 and 2027.
So, as a brand, how do you tap into this market? What are the different types of content marketing formats that you should include in your strategy?
We'll dig into that, but first, let's address another important question that often pops up:
Do you need different types of content marketing?
Okay, let's get this straight- no thumb rule says we have to use all the different types of content marketing.
But suppose you are only using email marketing as a type of content marketing to reach out, then your target audience is restricted to people who subscribe to your newsletter.
You need to realize that apart from your newsletter subscribers, there are millions of people out there consuming content from social media, blogs, YouTube videos, ebooks, podcasts, and more.
So, when you diversify your content marketing strategy and explore different formats like ebooks, social media, and blogs- you reach out to a larger audience and your chances of getting noticed will increase.
And trying out different types of content will also keep your audience engaged with your brand.
12 different types of content marketing that you should know
Let's explore each one of them up close and you will figure out which of these aligns best with your brand and your targeted audience:
1. Blogs
In this era of vlogging, blogging might sound a bit old school, but it's still an easy, affordable and effective way to do content marketing.
Adding new blogs to your site can help brands share insightful information and publish reports, guides, methods, listicles, etc.
Few marketers may suggest that blogs are the best way to show your audience what problem you solve and how you solve it.
But I beg to differ. Instead of blogging about how you will change lives with your product or services, you can blog about topics related to your industry.
For example, as a content marketer, I'm not blogging about how my content marketing strategies can help you. Instead, I'm writing about the different types of content marketing so that you can gain some knowledge.
In the same way, if you're a baker, you should never blog about how delicious your cupcakes are. Instead, you can share how people can easily make cheesecake or cupcakes at home.
The whole point of blogging is to educate people and not rub their face on what you do.
All you have to do is identify the searcher's intent and address the questions or problems of your audience. You can create guides and how-to blogs to provide information on certain topics.
Once you start sharing valuable and helpful information, you will see a positive impact on your SERP rankings and your business.
2. Videos
The Internet has become faster, cheaper and widely available over the last two decades.
Since the internet speed is skyrocketing, people all over the globe are starting to enjoy data-intensive services like watching videos and playing online games.
Hence, videos have become a popular way to engage with your audience.
No matter if people are looking for a quick recipe or a tutorial for an at-home workout routine, they always rely on videos.
Producing video content can be tough because it takes up a lot of time and resources, but videos make it easy for people to understand how to do some things and how some things work out.
For example, if you're starting out as a content marketer and you want to learn how to create social media graphics using Canva, then YouTube is your go-to platform.
I went to a film school, but you wouldn't believe that I learned a lot more from YouTube channels like StudioBinder, WolfCrow, and The Script Lab, than I ever did from attending lectures.
Video content marketing has become way more versatile with the advent of TikTok, Meta's Reels and YouTube Shorts.
Brands, marketers and content creators can now create short videos to engage their audience across all popular social media platforms.
If you invest in video content marketing, your lead generation and conversion rates are more likely to go up.
3. Infographics
If you're into marketing, I'm sure whenever you open LinkedIn, you'll see tons of your connections share infographics made by brands like Semrush.
Infographics are among one of the pillars of visual storytelling and content marketing.
Infographics help you convey a complex idea in the simplest way possible.
You'll remember those classic movie scenes where the top government officials ask scientists about an anomaly or something complex and they start a detailed, never-ending scientific monologue. And they do not stop until someone frustratingly shouts, "ENGLISH PLEASE," that's when they simplify the whole thing for an average person.
The same thing goes for infographics. It's like a simplified version of something complex.
You can post your infographics on social media or strategically place them in your blogs.
Good infographics not only get popular on social media but also get featured on other sites. Hence, they can be a good way to get inbound links.
4. Email lists and newsletters
I know what's going on in your mind- emails? When was the last time any of us opened any of those marketing emails we received? We have always hated them for spamming our inboxes.
But the truth is, a study done by McKinsey & Company says that email marketing is 40x more effective than social media.
The best part about email marketing is you have control over who you're reaching out to. It can be your existing customers or new subscribers to your newsletters- the target audience is always specific.
Yes, the truth is there are a lot of people out there who might hate emails from your brand, but likewise, many people are waiting to hear from you.
Email marketing can help you directly communicate special offers, updates, new product launches, pre-bookings, and personalized wishes to your loyal customers and even the new ones.
A weekly or monthly newsletter can be a great way of constantly staying in touch with your audience. You can keep updating them about all the small things that are happening to your brand. Not only will this improve transparency but create a sense of trust among your customers.
5. Case studies
Your business solves a specific problem and there are people out there facing that problem, but how do they know that you have a solution to their problem?
That's when you create a case study to demonstrate that you have a solution to someone's problem and literally explain how it works and attach social proof with it.
Through a case study, you can rope in new customers by explaining the buyer's journey, and how the product works and share some success stories to back up your claims.
For example, you're a vitamin brand selling Biotin gummies and claiming that your products are effective for people facing hair-related problems, so how do you make a case study for them?
Firstly, you explain your product, you talk about the nutritional facts, dosage, and other specialties about your product like it is a plant-based supplement and it is gluten-free for instance.
Next, you talk about what problem it solves and how it solves. You can explain how your biotin gummies make people's hair stronger and improve the overall health of your hair, fingernails and your skin. You can mention that if people use your products for 90 days straight then they will start seeing results.
Your final step is to attach social proof to back your claims. You can share stories from your existing customers who have used your products for over 90 days and got amazing results.
A case study is an effective medium to establish that you're really the best at what you do.
6. eBooks
For my 5-year-old niece, eBooks are those novels that I read on Kindle and she's not wrong.
But in our marketing industry, we use this digital version of books to educate our audience and share informational material with them.
Brands normally give these ebooks away for free in exchange for contact information.
I'm sure that you have come across such ebook downloading options while reading a blog. These ebooks promise to offer a more comprehensive understanding of the topic. All you have to do is enter your email address and name and the brand will instantly mail the ebook to you.
You can do the same for your brand and generate leads from this.
But the ebook is another word for dominance. You really need to be an expert in something to be able to write an ebook.
It might cost you a lot of time, money, and industry expertise to craft an ebook that will actually be helpful for your target audience.
As a writer, the best part about creating an ebook for me is that I really don't need to worry about SEO or plagiarism. I can write the way I want to write it, and there's no thumb rule for me.
The sole purpose of creating an ebook should be to offer valuable information and insights to your customer, you should not use it to say "Choose our service or buy our products now".
If done correctly, ebooks can be a great way to generate valuable leads.
7. Memes
Meme marketing is my all-time favorite thing to do.
Meme marketing is best suited for B2C brands targeting Millennials and GenZs.
A casual approach with a touch of fun might appeal more to the younger audience otherwise they'll make "Why so serious?" memes on you.
Good memes not only create more engagement on social media but also help you develop a brand personality.
In my opinion, posting good memes on your brand's social media makes you look more human to your audience. Because without a sense of humor, you might as well be a robot running the whole gig.
If you opt for memes, make sure you do it right on time.
8. Interactive content
There's a huge difference between "talk to someone" and "talk with someone". This first one implies a one-sided conversation while the latter implies a two-way conversation.
Traditional marketing usually "talked to the audience" through TV ads, billboards, etc.
But with social media, brands have found a way to establish two-way communication with their target audience.
Platforms like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram allow brands to create polls and gain insights on what people like more.
Apart from that, there are numerous more options like hosting live Q&A sessions or webinars.
These live sessions can be a great way to directly communicate with the audience, educate them, answer their questions and share personal stories with them so they can relate more with the people behind the brand.
Making interactive digital marketing content has been a trend since it breaks the wall between brands and the audience and allows them to know each other more personally.
9. Reviews and testimonials
When you let your customers speak out loud- it shows how confident you are about your product or services.
Testimonials and reviews add credibility to your website and social media pages.
No matter how much you promote yourself, this type of user-generated content can be more effective. And most importantly, they almost cost nothing on your part.
All you have to do is ask your clients/customers to leave feedback for you.
It's that simple.
Reviews and testimonials have reached a whole new level, brands now encourage their customers to record videos of how their products are solving real-life problems.
From YouTubers making unboxing videos to Instagram influencers reviewing different products every day, these videos can help create a positive brand image.
10. Listicles
We do not get to hear this term often. It simply refers to blogs or articles that are written in list-based formats.
Yes, like this one, this blog is a prime example of a listicle.
The best part about a listicle is that it allows marketers to cover all the sub-categories in one post.
It also breaks down the information in a manner that is easily consumable.
Listicle makes it easy to share the content- it allows the writer to break down the content into small pieces.
E.g., Top 10 hypercars of 2024 or 10 steps to make a cheesecake.
So when you break down the cheesecake recipe into 10 steps, it becomes easy for the reader to follow the steps one by one.
11. Courses
If you're an industry expert, then you can definitely consider creating online courses.
Courses are a great way to teach real-life skills to your target audience.
Let's get back to the cheesecake example again. Sorry, I love cheesecakes, so I bring it up every time I get a chance.
So, let's say you're a new cheese brand and you want to spread the word. Hence, you create an online course on "how to make cheesecakes at home."
Not only does this bring interested people to your website, but it also gives you an opportunity to showcase your product in the course.
This way brands can leverage online courses to generate leads or boost their sales.
12. Influencer marketing
Last but not least, since TikTok and Instagram reels became a thing, social media influencers took over the internet promoting products they use.
Influencers have a loyal follower base of their own and if your brand or products are endorsed by that influencer then you'll surely see some spike in your quarterly sales.
As per recent studies, influencer marketing has proven to be one of the most effective types of content marketing.
While beauty and clothing brands collaborate with lifestyle and fashion influencers, likewise tech brands collaborate with tech influencers.
Same way, every brand collaborates with an influencer who creates content in their specific industry niche.
Takeaway: Why should you diversify your content?
In this digital era, any brand's marketing strategy is incomplete without content marketing. Hence, they should try out different types of content marketing formats and channels to increase their reach.
Like I've said earlier "When you diversify your content marketing strategy and explore different formats like ebooks, social media, and blogs- you reach out to a larger audience and your chances of getting noticed increases."
If you need help in creating a multi-channel content plan, you can book my free content marketing consultation. I'll give you a detailed idea of how you can reach out to your desired audience by experimenting with different types of content marketing.
Very interesting
It was very informational thankyou for sharing
Beautifully written
Beautifully explained with your own experience and understanding... Loved that personal touch.