If you told me that a helicopter could fly without its rotor blades or that a car could run without its tires, I would probably call you an idiot on pot.
I know that’s a bit harsh, but in a world where getting audience trust and attention is everything, not using content marketing is one of the most blunderous things you’ll ever do. It’s simply impossible to build a genuine connection with your target audience without providing them any value.
Moreover, thanks to the easy access to information, your audience, too, is more clever than ever before. So if someone tells you putting out some hard-sell copies will work, he is 100% wrong, period!
Since your presence tells me you have already accepted this simple fact and are willing to invest a chunk of your marketing budget into generating digital content, the following are some of the best content types you should consider:
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Contents
Explainer videos
You know video is the king when it comes to marketing, right? Well, I wouldn’t be surprised. About 77% of viewers watch an explainer video to its total length and are twice as likely to share it with friends than any other content. Moreover, 64% of business owners say that video has boosted their sales enormously. And why not? Explainers have everything, from pleasing visuals to educational value and anything in between. How many types of explainer videos are out there? You can opt for a 2D explainer video, 3D explainer video, collage explainer video, live-action or many available other styles. The possibilities are literally endless.
Explainer videos help in increasing your online visibility. They not only promote user engagement but are also loved by search engines. An explainer video on your website will benefit you much more than just making your leads stay on your site. Given the emotional impact of a good video, you will get some serious conversions!
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Blog posts
Ah! The good old pal of every digital marketer ever since the inception of the internet, the one and only blog post! Yes, writing doesn’t capture attention as much as a video. And it doesn’t rank as quickly as a great video. But as far as value is concerned, it is as effective as anything for its budget, given that you have a loyal audience.
Blog posts are all about posting stuff that your audience might find helpful. It can be a bunch of tips and tricks to help them with their problems. Or maybe, some informational article to keep your audience informed of the current developments in their area of interest? Blog posts allow you to share any content as long as your audience finds value in it.
Sharing authentic content helps a lot in trust building.
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Guest posts
It wouldn’t be wrong if I called guest posts the goldmine of backlinks. When you post your content on high-quality websites, it can get your own website a lot of traffic, which can boost your overall SEO score at an enormous pace and help you get that top spot in the search engine.
Plus, posting on giant blogs will help you become an authority in your particular niche, and people will perceive you as a genuinely resourceful expert. The ultimate result? Excellent user engagement, quick trust-building, and good ROI.
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Podcasts
Though the use of podcasts in the marketing space is quite a new trend, boy, has it not been working great! Podcasts are especially effective when you genuinely want to build a personal connection with your audience. All the little jokes amidst meaningful conversations, a couple of stories, and a frank tone, it has got everything to keep people hooked.
Not to mention, everyone can listen to it anywhere. Some might listen to it while sipping a cup of coffee; others might listen to it when cooking, driving, or even running. Though your target podcast audience might not be as huge as a video, whoever listens to your podcast will be a genuine brand advocate.
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Quizzes and polls
Interactive content is another excellent strategy to stay connected to your audience and collect as much information about them as possible. Making quizzes will allow you to identify the likes and dislikes of your audience and build a bond with them over time. Here, it’s also important to mention that the quiz should not be just around your business or product each time.
Try creating some exciting, fun, and little personal polls. Remember, the more you know your audience, the better your chances of building a genuinely long-lasting relationship with them. Plus, it will also give you some good ideas to improve your service and product. It’s two birds with one stone!
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E-books
Don’t get me wrong, blog posts are great! But sometimes, complex topics can take thousands of words to be explained perfectly. Now you could do that though a long-form blog post. But the thing is, people get bored by scrolling through a webpage.
So instead of writing a post, sometimes, an E-book is your best bet. The reason for that is more psychological rather than logical. In other words, no one likes to spend many minutes on a long-form blog post, but they would happily see the same content in the form of an E-book, no matter how long it gets!
On the other hand, blog posts are more of a quick solution. Users only open them, expecting to conclude everything in 2 minutes. According to the recently collected data, the ideal words for a blogpost lies between 2100 and 2400. A post going beyond that can put you at risk of losing an audience.
Conclusion
Content marketing is essential if you are looking forward to a sustainable marketing strategy that could benefit you in the long term. Yes, it will require a massive chunk of your overall marketing budget, but that’s little to sacrifice when we look at its benefits. Putting out great content will attract your target audience and turn them into your loyal followers.
Another good thing about digital content is its global reach. Remember, the world of the internet is bigger than you think, with numerous platforms from which you can get your followers. Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Youtube, and Email are just a few.
The only advice I would give you? Never compromise on your quality to save some money. Perhaps it will help you save some bucks to put out 3 instead of 1 video to the public, but all three have a high chance of being crap. Instead, put your all in one piece and make it to perfection. One great content piece is better than 100 bad ones.
I hope this article has been helpful. Feel free to ask any questions. See you with another piece!